Ancient Words: Faces of the Cross, Face of Fools
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God (1Co 1:18).” Faces of the Cross is multi-faceted to say the least. There is the face of power and the face of weakness; the face of sorrow and the face of joy; the face of death (snakes) and the face of life; the face of enmity (hate) and the face of peace (love)— and so on and so forth. On one face of the cross there is great wisdom and yet on another face of the cross there is foolishness.
The people cried out in jest and mockery with laughter——“Come down from the cross, if you are a savior!” “Show us how great you really are and take yourself down from this cross!” Satan, the serpent of old, had infused the crowd and the rulers in Jerusalem; he had brought to bear on the holy and spotless lamb the most ruthless form of death—death on a cross! Satan’s wrath of the ages was with the most atrocious and horrific form of execution. He would bring the scoffers of Jerusalem’s religious order, soldiers from the Roman Guard, the authority of the Roman Empire itself, and literally open the gates of hell full of devil demons to converge and inspire to brutally kill this son of a carpenter from Nazareth.
Satan could not see that God’s wisdom was accomplishing the plan of the ages to defeat Satan’s wrath of the ages. God’s wisdom was used to conquer Satan’s “wisdom” and reduce it to absolute foolishness: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent (1Co 1:19).” “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1Co 1:2021).” Sagacious were the people, satisfied with their own human mental conclusion, that the imposter of their time received a just reward on the cross of fools.
Sagacious are the people of our day who cry… “Take that cross down!” Steeped in their own human mental conclusion, the cross is offensive and divisive, and should be removed from the face of society. Their foolishness is portrayed as bright as a neon sign as they clamor for diversity and inclusion in the name of “love” while despising the cross. The One hanging on the tree is the most inclusive, loving person ever to live as he cries… “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” The One hanging on the tree is the most united person to ever live as he cries thru the Spirit by Paul—-“….. But God hath chosen the foolish things (the cross) of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things (the cross) of the world to confound the things which are mighty…. But you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption…. (1Co 1:23-31).” There were enemies of the One on the cross 2,000 years ago and today there remains enemies of the One’s cross: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they (…the face of fools) are enemies of the cross of Christ (Php 3:18).”
Scott and Jane Johnson minister with East Faulknew Church of Christ and BRG Bible. Bible questions can be sent to brgbible@gmail.com.