But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat. After the high priest offers the blood of animals as a sin offering, the bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp. Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so his blood would make people holy. This is why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. (Hebrews 13:10-13)
Every time I see an artists’ rendering of the crucifixion of my Lord it evokes deep emotion inside me and I often think about the sacrifice Christ made just for me. Just as He did exclusively for you. It’s a beautiful picture, but one thing I don’t often think about is that in all likelihood Jesus was absolutely naked as He hung on The Cross. No loincloth as depicted in all of the glorious paintings throughout time. That’s what the Romans did. A crucifixion was intended to be an ultimate form of humiliation, and it’s historical fact that men and women crucified under the empire were always stripped of all articles of clothing. The location of their crucifixions were also always strategically placed in areas where all could see. I think about my own “nakedness” at the foot of The Cross, and how Jesus has stripped me of myself and continues to do so each and every day of my life.
I think about how vulnerable I am to the world now as a Christian, and how I’m open game for ridicule. I think about all the times people from my past have attempted to humiliate me for choosing The Cross, but now as the man I am today I’m built for it…expect it even. I often imagine myself on my knees at His feet looking up at Him as He suffers on The Cross for my salvation. I picture Him in that moment looking down at me, seeing right through me with all my sin and all my faults and flaws, and I can feel His love coming through His eyes renewing me…quickening my soul. The thought of The Cross absolutely destroys me and I pray it always will.
The writer of Hebrews says in the passage above… “we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in His disgrace” implying that our flesh wants to stay nice and cozy within our “city gates” and not venture out into the unknown or where the world deems “unclean”. Yet our Master looks down at us all from up on The Cross and instills in us strength to go outside the walls of comfort so He can continue to save just a little more.