Why the Cross

So much, then, in reply to those outside, who pile up arguments for themselves. But if any of our own people also ask, not from love of argument but from love of learning, why he suffered death in no other way than on the cross, let him too be told that no other way than this was good for us, and that it was well that the Lord suffered this for our sake. For if he came himself to bear the curse laid on us, how else could he have “become a curse,” unless he received the death appointed for a curse? And that is the cross. For this is exactly what is written: “Cursed is he who hangs on a tree.” [a]

Again, if the Lord’s death is the ransom for all, and by his death “the dividing wall in the middle” is broken down and the calling of the nations comes about, how would he have called us to him had he not been crucified? For only on a cross does a man die with his hands spread out. So it was fitting for the Lord to bear this too and to spread out his hands, so that with the one he might draw the ancient people, and with the other those from the Gentiles, and unite both in himself. For this is what he himself said, showing by what kind of death he was to ransom all: “When I am lifted up,” he says, “I will draw all people to myself.”

And once more: the devil, the enemy of our race, having fallen from heaven, wanders about our lower air. There he rules over his fellow spirits, his equals in disobedience, and through them he not only works illusions in those who are deceived, but tries to hinder those who are going up. The apostle speaks of this: “According to the ruler of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” But the Lord came to cast down the devil, to clear the air, and to prepare the way for us up into heaven, as the apostle said: “Through the veil, that is, his flesh.” And this had to happen by death. Well, then, by what other kind of death could this have come about than by one that took place in the air, I mean the cross? For only one whose life is brought to its end on a cross dies in the air. So it was entirely fitting that the Lord suffered this death. For being lifted up in this way, he cleared the air of the malice both of the devil and of demons of every kind, as he says: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” And he made a new opening of the way up into heaven, as he says once more: “Lift up your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors.” For it was not the Word himself who needed the gates opened, since he is Lord of all; nor was any of his works closed to its Maker. It was we who needed it, we whom he carried up by his own body. For as he offered it to death on behalf of all, so by it he once more made ready the way up into the heavens.