saint athanasius’ "on the incarnation of the word," part seven

We’re not as likely to offer this sort of interpretation of the cross, probably due to our historical-critical thinking about how to interpret the gospels. That said, I appreciate the imagery in this quote on the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross.

“How could He have called us if He had not been crucified, for it is only on the cross that a man dies with arms outstretched? Here, again, we see the fitness of his death and of those outstretched arms: it was that He might draw His ancient people with the one and the Gentiles with the other, and join both together in Himself.”