Question from a WordTruth.Com friend:

>>>   What is the prophetic symbolism of the crucifixion? Why did Jesus have to endure the cross?

WordTruth.Com Response:

The crucifixion itself was prophesied indirectly thousands of years beforehand as God pronounced judgment upon Adam, Eve, and Satan for the fall.  In judging the serpent for encouraging their sin, the LORD said in Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (NKJV).  The seed of the woman refers to Christ who was to come into the world.  Satan would "bruise His heel" indicating a significant blow. Yet Christ would "bruise your head" indicating He would destroy the work of Satan, which Christ did on the cross at Calvary.

Later, at least a thousand years beforehand, the crucifixion is prophesied in Psalm 22.  Christ Himself quoted the first verse of this Psalm from the cross: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46, NKJV).  This clearly references the content of Psalm 22 that covers the feeling of abandonment by God (22:1-2) in the midst of suffering and persecution by enemies (22:6-18) as well as the affirmation of God's faithfulness (22:3-5) and personal faith in and praise to the LORD (22:19-31). Jesus would not have been able to quote the entire Psalm from the cross -- this particular form of torture makes it very difficult even to breathe.  Numerous references in this Psalm clearly reference the kind of suffering found on the cross -- yet crucifixion was not used during the time that King David wrote this Psalm. Look closely:

I am poured out like water,
 And all My bones are out of joint;
  My heart is like wax;
   It has melted within Me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
 And My tongue clings to My jaws;
  You have brought Me to the dust of death.
For dogs have surrounded Me;
 The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
  They pierced My hands and My feet;
   I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
 They divide My garments among them,
  And for My clothing they cast lots. (Psalm 22:14-18, NKJV)

Crucifixion causes profuse perspiration and bones being pulled out of joint -- as well as extreme trauma to the heart caused by the intense suffering (v14).  Loss of energy and strength is understandable, as well as extreme thirst -- literally the life drains out of you (v15).  We read in the gospel accounts of Jesus' thirst from the cross (John 19:28).  The mocking of Christ's enemies (v16) is found in the gospel accounts of those who surrounded Jesus at the cross and mocked him, along with the two thieves who were crucified beside Him (Mark 15:29-32). A startling prediction of the piercing of Jesus' hands and feet is found here in Psalm 22:16 -- as you would expect for those who were crucified by Roman soldiers.  The torture of the cross and the events that preceded it left Jesus looking down at His starved, stressed body where He could "count all My bones" (v17).  The next verse predicts the casting of lots for Jesus' garments (v18) as found in Matthew 27:35, John 19:23-24.

The piercing of Jesus' hands and feet (v16) finds significance also in the prophecy of Zechariah: "they will look on Me whom they pierced" (Zech. 12:10, NKJV).  The One Zechariah refers to in this text is the Messiah (Christ).  This was fulfilled at the cross (John 19:37) and will also be replayed at the second coming of Christ as the Jews of that time will also look upon Christ whom they pierced by rejecting Him as Savior: "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen" (Revelation 1:7, NKJV).

From a prophetic perspective, the other significant view of the crucifixion is found in Isaiah 53:

Surely He has borne our griefs
 And carried our sorrows;
  Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
   Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
 He was bruised for our iniquities;
  The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
   And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
 We have turned, every one, to his own way;
  And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
  (Isaiah 53:4-6, NKJV)

Jesus bore the griefs and sorrows of our sins (v5). He was wounded and bruised for our sins (v5). He was chastised so that we might find peace with God (v5).  And "by His stripes we are healed" (v5).  The "stripes" refer to the lashes of the soldier's whip, the piercing of His hands, feet and side and the torture of the cross.  Yet it is by His chastisement that we are healed of our spiritual darkness.  Through the blood that Jesus Christ shed for us, we find forgiveness and cleansing from sin (Colossians 1:14).  This is an incredible passage of Scripture that explains what happened on the cross -- though we all have gone astray of God's command, God laid on Jesus Christ the penalty for "the iniquity of us all" (v6).
 

May God bless you with His wisdom and the courage to follow Jesus!
  Randy Lariscy :-)
  Director - WordTruth Ministries
 

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© Copyright  6/4/2002, Randy Lariscy.