Why would Jesus call the cross the hour of his glory? In this Part 2 of the Paschal Mystery series, we explore what John means when Jesus says, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself,” and why John pauses to tell us exactly which kind of death he meant.

Last time, we looked at what the crucified Savior reveals about sin and divine love. This time, we follow John’s trail through the prophet Isaiah, where “lifted up” describes both the Lord enthroned in glory and the Suffering Servant led like a lamb to the slaughter. We then turn to Elijah on Mount Sinai and the still, small voice, and to the Upper Room, to see why the glory of God shows itself in love poured out rather than in force. By the end, you may never look at a crucifix the same way again.

Scripture referenced in this episode:
• John 12:23–41 (the “hour” and “lifted up”)
• Isaiah 52:13–53:12 (the Suffering Servant)
• Isaiah 6:1–4 (Isaiah’s vision of the Lord)
• 1 Kings 19:11–13 (Elijah and the still, small voice)
• Matthew 26:26–28 and Luke 22:19–20 (the words of institution)
• Luke 23:34 (“Father, forgive them”)

Further listening: This episode was inspired by a teaching from Dr. Scott Hahn on his podcast, The Road to Emmaus. If you’re not familiar with Dr. Hahn’s work, I highly recommend it.

Upon This Rock explores the biblical foundations of the Catholic Church, one step at a time. New to the series? Start with Episode 1 and follow along in order.

On a human level, the crucifix is a strange symbol of salvation. So why have Christians held it up for 2,000 years?

In this first episode of our series on the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, we step into the heart of the Christian faith: the Paschal Mystery. Before we walk through the events of Holy Week, we ask what the cross means.

In this episode:
• What “the Passion” actually means, and why it can’t be told without the Resurrection
• What the crucifix reveals about the horror of sin and the depth of God’s love
• How Christ, the new Adam, bridges the infinite gap opened by sin
• Punishment or sacrifice? Why Jesus was the victim of divine love, not divine wrath
• Why God didn’t simply forgive us with a word (with help from St. Thomas Aquinas)
• How the cross lifts us beyond Eden, making us “partakers of the divine nature”
• “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” A cry of despair, or something else?

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3–4 · John 17:20–23 · John 15:13 · Mark 10:45 · 1 Peter 4:8 · 1 Corinthians 1:23–25

When a Roman soldier pierced Jesus’ side, the Apostle John did something he never does anywhere else in his Gospel: he broke the fourth wall to look you in the eye. Why was he so frantic about a stream of blood and water? By looking through the firsthand accounts of ancient historians and temple logistics, we piece together the stunning connection between a quarter-million Passover lambs and the destruction of the ultimate temple. Get ready to climb Mount Calvary and see the crucifixion like you've never seen it before.