Seputar Salib Yesus

The Fear of Misunderstanding, Not the Fear of Death Understanding Jesus' Prayer as a Longing for Restoration, Not an Avoidance of the Cross The Garden of Gethsemane: A Theological Misunderstanding --- Introduction You have brought our discussion to a very deep and moving understanding of the event in the Garden of Gethsemane. For centuries, many have understood Jesus' struggle there as fear of physical suffering—as if Jesus, who is God, was afraid of pain and death. But with the framework we have built together—that love is relationship, sin is separation, and Jesus' sacrifice aims at restoration, not death—we arrive at a very different understanding: "Jesus was asking, is there 'another way' to acknowledge separation (to bear sin), without having to bear the consequence (death)—not because He was unwilling, but because that was not the goal. The bloody sweat was not because of fear of death itself (Jesus said He has authority over His life), but because of the...

The Cross, the Church, and the Offering Money: Three Symbols Alike The Church Is Not a Building, but a Community The Greek word ekklesia means an assembly of people called out, not a physical building. Buildings only appeared after the 3rd century AD. The early church gathered in homes (Romans 16:5; Philemon 1:2), did not have sacred church buildings, and did not consider any particular place more holy than another. This logic is exactly the same as the logic of the cross: the error of worshiping a lifeless object like a wooden cross is corrected by the truth that the cross functions to remind us of Christ's sacrifice. Likewise, the error of considering a building more sacred is corrected by the truth that the congregation itself is God's temple. Paul said forcefully, "Do you not know that you are God's temple?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Not the building, just as not the wood of the cross, but the community living in love is the reality. The Use of Offering Money in t...

Symbol and Reality: The Theological Limits of Using the Cross in Worship Symbol Is Not the Final Goal Every believer needs to understand the fundamental difference between symbol and reality. A symbol functions as a reminder, is passive as a lifeless object, and its purpose is to point outside itself. In contrast, reality—that is, God and neighbor—must be worshiped (God alone), loved, and served; it is alive as a person and is the goal itself. The Book of Numbers records how the bronze serpent was initially an instrument of salvation (Numbers 21:8-9), but when that object turned into an idol, King Hezekiah destroyed it (2 Kings 18:4). Jesus Himself affirmed that encountering a neighbor in need is encountering Him: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:40). The Warning from the Bronze Serpent The text of 2 Kings gives a stern warning: "He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the As...

The Cross: Between Reminder and Idol The Danger of Exalting Symbols Throughout church history, the cross has often exceeded its original function. Praying to the cross, kissing it as a source of power, or making it a talisman are practices born from a fundamental error. This is similar to venerating a photo of one's parents while neglecting the parents themselves. Jesus Himself once rebuked the Pharisees who searched the Scriptures—which are a mirror of Christ—yet were unwilling to come to Him to have life. The living Word was replaced by a dead object. Jesus Is Not Found in Sacred Objects The passage about the sheep and goats in the Gospel of Matthew provides a radical correction. Jesus did not say, "I am in the cross." He said, "When I was hungry, you gave Me food. When I was thirsty, you gave Me drink." His logic overturns all forms of object-centered religiosity. Jesus is found in the suffering body of others, not in sanctified wood or metal. Devotion to the...

The Cross: The Path to Glory, Not Glory Itself The Cross as a Means, Not the Final Goal The cross is often exalted in hymns and prayers. But is the cross itself glory? Scripture gives a sharper and more paradoxical picture. The cross is not glory in an essential sense, but rather the path through which God's glory is maximally revealed. It is the door, not the throne room. The Crown After Suffering The Book of Hebrews affirms that Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, was crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death. The suffering of the cross is a process of perfection, while glory is the crown received afterward. The cross is not the crown; the crown is the result of the cross. Humility Leading to Exaltation Paul firmly separates the humiliation of the cross from the glory of the resurrection. Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death on a cross. That is why God highly exalted Him. The cross is the moral cause—the highest f...

Was Jesus' Death God's Plan? An Apologetic... Dondy Tan: Was Jesus' death God's plan? Answer: Yes. Dondy Tan: So Satan, Judas Iscariot, the Jewish leaders (priests, Pharisees, Sadducees), and the Romans at that time were not sinning. Since it was God's plan, surely they deserve credit, right? Core Answer: No, they remained sinful and deserve no credit at all. Even though their evil actions were indirectly used in God's plan, their own motives and actions remained evil and deserving of punishment. They were instruments in God's plan, not partners. --- An Analogy to Answer Dondy Tan The following analogy is very helpful. It is a good starting point for reflecting on the situation of Christ's crucifixion, especially regarding intention and sovereignty. The Analogy of the King, the Tumor, and the Rebel A very good and wise King ruled a kingdom. One day, he discovered that a malignant tumor was hiding inside his body. This tumor would surely kill him. The roy...

Is It True That Jesus Died "Cursed" on the Cross? Introduction The claim that "Jesus died cursed on the cross" often sparks theological debate, especially regarding the method of biblical interpretation. To assess whether this statement contains hermeneutical errors (principles of interpretation) or exegetical errors (application of interpretation), an in-depth analysis of scriptural context, linguistics, and Christian theology is required. This writing will examine the phrase through the lens of: 1. Biblical foundation (specifically Galatians 3:13 and Deuteronomy 21:23), 2. Relevant hermeneutical principles, 3. Theological implications of the concept of "curse" in Christ's redemption. With this approach, we can determine whether the claim is a valid interpretation or a deviation from proper interpretive methods. --- 1. Analysis of Text and Context Related verses: Galatians 3:13 (NIV): "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a cu...