By FRANK REMKIEWICZ
Columnist
This column will go a little deeper into a significant part of Christianity. We will discuss a major symbol of Christianity, the cross versus the crucifix. Many Christians may wonder why this topic, after all, don’t both objects have a similar symbolic meaning? My answer is yes and no. The observable difference in symbolism is the difference between having the body of Christ on the cross, the crucifix, as opposed to the cross without Christ’s body.
Since the cross and crucifix are symbols, let’s first define the term symbol.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a symbol is “something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance.” So. What does the crucifix stand for, and what does the cross suggest?
The crucifix has a very specialized meaning. So, to be clear, the crucifix is a cross with the body of Jesus suspended by three nails: one in each hand of Jesus and one for both of Jesus’ feet. If you look very closely, you will also see the tiny cut on the right side of the body, indicating the place where the Roman soldier pierced Christ’s side with a lance. The symbolism of the crucifix reminds us of the first Good Friday. Good Friday is the day most Christians recognize as the day Christ died, restoring a right relationship between God and God’s creation. The death of Jesus once again restored a relationship with God, which was forfeited by “original sin”. My simple explanation is that Christ saved us all from our “original sin”. We can find the redemption promises in scriptures such as Genesis 3:15, the first gospel (Genesis 12:1-3), the promises to Abraham, Leviticus 17:11, and 2 Samuel 7:12-13, where God promises David. Good Friday is the day all those promises were fulfilled.
However, the crucifix tells only about half the story. The cross with Christ still on it falls short of what really is the full symbolism or what should be the symbolic meaning of the cross in its entirety. The crucifix gets us from Palm Sunday through Good Friday but falls short of the entire Easter Story.
When you go from crucifix to cross, the body of Christ disappears. So, how can less of the physical symbol enrich and expand the whole symbolic meaning? The beauty is found in the statement, “less is more”. There is less to see and so very much more to be gained. Sometime after 3 p.m. on Good Friday (as is documented in the gospels of Matthew 27:58, Mark 15:43, Luke 23:52, and John 19:38), Joseph of Arimathea asked for and received permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus from the cross and bury Jesus in a tomb. A huge boulder was rolled and sealed in front of the tomb. By the time the first of the apostles, the women, got to Jesus’ tomb to anoint with oils, the tomb was open, and Jesus was “gone”. Well, not really gone, gone, because when a few more disciples returned to the tomb and Jesus then appeared to them, albeit briefly. The two most telling stories in scripture that Jesus had risen are the joining of two travelers on the road to Emmaus, and the story of “doubting Thomas”, the Apostle.
I realize this is “Christianity Light,” but that is not the point right now. Let’s get back to the cross and the crucifix. The cross is empty for a reason. The cross is far more potent; it symbolizes the entire Holy Week, from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. The cross, uncomplicated and straightforward as it may seem, is much more symbolic than the crucifix. I am not trying to demean or diminish the crucifix; that is far from my point. The crucifix, for many, is truly significant. In my opinion, what the cross does is that it completes the work begun by the crucifix. The crucifix tells us Christ died for our sins. The cross tells us Christ died for our sins and that our relationship with God is restored. Heaven knows, Good Friday is critical to redemption. The Cross symbolizes not only the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, but it also tells us the promise of our Resurrection to come is once again possible. Good Friday allows us to reestablish our right relationship with our God, and Easter is the promise that if we maintain that relationship with God, God will reward us with eternal life with Him.
Francis (Frank) Remkiewicz is an area resident and contributes a monthly column focused primarily on faith and religion. He can be reached at fremkiewicz@gmail.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
