8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:8 [NASB]
Notice that Jesus gave up his immortality. He, the creator of life, humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. God the Son, in whom we now have life, who is the definition of life itself, died on the cross. How could he possibly be killed? Only by his own choice. Only because he deliberately humbled himself.
Think about how he died. He didn’t die bravely on the battlefield? He didn’t die an honourable death. He didn’t die as a hero.
He died because of a weak Roman politician. Because of jealous Jewish leaders. Because of a gross miscarriage of justice. He didn’t die just any death. He died as a criminal. As a lawbreaker. On a Roman cross.
Paul mentions to the Galatians that it was a curse to die on a tree. And everyone knew that the crucifixion meant shame. It wasn’t just a brutal death – though it was. It was also the death of a common criminal. Lowest of the low. Guilty in the eyes of the onlookers. I doubt if the Romans even gave him the dignity of being covered. Shame upon shame upon shame. That’s why Paul says, “even death on a cross!”
On the cross, Jesus gave up his holiness. We are told that he who knew no sin became sin for us. Jesus became contaminated with your sin and with mine.
And with that, Jesus also gave up fellowship with the Father. He cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Friend, do you want to know how much God loves you? Look at Jesus. Do you want to know how much Jesus loves you? Look at his descent from heaven itself to the cross. This is the God we serve!
– SSXG