I was reminded of a fact that many do not know, and most of us who do, keep pushed out of our mind. Jesus was crucified naked. The Roman crucifixion was designed to be the most humiliating and painful, public form of execution that the Roman culture had devised. The placement of the nails in the hands and feet were designed to pierce specific nerves that would send a “fire storm” of pain through the body and if that was not enough, Jesus had to pull himself up to breathe, thereby increasing the pain. With each breath the Romans tortured the human will to survive at the rawest level – the will to breath.
But there is another fact to consider; Jesus was naked, surrounded by gawkers, a crowd of people laughing, commenting, accusing] and teasing Him as He died. His soul truly was a sacrifice for sin. Isaiah 53:10.
His mind, emotions and will were all pushed beyond human endurance – not just his body.
Here is what I want to share with you.
- Jesus was naked because Adam was naked. Genesis 3:10
- Jesus wore a crown of thorns. It was Adam’s crown. Thorns came on the earth with Adam’s sin. Genesis 3:18
- Jesus became accursed for us because Adam’s dominion was cursed by his sin. Galatians 3:13
- Jesus had nails in his hands and feet because of our actions – Adam’s actions – not his thoughts, but his works that brought destruction and judgment. Rev 20:13
- Jesus was nailed to a tree because it was a tree that was involved in Adam’s fall. Genesis 2:16-17.
- Jesus was nailed to a cross; 2 opposing beams because of the 2 opposing trees in the garden. The tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and the tree of Life. Genesis 2:9. Adam could have eaten from the one, but choose to eat from the one he was barred from. The cross displays our choice. As we look upon Christ and what he did for us on the cross we can choose to accept His work for our salvation and humbly bow and submit to Christ or we can choose the other tree, as Adam did, and deny the work of Christ and define good and evil for ourselves. In rejecting Jesus, we embrace everything that Adam embraced in his choice – misery, the curse, rejection, toil and death – our choice.
In Jesus’ atonement He took the following:
- Jesus Christ took our sins. He remitted, forgave and overcame sin for us.
- Jesus Christ took our sickness. By his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5.
- Jesus Christ took our chaos and provided His Peace. Phil 4:6,7.
- Jesus Christ took our shame. He was naked, and provided you bold access to the Throne of Grace. Heb 4:16 . We are covered by His grace, His forgiveness, His righteousness. Justified by Him before God now and forever.
Minster Franklin Mayfield
Director of trueGOD Television Networks
2-17-2014
