Chapter 5 

The Crucifixion of the Church 

    The suffering of Jesus Christ is a foreshadowing of the suffering of Jesus' 

Church. The Passion of Jesus foretells the Passion of His Church. The 

Crucifixion of Jesus foreshadows and illuminates the Crucifixion of the 

Church. The Church will be crucified, not by being nailed to a cross, but by 

enduring great suffering for a period of time. Do you not know that the 

Church must suffer, even as Christ Jesus Himself suffered? The Church is 

the Body of Christ, so how could it be otherwise? 

     And he said to all, `If any man would come after me, let him deny 

himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'   (Luke 9:23). 

    Jesus is speaking these words, not only to individual Christians, but also 

to the Church as a whole. 

      `A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is 

enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. 

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will 

they malign those of his household.'   (Mt 10:24 25). 

    The Church is the household of Christ. The Church must be crucified, 

even as Christ Jesus was crucified, for the Church must be like Christ. 

      `If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If 

you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are 

not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates 

you. Remember the word that I said to you,  A servant is not greater than 

his master.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my 

word, they will keep yours also.'   (John 15:18 20). 

    The Church is the servant of Christ. Jesus is telling the Church to expect 

to suffer. Since the world persecuted and crucified Jesus, the world will also 

persecute and crucify the Church. The Church is not greater than Jesus. The 

Church must suffer; it is unavoidable. 

      `They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming 

when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they 

will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have 

said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember 

that I told you of them.'   (John 16:2 4). 

    Jesus is speaking about future persecutions of Christians, especially of that 

one great persecution, the time of the Church's greatest suffering, the