The Victory of Jesus on the Cross

The Victory of Jesus on the Cross

Matthew 27:50: And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

Ladies and gentlemen: for whom has God been sacrificing himself? It is not for America, nor is it for Christianity. But it is for each of us, for "you" and for "me." Likewise, the reason why Jesus was crucified was also not to save himself, but to save us, "you" and "me."

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: The Path for America and Humanity in the Last Days January 22, 2000

First and last, Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice of undefiled matter. This is how he introduced his nature, heart, and mind to human beings on this earth. Jesus was the man whom God could consider worthy, whom God could call righteous, and whom God could he happy with and love as the representative of all people in history and for all things.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Jesus Who Is to Establish Heaven's Love February 24, 1957

The path of the cross fulfilled eternal faith. The cross enabled Jesus to experience the eternal hope of God. The cross advises us also to possess the eternal life and love of God. You should understand that by virtue of the cross, the history of atonement resulted in opening the way of salvation for us. It became the condition that bequeaths to us the eternal faith, the eternal hope, the eternal life, and the eternal love of Jesus.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Let Us Claim Back the Eternal Ideal of God October 7, 1956

In the eyes of those around him, Jesus was a miserable failure who was crucified. But God came down to Jesus, saying. "My son, do not worry. I will take over your mission." That promise became God's work of Christianity.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Day of the Victory of Heaven October 4, 1976

Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

God's highest love is received when one surpasses the point of death. Therefore, in order to receive the love of Jesus, we have to have the mindset to even cross the point of death. At that moment, Satan will surely submit. For 4,000 years, God looked down on the world with sorrow and worry by himself, but when Jesus stood on the earth, centering on him, a new battle with Satan unfolded. Jesus forgot everything about himself and fought on for the sake of God. Not only that, because he did not have any selfish desire even when he faced death, he could manifest the power of resurrection. Today, we should also pass through the same course of victors' as Jesus.

Based on the victory of the cross that testified to his love, Jesus could forge an immutable link with God who had been carrying on the dispensation for 4,000 years. Jesus became the embodiment of unchanging victory and love. Jesus representing heaven, earth, and humankind, became one with God; and since God remains unchanging, he also will not change.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Like Jesus, Let Us Return the Glory of Resurrection to God May 27, 1956

Satan has a certain conscience, and he realizes that he cannot be loved to the same degree as God. He knows he does not deserve such love, yet that is the love that Jesus Christ demonstrated on the cross. Even wounded and dying, Jesus forgot about himself and loved his enemies and asked forgiveness for them. Under such circumstances, however vicious the enemy may be, as long as even one ounce of conscience remains in his heart he cannot help but bow down and surrender.

By practicing this same love, you can completely separate yourself from your enemy, and you will discover that you have no enemy. When you reach that level of perfection of love, you can enter a new era, the age of ideal love.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: The Road of God's Will May 30, 1982

He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:8-9

Jesus died for the liberation of God and mankind, not his own salvation. If today's Christians are thinking people, should they believe in Jesus and God for their own salvation, or for mankind and the liberation of Jesus and God? Many prayers offered today by Christians are self-centered, full of requests for money and health and comfort. Compared to Jesus' tradition, these people have the mind of a thief or robber; they don't think at all about giving but only about taking. There is no way for such people to avoid declining.

If Jesus, knowing he had to die on the cross, had tried to get out of it, would he have been the Messiah? Would he have been fulfilling his part of the mission courageously? He would have been a betrayer of God, and when he eventually died, it would have been a dishonorable death. If that had happened, it would have been the greatest tragedy, for mankind would have had to pay the indemnity for it. There would have been no Christianity then. The road of God's dispensation always involves going beyond death. Jesus truly proved he was the Son of God because he willingly accepted the role of death honorably. He died in such a way that Satan had to surrender to him. Satan could make no accusation that Jesus did not deserve to be called the Son of God. Satan had to bow down and say that Jesus loved God more than Satan could ever do. Like a lamb, Jesus became a sacrifice on the altar so that others might live.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Children's Day and Tradition November 20, 1979

Think about it: even though Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross 2,000 years ago, his power and influence have spread all over the world. But suppose Jesus had not died. Suppose he had [found sufficient foundation to] establish his family; and his children had started multiplying from that time. How long do you think it would have taken to restore the entire world? Not more than 600 years. Jesus' descendants would have formed the mainstream family for all the families of the world, the true olive tree into which all the wild olive trees of the fallen world would have been engrafted. The spreading influence of that true olive tree would have transformed the world into an orchard of true olive trees. In that true olive orchard God would be able to unify all humankind completely and take dominion.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: The 43rd Anniversary of Foundation Day May 1, 1997

The curtain of the temple is split

At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the socks split. Matthew 27:51

The Tabernacle was divided into two parts: the holy place (sanctuary) and the most holy place (holy of holes). Only the high priest could enter the most holy place, and only once a year when making the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement. The most holy place was where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Here was the place where God made himself present. It symbolized the spirit of Jesus. The holy place contained a lamp stand, an incense altar, and a table for the bread of the Presence, which were tended daily by the priests. It symbolized the body of Jesus.

Furthermore, the most holy place symbolized the spiritual world, while the holy place symbolized the physical world. When Jesus was crucified, the curtain between the holy place and the most holy place was torn in two, from top to bottom. This meant that Jesus' crucifixion laid the basis for spiritual salvation, when the gate was opened between spirit and flesh, or between heaven and earth.

Exposition of the Divine Principle: Moses and Jesus 2.2.2.3.1

The saints rise out of the tombs

The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to may people. Matthew 27:52-53

It is written in the Bible that in the last Days the dead will rise from their graves: With the archangel's call and with the sound of the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ will rise first. 2 Thess. 4:16

We can understand the meaning of this prophecy by examining a similar event, when the dead rose from their tombs at the time of Jesus' death.

Matthew 27:52-53 does not mean that the decomposed bodies of the saints literally rose up from their graves. If the physical bodies of the saints of the Old Testament Age had actually risen from their tombs and appeared before many people in Jerusalem, they would certainly have testified to the people about Jesus, since they already knew that he was the Messiah. After hearing such testimony, who among the inhabitants of Jerusalem would not have believed in the crucified Jesus? Additionally, if the saints really had risen from their tombs in the flesh, then surely their deeds would have been recorded in the Bible. However, we find no such records.

What does the Scripture mean when it says that the bodies of the saints rose from their tombs? This record was made by people who could perceive the spirits of the past saints being resurrected spiritually and appearing on the earth. This is much like Moses and Elijah who, as spirits, briefly appeared before Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matt. 17:3)

Exposition of the Divine Principle: Eschatology 3.2.3

Descent into hell

He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day" Luke 24:46

In the world of love there is no boundary because love is the most powerful force in the universe. It can go beyond any boundary. Even hell has no boundary that can withstand the power of love. According to Scripture, after the Crucifixion, Jesus Christ spent three days in darkness. Where did he go? He went to the dungeons of hell and preached the gospel for three days.

Satan, the master of men, might have said, "Jesus, you strayed into our cage. I'm going to lock the door; you are my prisoner." But that is impossible: Satan had no power to bind Jesus there. Jesus Christ, the complete manifestation of the love of God, said, "Love your enemy." Therefore, he can even turn hell into heaven, so going in and out of hell is no problem for him. Let's say there is a boundary in the kingdom of God. If there is a person who truly loves God with his heart and mind and soul, would God say to him, "You cannot come in here; you have to have a passport, or you must bring a gift. You cannot come to the throne of God"? Would he be stopped at that point? No.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Boundary Line December 5. 1976

How could Jesus take charge of hell? If Jesus had assumed the responsibility for the will of God only in its good aspect and died for the sake of God only in its good aspect, then he would have been able to manage the heavenly kingdom, but not hell. Therefore, because Jesus established the heavenly standard by keeping his integrity even in hell, he set the standard of being able to manage hell too.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: God's Possession and Our Possession November 9, 1958

A good man may go to the dungeons of hell for God's purpose, but his quality and value will not be changed by doing so. The important thing is whether he goes down there to bring the people up. He may look the same as people in the evil world, but his motivation is to influence the world of evil to come back to God. The Bible says that after the Crucifixion, Jesus spent three days in hell before he ascended into heaven. Was he still the Savior during those three days? Yes. Did he go there because he was attracted by life there? No. He went there to bring hell into his realm, which is heaven.

From the speech of Sun Myung Moon: Our Present Position October 7, 1979