Paul and the Meaning of the Cross

 A Theological Turning Point in Early Christianity

1. Jesus and the Proclamation of the Kingdom

Jesus’ message, as presented in the Gospels, focused on the coming kingdom of God. He called people to repentance, forgiveness, and a transformed way of life marked by trust in God and love for others. Although Jesus spoke of his impending suffering and death, he did not make his crucifixion the central explanation of salvation. Instead, the cross appears primarily as the consequence of his faithfulness to God’s mission and his confrontation with religious and political authorities, followed by God’s vindication through resurrection.

2. Paul’s Reinterpretation of the Crucifixion

Paul took the historical event of Jesus’ crucifixion and gave it a radically new theological meaning. For Paul, the cross was not merely a tragic execution but God’s chosen means of dealing with sin, death, and evil. He proclaimed that Christ “died for our sins,” that humanity is justified and reconciled to God through Jesus’ death, and that salvation comes through faith in the crucified and risen Christ rather than through adherence to the Jewish law. In Paul’s theology, the cross becomes the very center of God’s saving work.

3. What Was New in Paul’s Theology

Paul introduced a cross-centered understanding of salvation that was not explicit in Jesus’ own teaching. He framed the crucifixion using sacrificial, redemptive, and cosmic language drawn from Israel’s Scriptures, presenting Jesus’ death as an event with universal significance. The focus of faith shifted from following Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom to trusting in what Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished on behalf of humanity.

4. The Acceptance and Influence of Paul’s View

Paul’s interpretation was widely accepted within early Christianity and became foundational for later doctrine. His theology allowed Gentiles to enter the Christian community without observing the Jewish law and provided a coherent explanation of the cross in light of the resurrection. As a result, by the time the Gospels were written, Paul’s understanding of the crucifixion had already deeply shaped Christian belief and practice.

5. Lasting Consequences for Christianity

Because Paul’s interpretation prevailed, Christianity developed as a cross-centered faith. Salvation came to be understood primarily in terms of what Christ did for humanity through his death, with ethical transformation flowing from faith in that saving act. The Christian message thus shifted in emphasis—from Jesus’ proclamation of God’s kingdom to the redemptive significance of the crucified Christ.

Let all churches return to Jesus

 Today, Christianity across the world is steadily losing its strength and influence. Fragmented into countless denominations and groups, it faces a serious question of survival. Only if this broken faith can find a way to stand together does it have a real possibility of enduring into the future.

When we examine how Christianity became so deeply divided, one cause stands out clearly: the divisions arose primarily over differences in beliefs. Most of these beliefs are not about what Jesus taught, but about beliefs concerning Jesus himself. During Jesus’ lifetime, the focus was not on doctrines about him. It was only after his time that beliefs about Jesus gradually became central.

Jesus’ own teaching was centered on God and the Kingdom of God. He spoke of God as a loving Father and called people to turn back to God and live according to God’s will. However, after Jesus, his disciples and the early church increasingly focused on teaching about Jesus—that Jesus is divine, that his death was for the salvation of the world, and similar doctrinal claims. Different interpretations of these beliefs eventually became the foundations of different churches and denominations.

Each church now strives to defend its own belief system as the correct one, often by judging or excluding others. This has weakened Christianity, not only institutionally but also in its moral and spiritual witness to the world.

In this situation, there appears to be only one viable path for Christianity to rediscover unity: instead of accusing one another, all must engage in self-examination and return to Jesus himself. This means setting aside, at least temporarily, conflicting beliefs about Jesus and giving renewed priority to understanding what Jesus actually taught—and striving to live according to those teachings.

Even the World Council of Churches, which was established to foster unity among Christian churches, restricts its membership to those who affirm that Jesus is God. This approach deserves reconsideration. Unity based solely on shared doctrinal affirmations will always be limited. A more inclusive and enduring basis for unity would be a sincere commitment to learn, embrace, and live out the teachings of Jesus with a whole heart.

If such a shift were to take place across Christian churches worldwide, global Christianity could move forward together once again—not as a collection of competing belief systems, but as a living witness to the way of life that Jesus taught and embodied.