Paul once told some people he wished they would castrate themselves. You’ve got to be pretty mad to say something like that, and I suppose he was—for good reason. Those people were known as the Judaizers, a group of people who tried telling the Gentiles who had converted to Christianity that they needed to convert to Judaism first by getting circumcised. They were undermining the gospel. That is something worth fighting over. Here is a bit of what he said from Galatians 5:7-12:

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

Paul didn’t preach circumcision, but that is what got him in trouble. One reason Paul was being persecuted was because he didn’t preach that one needed to become Jewish as part of following Christ. However, it is what he said next that I want to draw our attention to. 

“In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.” 

In what case? 

The preaching of circumcision. That message of doing something to be worthy of or qualify you for God’s love removes the offense of the cross. So what exactly is the offense of the cross? 

Today is Good Friday. It is a day we remember and celebrate the cross of Christ. And it is good for a reason, which I am assuming those reading this article know well why it is so good. However, I am more concerned that, in calling it “good” so easily and for so many years, might we be vulnerable to also miss the offense of it? And, is understanding the offense of the cross necessary for Good Friday to be considered truly good? So again, what is the offense of the cross? Because it seems like, according to Paul, that whatever it is, it should not be removed. Yes, we are thankful for the cross, but first we should be appropriately offended by it. So what’s the offense? 

On one hand, we might conclude that the offense of the cross is that it outs us all as sinners. Christ died for sinners. That’s us. The cross shouts how awful we are. The grotesqueness of the cross points to the severity of our sin. The atoning of our sin took the death of God’s Son. There is no greater payment, showing there is no greater offense. We have sinned against a holy God and the cross clearly communicates this. But that is not the offense of the cross Paul is talking about. 

The unique offense of the cross that Paul is referring to is that it completely saves. It is the completely part that is offensive. The cross says there is nothing you can do to save yourself. It declares God’s love for us, but also our utter helplessness. Christ dying for us shouts, “You couldn’t save yourself!” And Christ’s words, “It is finished,” say there is nothing more for us to add or contribute. You can’t add circumcision, or church attendance, or giving money, or volunteering. It’s finished. He did it all. You can do nothing. You. Can. Do. Nothing. 

Don’t remove the offense of the cross. For it to be Good Friday, it first needs to be in-your-face Friday, offensive Friday. You have to hear it telling you how helpless you are, how needy you are. That is the place from which real worship springs forth. “I can do nothing” is offensive, but “It is finished” is amazing. Both are true. And we don’t get to our utter amazement without killing our pride. The cross does both. It kills our pride and points to God’s love. So don’t take the sharp edges off the cross. Don’t remove its offense. Don’t trip over it. Let it humble you. Let it break you. It is there where we find its salvation. 

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)