"Atonement at the Cross" . . . or "What Happened at the Cross?"

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
December 6, 2008
Larry R Evans

Introductory Reflections

What happened on the cross? This question has been answered by several in many different ways. In 2004 the epic film, The Passion of the Christ, directed by actor Mel Gibson graphically chronicled the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life on earth. When asked why he wanted to tackle Christ's story, Gibson's response was heartfelt. "I wanted to make one that was as realistic as possible; I wanted the audience to feel like they were really there, witnessing the events as they had actually happened," he said in a telephone interview. The film is rated “R” for its graphic violence. We are left with the question, “Was the suffering of Christ physical? If the violence were not shown would we better understand the agony of Jesus or would we understand it less? Did Jesus suffer and if so why and how? This will be part of our study this week.

Questions for Reflection

1. Jesus suffered great anguish before Calvary. True or False? (Mk 14:33,34)
2. When Jesus asked that the cup be taken from Him, it signaled He was no longer thirsty and that He was ready to carry out the Father’s plan. True or False? (Matt 26: 36-42)
3. It was God who delivered Christ over to death for our sins. True or False? (Rom 14:25; Gal 2:20)
4. It is possible to have been delivered from the power of darkness and not know it. True or False? (Col 1:13,14)
5. God Himself was crucified with Christ. True or False? (Mat 27:46)
6. The phrase spoken by Jesus on the cross, “It is finished,” was His way of expressing His resignation/willingness to accept God’s plan for our salvation. True or False? (Jn 19:28-30; 10:18)

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