Seen by Everyone, Known by Few
Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. – Luke 23:32-33
Crucifixion was never meant to be hidden. The Romans intentionally carried out executions in public places so that as many people as possible would see them. These were not quiet deaths on a distant hill. They were spectacles placed alongside major roadways so that travelers, pilgrims, and citizens alike would pass by and take notice.
Jesus was crucified during Passover, the busiest season in Jerusalem. Historians tell us that the city’s population swelled far beyond its normal size. Pilgrims from across the Roman Empire filled the streets. Conservative estimates say there were hundreds of thousands of people in the city that day.
Which means Jesus was not dying in obscurity.
People saw Him. They stared at Him. They talked about Him. Some wept. Others mocked. Many were simply curious. They had to be asking questions. Why Him? Why here? Why between two criminals?
What is striking is how many people witnessed the cross and still missed who Jesus was.
They saw His bloodied body. They saw the Roman soldiers. They saw the criminals on either side. They read the sign above His head. And yet, most did not recognize the moment for what it was.
This is a sobering truth. You can be close to Jesus and still misunderstand Him. You can witness spiritual things and remain spiritually blind. You can observe the cross without surrendering to Christ.
Jesus was publicly displayed, but personally ignored.
The crowds saw a man dying. Few saw a Savior delivering. The Romans saw a criminal being punished. Heaven saw redemption unfolding.
That tension still exists today. Jesus is widely known, but rarely surrendered to. His name is familiar, but His authority is resisted. Many know about Him, but few truly know Him.
The cross forces a decision. It always has. You cannot remain neutral forever. Seeing Jesus without responding to Him is still a response.
Jesus was seen by everyone that day. But only a few truly understood who He was. The question we must wrestle with is not whether we have seen Jesus, but whether we have recognized Him for who He truly is.
Crucifixion was never meant to be hidden. The Romans intentionally carried out executions in public places so that as many people as possible would see them. These were not quiet deaths on a distant hill. They were spectacles placed alongside major roadways so that travelers, pilgrims, and citizens alike would pass by and take notice.
Jesus was crucified during Passover, the busiest season in Jerusalem. Historians tell us that the city’s population swelled far beyond its normal size. Pilgrims from across the Roman Empire filled the streets. Conservative estimates say there were hundreds of thousands of people in the city that day.
Which means Jesus was not dying in obscurity.
People saw Him. They stared at Him. They talked about Him. Some wept. Others mocked. Many were simply curious. They had to be asking questions. Why Him? Why here? Why between two criminals?
What is striking is how many people witnessed the cross and still missed who Jesus was.
They saw His bloodied body. They saw the Roman soldiers. They saw the criminals on either side. They read the sign above His head. And yet, most did not recognize the moment for what it was.
This is a sobering truth. You can be close to Jesus and still misunderstand Him. You can witness spiritual things and remain spiritually blind. You can observe the cross without surrendering to Christ.
Jesus was publicly displayed, but personally ignored.
The crowds saw a man dying. Few saw a Savior delivering. The Romans saw a criminal being punished. Heaven saw redemption unfolding.
That tension still exists today. Jesus is widely known, but rarely surrendered to. His name is familiar, but His authority is resisted. Many know about Him, but few truly know Him.
The cross forces a decision. It always has. You cannot remain neutral forever. Seeing Jesus without responding to Him is still a response.
Jesus was seen by everyone that day. But only a few truly understood who He was. The question we must wrestle with is not whether we have seen Jesus, but whether we have recognized Him for who He truly is.
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