--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The crucified Christ, in short, gives us…" description: "\"“The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye” to discern him in the depths of even the most horrifically violent portraits of God.”\" — Greg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/gregory-a-boyd-9424_crucified_the-crucified-christ-in-short-gives-us-t_2815529.jpg" --- # The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye”… ![“The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye” to discern him in the depths of even the most horrifically violent portraits of God.” quote by Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/gregory-a-boyd-9424_crucified_the-crucified-christ-in-short-gives-us-t_2815529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/gregory-a-boyd-9424_crucified_the-crucified-christ-in-short-gives-us-t_2815529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/809/gregory-a-boyd-9424_crucified_the-crucified-christ-in-short-gives-us-t_2815529.jpg) > ““The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye” to discern him in the depths of even the most horrifically violent portraits of God.”” [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The crucifixion reveals a hidden perspective that lets us see God even in violent, unsettling images. **In simple terms:** Christ’s sacrifice helps us find God in harsh places. Key Takeaway Look for divine presence in unexpected contexts. Themes faith perception theology Mood contemplative thoughtful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - art criticism - theological study - personal reflection Key Concepts Christology symbolic vision Questions to Reflect On - How does suffering reveal deeper meaning? - Can violence ever convey spiritual truth? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary across traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crucified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucified/) [Crucified Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucified-christ-428974/) [Horrifically Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrifically-violent-3550492/) [Portraits God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits-god-2782428/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Violent Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-portraits-3550491/) ## Related quotes > [When we interpret the violent portraits of God through the lens of the cross, we can see God doing in history what he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/when-we-interpret-the-violent-portraits-of-god-through-the-lens-of/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Two criminals were crucified with Christ. One was saved; do not despair. One was not; do not presume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/two-criminals-were-crucified-with-christ-one-was-saved-do-not-despair/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [By the cross we, too, are crucified with Christ; but alive in Christ. We are no more rebels, but servants; no more servants, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-farrar/by-the-cross-we-too-are-crucified-with-christ-but-alive-in-christ-we/) [Frederic Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-farrar/) > [God Himself was crucified with Christ, for Christ was one with the Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/god-himself-was-crucified-with-christ-for-christ-was-one-with-the/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: 1. they are facing only one direction, 2. they can never turn back, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/people-who-are-crucified-with-christ-have-three-distinct-marks-1-they/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-crucified-with-christ-nevertheless-i-live-yet-not-i-but-christ/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let us look upon a crucified Christ, the remedy of all our miseries. His cross hath procured a crown, his passion hath expiated our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-charnock/let-us-look-upon-a-crucified-christ-the-remedy-of-all-our-miseries/) [Stephen Charnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-charnock/) > [“Here the crucified Christ was seen less as the sacrifice which God creates to reconcile the world to himself, and more as the exemplary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/here-the-crucified-christ-was-seen-less-as-the-sacrifice-which-god/) [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“The purpose of being “crucified with Christ” is so that Christ will live in us. The measure of our heart's purity is the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-guyton/the-purpose-of-being-crucified-with-christ-is-so-that-christ-will/) [Morgan Guyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-guyton/) > [By the cross we, too, are crucified with Christ; but alive in Christ. We are no more rebels, but servants; no more servants, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-farrar/by-the-cross-we-too-are-crucified-with-christ-but-alive-in-christ-we-2/) [Frederic Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-farrar/) > [The violent portraits of God in Scripture have become one of the biggest obstacles to believers coming to faith. When we can show how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-violent-portraits-of-god-in-scripture-have-become-one-of-the/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [If we fully trust that God is as beautiful as he reveals himself to be on the cross, we must regard the ugly surface…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/if-we-fully-trust-that-god-is-as-beautiful-as-he-reveals-himself-to/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Scripture’s violent portraits of God will continue to pollute our mental images of God until we find a way to reconcile them with Jesus’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gergory-a-boyd/scripture-s-violent-portraits-of-god-will-continue-to-pollute-our/) [Gergory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gergory-a-boyd/) > [Jesus Christ would have been considered just another long-haired hippie freak if he hadn't been crucified. The folks weren't impressed with healing the sick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/jesus-christ-would-have-been-considered-just-another-long-haired/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [“Adoration can be misleading. The same crowd who spread palm branches for Jesus to ride upon, was the same crowd who crucified Him three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-fowler/adoration-can-be-misleading-the-same-crowd-who-spread-palm-branches/) [H.H. Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-fowler/) ## More by Gregory A. Boyd > [“Consider these questions: Did Jesus ever suggest by word of example that we should aspire to acquire, let alone take over, the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/consider-these-questions-did-jesus-ever-suggest-by-word-of-example/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-came-to-establish-the-kingdom-of-god-as-a-radical-alternative/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“God took on our humanity, our sin, and the just punishment that sin deserves, dying a God-forsaken, hellish death on the cross, because only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/god-took-on-our-humanity-our-sin-and-the-just-punishment-that-sin/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [The holiness of the kingdom of God must be preserved. If Jesus refused to acknowledge and fight for Israel as God's favored nation- even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-holiness-of-the-kingdom-of-god-must-be-preserved-if-jesus-refused/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Coming under others has a power to do what laws and bullets and bombs can never do—namely, bring about transformation in an enemy’s heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/coming-under-others-has-a-power-to-do-what-laws-and-bullets-and-bombs/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Jesus’ life and ministry consistently reveal the humble character of a servant. Though he rightfully owned the entire cosmos, he, by choice, had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-life-and-ministry-consistently-reveal-the-humble-character-of-a/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Why would these people do this for us?” This is the question the church ought to be continually raising in people’s minds by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/why-would-these-people-do-this-for-us-this-is-the-question-the-church/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“The question that wins the world is not, how can we get our “morally superior” way enforced in the world? The question that wins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-question-that-wins-the-world-is-not-how-can-we-get-our-morally/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Accommodation is a central aspect of the cross-centered interpretation of violent portraits of God that I'm advocating. Like everything else in Cross Vision, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/accommodation-is-a-central-aspect-of-the-cross-centered/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Second, if you disbelieve in the reality of good and evil spirit agents, you fundamentally change the narrative of Scripture. The motif of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/second-if-you-disbelieve-in-the-reality-of-good-and-evil-spirit/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“many people have trouble passionately loving and living for God because they have a mental picture of him that inspires anything but passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-people-have-trouble-passionately-loving-and-living-for-god/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“I believe a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry. To a frightful degree, I think, evangelicals fuse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/i-believe-a-significant-segment-of-american-evangelicalism-is-guilty/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Our central job is not to solve the world’s problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/our-central-job-is-not-to-solve-the-world-s-problems-our-job-is-to/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“So too, since Christ has in principle defeated the fallen "gods" (principalities and powers) who have for ages inspired injustice, cruelty and apathy toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/so-too-since-christ-has-in-principle-defeated-the-fallen-gods/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“the reason God now calls kingdom people to remain separate from the ways of the kingdom-of-the-world is not to isolate them from their culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-reason-god-now-calls-kingdom-people-to-remain-separate-from-the/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) [Explore all 73 Gregory A. Boyd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## More Crucified quotes > [“Adoration can be misleading. The same crowd who spread palm branches for Jesus to ride upon, was the same crowd who crucified Him three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-fowler/adoration-can-be-misleading-the-same-crowd-who-spread-palm-branches/) [H.H. Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-fowler/) > [Jesus Christ would have been considered just another long-haired hippie freak if he hadn't been crucified. The folks weren't impressed with healing the sick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/jesus-christ-would-have-been-considered-just-another-long-haired/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [“God has chosen to save the world through the cross, through the shameful and powerless death of the crucified Messiah. If that shocking event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hays/god-has-chosen-to-save-the-world-through-the-cross-through-the/) [Richard Hays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hays/) > [“The purpose of being “crucified with Christ” is so that Christ will live in us. The measure of our heart's purity is the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-guyton/the-purpose-of-being-crucified-with-christ-is-so-that-christ-will/) [Morgan Guyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-guyton/) > [“Here the crucified Christ was seen less as the sacrifice which God creates to reconcile the world to himself, and more as the exemplary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/here-the-crucified-christ-was-seen-less-as-the-sacrifice-which-god/) [Jurgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“The Crucified is the One most traumatized. He has borne the World Trade Center. He has carried the Iraq war, the destruction in Syria,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-langberg/the-crucified-is-the-one-most-traumatized-he-has-borne-the-world/) [Diane Langberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-langberg/) > [“Finally she found what she was looking for. “See, child?” she said, holding out a framed illustration that looked as if it had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/finally-she-found-what-she-was-looking-for-see-child-she-said-holding/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied, than Jesus Christ, and him crucified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flavel/no-doctrine-is-more-excellent-or-necessary-to-be-preached-and-studied/) [John Flavel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flavel/) > [“But the devil is a lie. Trying to make you think he's down with you and God wants you to die. But tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wayne-mcvey/but-the-devil-is-a-lie-trying-to-make-you-think-he-s-down-with-you/) [Joseph Wayne McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wayne-mcvey/) > [“Christianity sedulously fosters, and in a sense permanently satisfies, man's craving for mental dissatisfaction by offering him the comfort of a crucified God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/christianity-sedulously-fosters-and-in-a-sense-permanently-satisfies/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [“We are crucified to the world, and the world must be as crucified to us. It esteems us as fools, let us esteem it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales-de-sales/we-are-crucified-to-the-world-and-the-world-must-be-as-crucified-to/) [Saint Francis De Sales De Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales-de-sales/) > [However much we suffer for the love of Jesus Crucified, it is but little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-joseph-labre/however-much-we-suffer-for-the-love-of-jesus-crucified-it-is-but/) [Benedict Joseph Labre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-joseph-labre/) > [Let us look upon a crucified Christ, the remedy of all our miseries. His cross hath procured a crown, his passion hath expiated our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-charnock/let-us-look-upon-a-crucified-christ-the-remedy-of-all-our-miseries/) [Stephen Charnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-charnock/) > [“When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him. – Luke 23:33”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/when-they-had-come-to-the-place-called-calvary-there-they-crucified/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [“One must be crucified on one’s own private cross.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-woolf/one-must-be-crucified-on-one-s-own-private-cross/) [Leonard Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-woolf/) [Browse all 161 Crucified quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucified/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye” to discern him in the depths of even the most horrifically violent portraits of God.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gregory A. 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