Jesus’ Cross Walk
As we journey during this third week of Lent, I would like to invite us to reflect upon the paradigm of authentic discipleship that Jesus offers us: His Cross Walk.
The Cross & Discipleship
Let’s explore a few scriptural passages - especially in Matthew, Mark and Luke - where Jesus draws upon the Cross as His paradigm for authentic discipleship.
Mark’s Gospel: 34 He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Mark 8:34
Matthew’s Gospel: 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? Matthew 16:24-26
Luke’s Gospel: 23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26
A few observations to ponder…
All three Synoptic Gospels contain this threefold framework that we will return to momentarily: self-denial, taking up one’s cross and following Jesus. Note: Luke adds “daily”.
Matthew and Luke include Jesus’ teaching the paradox of self-sacrifice in the spiritual life: loosing ones life is the way to save one’s life; saving one’s life is to loose it. Both Matthew and Luke record “for my sake”. Self-sacrifice for the sake of Jesus and union with Him is the key as it speaks to the right motivation or “why”.
Only Matthew includes Jesus question: “Or what can one give in exchange for his life?”
Only Luke includes Jesus’ teaching on the issue of being ashamed of Him and His words and the implications this holds upon His Second Coming.
What about John? John does not include this statement of Jesus about “taking up your cross” in any form. He does include Jesus’ remarks about “saving and loosing” one’s life and the analogy of a grain falling to the ground and dying in 12:20-33. These remarks are made in a larger narrative by Jesus about His hour during which the voice of the Father speaks much like at His baptism. So, why does John not include Jesus’ remarks about “taking up your cross” when he does include Jesus’ remarks about following Him?. (1) For John, Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God - the Bread of Heaven, the supernatural Manna, THE sacrifice, THE high priest, THE good shepherd. From John the Baptist’s pronouncement of Jesus and his vision at HIs baptism to Jesus’ first miracle at the Wedding of Cana as the Bridal Supper of the Lamb along with all the other types of the Eucharist throughout his gospel and Jesus’ “I AM” statements, John holds a very intense focus upon Jesus. In fact, John seems to make a very punctuated note during his account of Jesus crucifixion that Jesus alone carried His cross - there is no Simon helping Him. John seems to be stressing the exclusivity of Jesus and His Cross. For John, all eyes are to be upon Jesus alone. (2) A paradigm of discipleship that John does offers is Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet during the Last Supper, which only his Gospel records.
The Cross Walk Paradigm
So, let’s return to Matthew, Mark and Luke and unpack a bit more this paradigm of discipleship that is offered here.
First, let’s look at the common framework that Jesus teaches us as recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, related to the Cross and authentic discipleship - what I’m calling “The Cross Walk”. “Synoptic” means “from the same point of view or to see in the same way”.
Jesus’ Cross Walk paradigm of authentic discipleship seeks to mature us in and completely form us to three modalities and ways of His divine love: Self-denial, Self-sacrifice and Self-giving. As we journey further along in this formation blog series, we are going to do a deep dive into each of these modalities or ways of loving according to Jesus. After all, the two great hallmarks of authentic discipleship is that of Charity and Humility. As we go deeper into each of these dimensions of the Cross Walk, we will also draw upon some of the great Spiritual Doctors of the Church. For now, let’s continue to stay at this overview level of the Cross Walk Paradigm for Authentic Discipleship.
A Word Study: As we noticed earlier, Matthew, Mark and Luke both present Jesus’ teaching: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross (daily) and follow me.” Let’s do a quick word study here.
Our “Yes” to Jesus: In Mark’s rendering, we are told that Jesus summons the crowd - proskaleomai - “to summon, call or invite”. Remember, the path of authentic discipleship begins with our “yes” to Jesus and our ongoing “yes” to Him. It is a communion and a commitment. So, Jesus’ Cross Walk begins with a firm “Yes” - a personal Gethsemane moment. The Cross Walk is a choice. After all, we have free will. Jesus will never force His love or His way upon us. As Mark says, Jesus, summons, calls out, invites us. The power of this choice is wonderfully demonstrated by where each of the Synoptic Gospels place the account of Jesus’ Cross Walk remarks: each Gospel accounts place Jesus’ remarks following Peter’s Confession to Jesus’ question: “Who do you say that I am?” and Jesus’ first prediction of His Passion. In fact, it is clear that Matthew and Luke build off of Mark’s ordering. Mark was very likely the first gospel account to be written. Mark’s style is brief and to the point. Biblical scholars have identified a particular organizational structure that Mark uses called the “Markian Envelope”. Mark will group a key point or teaching within three separate events - with the middle event serving as the key to understanding the event that precedes it and the one to follows. In this case, Mark places Jesus’ first prediction of His Cross within the “envelope” of Peter’s Confession and Jesus’ teaching on what it means to be His disciple. Matthew and Luke repeat this trilogy.
“Whoever wishes”: The other words used are “desire” and “wants” but all translate the Greek word thelo, which carries the emphasis upon an active determination rather than a passive acquiescence - “to choose, prefer, to wish, to rather have, to want”. This echoes all that we’ve said about our “yes” to Jesus.
Self-denial: The word used in both Matthew and Mark is the Greek word aparneomai, which means to “deny utterly, disown, abstain or deny”. Luke uses a bit more intense form of this same word, arneomai (ar-neh-om-ahee) meaning “to disavow, reject, refuse, deny” - perhaps given what else Luke records.
Self-sacrifice: Here, we see each of the Synoptic Gospels say “take up his cross”. The word renders the Greek word airo (ah-ee-ro) meaning “to lift up, take up or away, carry, to weigh anchor”. Here, we see Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary. I think that one of the important reasons for the record of Simeon the Cyrenian helping to carry the Cross of Christ was to provide a picture or model for the early Christians.
Self-giving: It’s not enough that we turn away from something and turn toward something. We are meant to move forward, to become active. Hence, Jesus says “follow me”. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “go up onto your cross” or “place yourself on your cross”. He says to take it up, to lift it up, to carry it. The Cross is no longer a stationary device of execution, but a way of living. The word “follow” translates the Greek word akoloutheo whose literal rendering is “to join paths or roads” and whose meaning has evolved to mean “to be in the same way with, to accompany, to follow”. Jesus’ Cross and way of the Cross are an integrated path of full self-giving. It is the ecstasy of God’s divine love; that is, what the ancient writers of the Christian spiritual life refer to as the “outward going or outward movement” of God’s love. God’s love is ever expansive. It is like the drop of water which sends out ever-expanding ripples or waves. In this sense, to follow Jesus upon His Cross Walk is to participate in His complete self-giving - to become an epicenter of His divine love. In this one life we each have, God’s mercy, love and life expands - rippling out to impact those within our circle of care and influence. Image a drop of water - God’s divine love in us - hitting the Cross at its center or the very intersection of the vertical and horizontal poles and then extending expanding out from those same poles into the world.
So, here’s the Cross Walk Paradigm of Authentic Discipleship - what leads us to discover meaning, power and life in Jesus Crucified. The Cross Walk is about (a) being conform to and (b) growing into ever-deepening union with Jesus in His self-denial, self-sacrifice and self-giving. Let’s pause here for any thoughts, questions, or insights.
