The Bruising of Jesus' Heel

Messianic prophecy didn't take long to develop in the Bible. The first reference to God's work through Jesus comes pretty early in the text of Genesis: After Satan's deception of Eve, and Adam's consequent sin, God said to Satan — "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15)

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

God is not trying to save our bodies! He created these "tents" from the "dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." (Genesis 2:7; 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 5:7)

"… when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him." (1 Peter 3:20-22)

The brutality of crucifixion is attested throughout history. I don't think anyone today would find crucifixion an acceptable form of execution. That Jesus was crucified was necessary:

• "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. …" (Deuteronomy 21:22-23)
• Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" (Galatians 3:13)

The apostles do not hide the fact that Jesus was hanged on a tree (Acts 5:30; 13:29; 1 Peter 2:24). Again, it was needful for Him to die in this manner; not just that He died in some way, but in this specific way so that He would become the curse for us, and remove the curse from us.

How incomprehensible it must have been to Satan when Jesus, by the glory of the Father (Romans 6:4), was raised from the dead!

It is no wonder, then, that we must DIE to sin, be BURIED, so that we too might walk in NEWNESS of LIFE (Romans 6:1-7).

And here's a simple outline from the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul:

• FAITH (Romans 4)
• GRACE (Romans 5)
• BAPTISM (Romans 6)

Faith and baptism are connected by grace (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7).