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Word Gems 

exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity

Why Jesus Died On The Cross:

the gospel according to
Russell Crowe in 3:10 To Yuma

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3:10 To Yuma (2007), Russell Crowe and Christian Bale

The final scene of 3:10 To Yuma I found to be instructive.

Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his pack of thugs seem to have won. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) had attempted to escort Wade to the train station for shipment to trial, but under heavy gunfire from Wade's gang. Now Evans lies dying. The gang-leader's second-lieutenant tosses him a holster and gun. Wade eyes and thoughtfully fingers the gold cross on the gun stock. He does so for a few seconds; long enough to precipitate a change of heart - and to alert the next-in-command that something is up. But before anyone can move, Wade whips the gun from the holster to shoot down all five members of his own gang! - after which he calmly disarms himself and placidly enters the waiting train-car which will take him to his trial and death.

Why did Jesus die on the cross?

Jesus had opportunity to escape. The soldiers who came for him fell back and couldn't touch him. Pilate, essentially, pleaded with him to be sensible, to take a beating for a misdemeanor, and be done with it.

We learned from Weatherhead's writings that Jesus only gradually grew into a realization that the cross, for him, was a means to help others.

What is the nature of the help? It is not transference of guilt and sin. It is not vicarious sacrifice. Then what?

If he could not win men's hearts with reasoning and good news, then he would become an exemplar of courage, fortitude, and consecration to the Truth.

Admiration and respect for selflessness, for dedication to higher duty under threat of adversity, can begin to melt even the hardest heart. We witness this in the final scene of 3:10 To Yuma.