--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we interpret the violent portraits…" description: "\"When we interpret the violent portraits of God through the lens of the cross, we can see God doing in history what he did in a supreme way on Calvary. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/gregory-a-boyd-9424_divine_when-we-interpret-the-violent-portraits_663530.jpg" --- # When we interpret the violent portraits of God through the… ![“When we interpret the violent portraits of God through the lens of the cross, we can see God doing in history what he did in a supreme way on Calvary. And this is how these violent divine portraits anticipate, and point us toward, the cross.” quote by Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/gregory-a-boyd-9424_divine_when-we-interpret-the-violent-portraits_663530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/gregory-a-boyd-9424_divine_when-we-interpret-the-violent-portraits_663530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/gregory-a-boyd-9424_divine_when-we-interpret-the-violent-portraits_663530.jpg) > “When we interpret the violent portraits of God through the lens of the cross, we can see God doing in history what he did in a supreme way on Calvary. And this is how these violent divine portraits anticipate, and point us toward, the cross.” [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. God’s violent actions in history are foreshadowed by the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, revealing a consistent divine purpose. **In simple terms:** God’s past violence points to the cross. Key Takeaway Recognize the cross as the key to understanding divine actions. Themes theology redemption violence interpretation Mood reflective reverent Type theological interpretive When to use this quote - preaching - personal study - church teaching Key Concepts Christology soteriology historical theology Questions to Reflect On - How does the cross reframe your view of suffering? - What does this mean for interpreting biblical violence? A Different Perspective The cross may not fully explain all instances of divine violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) ## Related quotes > [“The crucified Christ, in short, gives us the “Magic Eye” to discern him in the depths of even the most horrifically violent portraits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-crucified-christ-in-short-gives-us-the-magic-eye-to-discern-him/) [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/) > [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/) > [If we are able to look at life not with our lens, but with God's lens we will soon realize everything has a purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-are-able-to-look-at-life-not-with-our-lens-but-with-god-s-lens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“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/) > [“If the Cross is God’s masterpiece of His love, then the Eucharist is the centerpiece of our worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gangai-victor/if-the-cross-is-god-s-masterpiece-of-his-love-then-the-eucharist-is/) [Gangai Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gangai-victor/) > [The cross is God taking on flesh and blood and saying, Me too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-cross-is-god-taking-on-flesh-and-blood-and-saying-me-too/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“On the cross, God subverted everything we intuitively understand about power … For many of us, coming to terms with the thought that great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-johnson/on-the-cross-god-subverted-everything-we-intuitively-understand-about/) Matt Johnson > [ “The God who is with us is the God who forsakes us (Mark 15:34).\[...\] Before God and with him we live without God. God… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-god-who-is-with-us-is-the-god-who-forsakes-us-mark-15-34-before/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [At the cross God wrapped his heart in flesh and blood and let it be nailed to the cross for our redemption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/at-the-cross-god-wrapped-his-heart-in-flesh-and-blood-and-let-it-be/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [“When we see an obstacle impossible to cross; God makes a path for us if we let Him be boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cutler-hughes/when-we-see-an-obstacle-impossible-to-cross-god-makes-a-path-for-us/) [Carolyn Cutler Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-cutler-hughes/) > [“The Scripture says that as Jesus gave up his spirit, as he sagged there, lifeless on that Roman cross, God the Father turned his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-burpo/the-scripture-says-that-as-jesus-gave-up-his-spirit-as-he-sagged/) [Todd Burpo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-burpo/) > [Because of the Cross, God can be both just towards sin and yet mercifully justifying to sinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/because-of-the-cross-god-can-be-both-just-towards-sin-and-yet/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When I am told God became man, I can follow the idea, but I just do not understand what it means. For what man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-h-bainton/when-i-am-told-god-became-man-i-can-follow-the-idea-but-i-just-do-not/) [Roland H. Bainton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-h-bainton/) ## 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. 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