The Mystical Application of the Inward Cross

These misunderstandings and misinterpre-tations reveal a much broader mystical explanation of the cross and the crucifixion of Jesus, which needs to be addressed. There is a long history of Christians using the symbol of the cross in superstitious and mystical ways.

The earliest Christians seem to have repudiated the use of the cross as a symbol. This is because the cross was a despised execution instrument. Would we want to wear a gold-plated noose or gallows had Jesus been hanged, or a gold-plated guillotine had Jesus been beheaded, or a gold- plated electric chair had Jesus been electrocuted, or a gold- plated syringe had Jesus been lethally injected? It is not difficult to understand their aversion to using the cross as a symbol.

Mankind has always utilized symbols to give expression to their abstract ideas. Early Christians developed a symbol of the fish, because the Greek word for fish, ichthus, was used as an acrostic for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior." The dove was used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, Christos, were formed together as a chi-rho symbol for Christ. The primary emphasis of early Christian preaching was the resurrection- life of Jesus Christ, for which a symbol was difficult to find. The empty cross became a symbol to show that Jesus had been raised from the dead, and it eventually became the predominant Christian symbol. The first record of its use is found during the second century. Clement of Alexandria wrote, "We mark the brow with the sign of the cross." ¹ There is also evidence that the gesture of the cross and material objects in the form of a cross were used as early as the second century as ritual fetishes to ward off evil, a practice which was condemned.

The cross, as a symbol, was further entrenched as the primary symbol of Christian religion after the Roman emperor, Constantine, claimed to have seen a flaming cross of light in the sky with the words, "By this sign conquer" (quoted in the 4th century work - Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius). He, henceforth, merged Christian religion with his political aspirations, using the symbol of the cross.  Constantine's mother, Helena, is alleged to have travelled to Palestine in AD 325 and claimed to have discovered the original wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified. The criteria for the claim was that a sick person had grasped the wood and was allegedly healed. Small fragments were transported back to Rome and sold to wealthy believers as priceless relics. There were not enough to supply the demand, so they claimed "the miracle of the multiplication of the cross" whereby, many more splinters from the cross were allegedly formed. It is reported that wood fragments existed in Roman Catholic churches around the world sufficient to construct many crosses.

The problem with symbols is that since they are more tangible than the abstract reality, religious people tend gradually to superstitiously worship the symbol and lose sight of the reality...Read Full Article