New Page 0

Unchanged by the Cross?

As Jesus hung on the cross, people began to change. In fact, I wonder if anyone who was present that day left unchanged. Consider first who was there: the Roman soldiers and the centurion, the by-passers, a general crowd of people, the chief priests and rulers along with the scribes and elders, the two thieves crucified by his side, several women disciples (Jesus’ mother, his aunt, Mary Magdalene, etc.), the apostle John (who remained up close), and “all his acquaintances” who stood at a distance (Lk 23.49; perhaps including the rest of the eleven apostles). I suspect that Simon of Cyrene, after having carried the cross to the site, stayed on as well. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who together carried the body of Jesus to the tomb, likewise may have been present at the cross. It is an amazing array of people—more, perhaps, than we normally envision. Did any of them leave unchanged?

There is no question that some were changed, quite dramatically. One of the two thieves, for example, repented on the spot, confessed his faith in Jesus, and asked for forgiveness (Lk 23.39-43). Then there was the centurion who confessed that Jesus was not only innocent, but was the “Son of God.” Evidently his soldiers likewise confessed the same (Mt 27.54). Granted, it is uncertain whether they said “the Son of God” or simply “a son of god,” or even “a son of the gods”; but without a doubt these hardened executioners were impacted by Jesus’ death. Others who were changed probably included Simon of Cyrene who may well have become a Christian, for his sons were later known to the church (Mk 15.21). The crowd was changed, for they went away beating their breasts (Lk 23.48), and many of them became Christians 50 days later (Acts 2.38-41). Of course, we know how the apostle John and Mary the mother of Jesus were impacted, for we need only go to the book of Acts to see that. If “those acquaintances” who “stood at a distance” included the rest of the apostles, just compare how they later stood before the same hostile crowd and boldly preached the gospel (Acts 2). Present or not, they were changed by the cross. No doubt the women were changed, though of all those present they had the least changing to do. Even some of the priests that were present must have been greatly impacted, for we read later that a great number of priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6.7). The impact of the cross on Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus is noteworthy as well, for as members of the Sanhedrin Council they risked everything by declaring their loyalty to Jesus, even if he was already dead.

What is amazing, however, is not that so many who were present were impacted so greatly, but that there were actually some present that left unchanged. Consider the other thief, for example. How sad to think that he died that very day, unchanged by the cross of Christ. And what about the majority of the rulers and chief priests? No doubt some of them were as callous after witnessing the Son of God die on the cross as they were before. But then again, were these really unchanged? Is it even possible to be confronted by the cross and not be changed? I suspect not. Whenever we are faced with the cross, whether during a Bible study, worship, a sermon, or personal reading of the Scriptures, our heart will either be melted or hardened, pierced or seared—but we will not go away unchanged.