“And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
John 12:32 (NAB)
Jesus’ words often contain more than one single meaning. When He referred to Himself as being lifted up, He was hinting about the type of impending death He was about to suffer, being lifted up on a cross. We also lift Him up in our lives, whenever we share His love with others. Jesus was also lifted up in another way, long after His crucifixion, many centuries ago.
I never thought much about how the cross was seen as a symbol of execution in the days of the first century Roman Empire, when Jesus lived. In those days, criminals were crucified on such a regular basis, that the Christian community would have never thought of wearing a cross around their neck as a symbol to honor Jesus.
That all changed three centuries later when Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helen, became Christian converts. In her devotion to Christ, Helen traveled to the holy land, determined to search for the original wooden cross that Jesus died on.
In 326 A.D., a Jewish disciple and Jerusalem resident, named Jude, told Helen that the original cross was buried beneath a pagan temple. Helen immediately ordered an excavation and the cross, nails and plaque were all found there. Helen brought the relics back to Constantinople, which is current day Istanbul, Turkey. She had the cross splintered into multiple pieces and portions of it were shared with all Christian churches throughout the region.
The cross of Christ was no longer seen as a symbol of execution, but a tangible reminder of His sacred offering for mankind. From that time on, crosses were made as symbols to hang on walls, on altars in churches and worn as jewelry to symbolize our salvation which took place on it.
I would have expected to learn these historical facts from a Catholic or Greek Orthodox speaker, but I actually learned it from T.D. Jakes, a Baptist preacher, who shared it in a recent TV sermon. He explained that the Greek Orthodox and Catholic cathedrals and basilicas, in that area, still keep these wooden splinters as relics of the original cross to this day.
The point of his sermon, other than historical facts, was to point out that how we see things can affect everything. What was once seen as a symbol of execution is now viewed by Christians as a symbol of salvation, all because of a 4th century recovery of the cross, through Helen’s pilgrimage.
TD Jakes’ main point was that everything that happens in our lives, depends on how we view it. Just as the cross was once seen in early centuries as a negative symbol, it is now seen as a symbol of salvation. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and lift Him up, we will find that God is working all things together for our good, since Jesus is the victor of our faith.
Lifting Jesus up, took on new meaning in the fourth century as the world saw Him in a new way. There was a major change in attitude towards Christianity after Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helen, became Christians.
Constantine had his flaws, but God used him to legitimize the Christian faith, and put an end to state sponsored persecution of Christians which went on for years under the Roman Empire.
Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. which granted religious tolerance of Christianity and the Christian community no longer needed to gather in secret. Jesus was lifted up in a new way, like never before, so that His people could openly practice their faith without fear or intimidation.
It opened the door to Christian education and theologians clarifying the doctrines of the faith. It was a time that pointed to Jesus on the cross again, and opened the eyes of the public to the gospel. Having the actual relics of the cross, showed the world that the crucifixion was a true event in history, not a legend.
Jesus has been lifted up in different ways throughout history, but in the fourth century, He was lifted up by officially legalizing the Christian faith. There are places in the world today where Christianity is still repressed and suffering, but in God’s timing, He will lift His son up again, drawing all people to Himself. Jesus promised that the gates of Hell will never prevail against His holy church.
Lord, we lift you up in our hearts and pray that you will be lifted up throughout the world, and draw all people to yourself. Amen
