The Offense of the Cross

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This is a sermon that was given in a worship service that included the sacrament of communion. It is based on a phrase found in Galatians 5:11 in which the Apostle Paul writes about the offense of the cross. The message attempts to explain what the offense of the cross involves and makes application for our contemporary life of faith.

Written Excerpts:

Galatians 5:11 ^(NKJV) And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.

Introduction:

I’m sure that most of us are aware of the current trends in our society for people to be offended at nearly anything and everything. 

Dolly Parton once said, “I’m not offended by dumb blond jokes because I know I’m not dumb, and I also know I’m not blonde.”

I came across this quote that pretty well describes the current situation in our nation:

“Right now we live in an age of extreme Political Correctness. It has gone way too far. I hope it's just a phase. Political Correctness is now just a fancy word for censorship. It's no longer about protecting the weak. It has become an excuse to persecute others, because persecuting people is fun. Don't you dare say or think the wrong thing, or a [social media] mob of angry villagers will come after you with digital torches and metaphorical pitchforks.” ― Oliver Markus Malloy (www.goodreads.com/quotes)

Our message today is about offenses, but it includes a completely different concept than what we're used to hearing about in the news. The Apostle Paul is addressing a church congregation that had apparently accepted and believed the gospel, but had slipped back into a legalistic flavor of “theology.”

Here in chapter five, Paul is concerned that they are nullifying the message of grace and gospel by insisting on circumcision according to the requirements of the OT Covenant. He argues: “If I am presently preaching the necessity of circumcision, then why am I suffering persecution from the hands of those who insist on it?” In other words, the very fact that he suffers persecution from the Jews everywhere he preaches is proof that he does not insist on circumcision.

He continues his argument by stating: “[If I am presently preaching the necessity of circumcision, then] there is no longer any offense of the cross.” So the argument he is advocating seems to be this: when the gospel message of the cross is emphasized, then the merits of conformity to the law is nullified. When the merits of conformity to the law is emphasized, then the gospel of the cross is nullified.

In this defense Paul makes for the gospel, he mentions something he refers to as the “offense of the cross.”

Let’s take a few minutes to consider what Paul means by the offense of the cross.

I.      The meaning of the word translated “offense.”

The Greek word for “offense” is σκάνδαλον (skandalon), which sounds a lot like our English word, “scandal.”

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – In the Greek Old Testament, skandalon means a ‘trap’ or ‘snare’…. In the New Testament, the word is frequently used of a temptation to sin, that which causes a person to fall. But the typical New Testament use is when it means, as here, ‘that which causes revulsion, arouses opposition’ (BAGD). 

Paul is acknowledging the fact that the message of the gospel, which includes the message of the cross, is an offense to most Jews, especially those in Galatia who were agitating believers to follow requirements of the old covenant.

II.    The ways in which the cross is an offense.

In my study of this Scripture I became aware of at least three different ways the cross would be an offense to the people that Paul was speaking about.

A. A crucified Messiah

Many authors point out that the OT clearly states, “… cursed is anyone hanging on a tree.”

It would have been preposterous for a Jew to think of the Messiah being crucified under a curse from God. Additionally, this did not fit with the usual concept of conqueror and savior.

1 Corinthians 1:23 ^(NKJV) but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

“stumbling block” is the same Greek word that is translated “offense” in Galatians. 

This is a problem not only for Jews. If we’re not careful, we can begin to attach expectations on God and on Christ that the Bible never intended for us to attach. We can be guilty of assuming God will or will not do or allow certain things. The Jews had developed a belief that consigned God to this “box” that they could understand.

B. No “credit” for law-keeping.

Paul and the other Apostles have been emphatic: “There is no merit or value in keeping the law in order to obtain forgiveness of sins.” The only way one can be forgiven is by the cross of Jesus. That is, through the grace of a merciful God who laid all our guilt upon His own Son and credited His death for us.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Paul is not thinking of the fact of the Messiah dying a death under God’s curse; rather, he is stressing that this way of salvation through the cross leaves no room for ‘merit’ to be acquired by outward observances such as circumcision or the law….

Paul once again uses here katērgētai, [has ceased or] has been removed, better translated ‘made ineffective’ as in verse 4. 

Galatians 5:4 ^(KJV) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

“become of no effect” is same Greek word that is translated “ceased” at the end of verse 11.

(NKJV) reads, “estranged from”

The point is, if Paul preaches the necessity and merit of circumcision as some of them wanted, then the message of the cross ceases to matter and the blood of Christ ceases to be effective. But, the gospel of the cross means there is no merit for salvation in anything else except the blood of Christ.

“What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

C. Equal access to God’s grace (Jew & Gentile).

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Further, if salvation is to be altogether of grace, with nothing of merit, it is inevitable that both Gentile and Jew may find salvation in the same way….

Apparently for these legalistic Jewish believers in Galatia, they were still hanging on to the belief that circumcision gave them a little better standing than the Gentile believers, and if the Gentiles wanted to “get in on” the real blessings of grace, they too needed to be circumcised. But Paul is preaching a New Covenant, not the Old one. The new covenant is available to everyone whether Jew or Gentile. And, for some Jews, this was unsettling.

This reference in Col. 2:13-15 specifically states that the cross has removed the “requirements that was against us.” This is stated in the specific context of the subject of circumcision.

Colossians 2:13-15 ^(NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Conclusion:

For many people, the cross is still an offensive message, not just for the Jews. But, for the believer who truly understands the gospel, the message of the cross is our hope and very precious.

Before we share the Sacrament of Communion, let us sing the hymn, Near the Cross.