coryonomics

The Gospel according to Matthew 15:31-32 says, "So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.' Those who were crucified with him also reviled him." (ESV)

Through the eyes of mortality the priest's request is not a bad one. Why not come down off the cross? How many would have been convinced that Jesus was indeed the Messiah? Is it too much to ask for proof? Although the vitriol spewed on a dying man is disturbing, the request is understandable. After all, what is the cross? Undignified, shameful, weak, defeat, and death.

Through the eyes of eternity, though, the question is misguided. Which Messiah would they be believing? Would Jesus be the same Messiah if he came off of the cross? What would their "belief" represent and who would they really be following? "Jesus" they say, "we will believe you if you come down." Believe what?

The people did not crucify Jesus because they did not want a Messiah, they crucified him because he was not the Messiah they wanted. My main contention with many who claim to follow Christ, including myself, is that we tend not to want God, but a God talisman. The good news that is shared is "self-help"; if you want more and a better return on your life, come to Jesus. Instead of Jesus being our all in all we ask Jesus to make our all our all. We become like those standing around the cross and say, "if you are the messiah, then come down and meet my expectations".

I wonder if Jesus had come down, what their expectations would have been. Surely they would have been amazed. Surely Jesus would have increased his followers. But then what? What is the mission? What is the purpose of this Messiah off the cross? Bring world peace by taking over the government? Would that really bring peace? I believe our sin is caused by our need to control and by fear of losing that control. When that control is threatened we defend. While this is an admittedly simplified version of sin, the point I am making is that what can be accomplished from a Jesus who comes off the cross is limited. It is limited by one major controlling factor; death. With Jesus off the cross, death still wins. We all still die and experience its finality. We may have a one world government and great peace on earth, but then what? Death still wins. Peace cannot be sustained with death as the victor. Essentially, then, with a limited vision of God's work, the only reason to have Jesus come down off the cross and claim an earthly throne, is so that some can have power and live the life they want so that when they near death, they can say it was fun while it lasted... at least for me.
But this is a narrow view of Messiah. It is a mortal view. It is a view that Jesus did not share. The goal was not a temporal change of leadership, but an eternal transformation of life. Death was not the intent of God. It is not some "circle of life" that is to be celebrated, but it is an affront to God, the author of life. Death, sickness, the break down of the body, mind, and soul, is an enemy. God created life and it was good, we do not see "and God created death and it was good". What we see is that death and chaos are the ill effects of sin, or to define sin another way, a perversion of what is good.
God's answer is to defeat death. Why it was done in the manner it was I have no idea, but blood seems to be a rather sacred thing. Jesus, however, stays on the cross. He dies. He is resurrected. Death is defeated. Now, in Christ we are offered the same win. Death is still an enemy, but it is a defeated enemy. Through the cross all rules are changed, the choices broadened, the Kingdom offered (the kingdom of God begins now is fulfilled one day, we begin living under the rule of God now) and the Holy Spirit given. Now the call of God, to love him by loving one another can be lived because Jesus makes it possible through his Holy Spirit. We can now surrender to that love without fear, because if death is defeated we can live knowing that death is not the end and only temporary.
To come off the cross is the way and will of men. To die is the way of God. To kill death is the way of God. To resurrect is the way of God. The way of God is often mocked because it is misunderstood; it is seen through the eyes of mortality, brokenness, fear, and death. However, seen through the eyes of God, eternity, life, and hope, we see that God does not cause death, but says, "look how I can transform evil into Good". The reality is that to come off the cross is Undignified, shameful, weak, defeat, and death. To remain is Life.