Post by Lee on Jan 9, 2014 4:07:04 GMT
The following is from Alfred Norris (Central Christadelphian)
Take up his cross, and follow me:
Taking up one’s cross has little in common, too, with the common usage. It is not concerned with bearing afflictions and deprivations patiently, good though this in itself may be. There was only one reason for taking up a cross in Roman times, and that was to be crucified: and the same still applies. The Lord is inviting His disciples to follow Him with crosses upon their shoulders, and, instead of resisting His crucifixion for Himself, accept it for themselves. When we look at the use of the noun stauros (cross) and the verb stauroō (crucify) of the disciples of Christ the point emerges clearly:
Jesus tells His disciples to bear the Cross
Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 9:23; 14:27
Paul speaks of himself as crucified
Gal. 6:14
All disciples are crucified with Christ
Gal. 5:24
though the last point is brought out even more impressively by the word sustauroō, “to be co-crucified” with another, as in Rom. 6:6 for all disciples, and Gal. 2:20 with respect to Paul himself.
Disciples look at the manner in which the Lord, on His cross, finally repudiated any claims of the flesh, and accept this for themselves. It is not a literal act, of course, though some disciples have been called upon to lose their lives, even in this way, to show the faith they bear. But it is to look on the Lord as He hangs dying, and say of Him and ourselves as one of the dying malefactors who was co-crucified with Him did: “We indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41; sustauroō in Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32). And as the sequel to the Lord’s crucifixion was His burial, so is the sequel to the disciple’s acceptance of this his own burial in water: “We are buried with him by baptism into death—knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him” (Rom. 6:4, 6). This is a very clear indication of the kind of person who is entitled to be baptized, and of the manner in which his baptism should be carried out. The disciple must know his nature and repudiate it; he must consider it crucified with Christ; and He must voluntarily submit himself to burial in water before rising to a newness of life.
. Vol. 110: The Christadelphian: Volume 110. 2001 (electronic ed.) (455). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.
Take up his cross, and follow me:
Taking up one’s cross has little in common, too, with the common usage. It is not concerned with bearing afflictions and deprivations patiently, good though this in itself may be. There was only one reason for taking up a cross in Roman times, and that was to be crucified: and the same still applies. The Lord is inviting His disciples to follow Him with crosses upon their shoulders, and, instead of resisting His crucifixion for Himself, accept it for themselves. When we look at the use of the noun stauros (cross) and the verb stauroō (crucify) of the disciples of Christ the point emerges clearly:
Jesus tells His disciples to bear the Cross
Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 9:23; 14:27
Paul speaks of himself as crucified
Gal. 6:14
All disciples are crucified with Christ
Gal. 5:24
though the last point is brought out even more impressively by the word sustauroō, “to be co-crucified” with another, as in Rom. 6:6 for all disciples, and Gal. 2:20 with respect to Paul himself.
Disciples look at the manner in which the Lord, on His cross, finally repudiated any claims of the flesh, and accept this for themselves. It is not a literal act, of course, though some disciples have been called upon to lose their lives, even in this way, to show the faith they bear. But it is to look on the Lord as He hangs dying, and say of Him and ourselves as one of the dying malefactors who was co-crucified with Him did: “We indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41; sustauroō in Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32). And as the sequel to the Lord’s crucifixion was His burial, so is the sequel to the disciple’s acceptance of this his own burial in water: “We are buried with him by baptism into death—knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him” (Rom. 6:4, 6). This is a very clear indication of the kind of person who is entitled to be baptized, and of the manner in which his baptism should be carried out. The disciple must know his nature and repudiate it; he must consider it crucified with Christ; and He must voluntarily submit himself to burial in water before rising to a newness of life.
. Vol. 110: The Christadelphian: Volume 110. 2001 (electronic ed.) (455). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.