The Commercialization of Christ Crucified

When I first entered the town square in Sorrento, Italy I was struck by this image of the crucified Christ on public display. This was an area of heavy traffic both by pedestrians and vehicles for it was the main entry point into the town from points north. My first impression was one of reverence, thinking that there was a sense of pride in their faith by the people of this town and they were not ashamed to display a portrayal of one of the key elements of their faith, the death of Christ. Christ’s death is described in scripture as the propitiation (payment) for our sins, therefore assuring our access to the Kingdom of God. (John 2:2) Without question, the crucifixion of Christ is considered the cornerstone of our Christian faith, because all the other doctrines related to our redemption are built upon it. As I continued to study this work of metal artistry, I noticed the rack of candles at the foot of the cross. I assume the candles were provided for patrons to light while offering a prayer after making a contribution if they so desired. This was typical for religious displays that we saw throughout the towns and cities we visited in Italy.

As I lingered in the square staring at the image of the suffering Christ, I took a closer look at its location and noticed that it was fastened to the wall of a money exchange complete with an ATM. All at once I began to notice how commercial this location was, with a steady stream of pedestrians enjoying shopping in the unique shops and enjoying the excellent Italian cuisine offered by the many restaurants available in the area. In the center of the area a few feet from where I was standing to take this picture there was a traffic circle which had a steady stream of trucks delivering all the materials that one would expect are required for such a center of commerce. In addition, mixed in with the traffic, were cars and busses filled with what I assume were mostly tourists. I then began to think of the description of the actual crucifixion in Mathew 27:35 in which the soldiers cast lots for Christ’s garments, turning the execution into a commercialized event. In reality the actual event was anything but that. I then realized that the hustle and bustle of the area distracted from any serious contemplation of the image. Just like the soldiers were a distraction from the suffering of Christ.

Let’s look at how the Apostle Paul viewed Christ’s death on the cross. He states in Philippians 3:20 that he desired to be “conformed” to it. In other words, he wanted the way and manner in which Christ died to shape his whole view on life. He also states in Galatians 2:20 that he had been “crucified with Christ” and that Christ “lived” in him because of it. Of course, he did not literally hang on a cross because his actual death was recorded as being beheaded many years after this writing. But he saw in his mind a picture of himself hanging with Christ. Not because he was a masochist, but because he wanted to emulate a life of self-sacrifice as Christ did for us. And because of that identification with the crucified Christ his life did become one of self-sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. My favorite of all Paul’s references to Christ’s crucifixion is “Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance of man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.“ (Philippians 2:5-8) We must always remind ourselves that the death that Christ chose for Himself was the most cruel, painful and hideous form of death available during those times. It was reserved only for the worst criminals. It was deliberate in its slow methodical process draining life from the victim’s body. A medical analysis of crucifixion states that the usual cause of death is suffocation after an extended period of time when the victim is too exhausted to pull himself up to take air into his lungs, lungs that are restricted from being suspended by his hands. While suffering, the victims were subjected to the most public humiliation that was possible. History tells us that it was the custom at the time to remove all the clothing of those being crucified. There were no loin clothes as are depicted in our cosmetic displays of the event today. In addition, history tells us that victims were usually tied to the cross, but Christ was nailed, according to scripture. We must also remind ourselves of the chronology of the events that day. Christ’s death followed a night and day that included flogging, beating and His dragging His cross to the hill upon which He was crucified.

There is nothing wrong with commemorating the death of Christ. We should perhaps even strive to be like Paul when he states, “I die daily” (I Corinthians 15:31) which I believe means he reflected on the meaning of Christ’s crucifixion every day. Also, I am not suggesting tearing down any relic of our faith like the one pictured above. What I am suggesting is that when we see one like it, let’s pause and contemplate what it truly symbolizes and be sensitive to any subtle assaults of commercialism that may devalue the moment. Not doing so would be a great disservice to our own faith and to anyone who pauses to view it.