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The Cross of Christ

John R.W. Stott

4.29 · Rating details · 10,603 ratings · 294 reviews

"I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts this generation with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of the world -- a world now haunted by the memories of Auschwitz, the pain of oppression and the specter of n ...more

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Paperback, 416 pages

Published April 14th 1989 by Inter-Varsity Press (first published October 16th 1986)

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Feb 07, 2012 Jeremy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, favorites, 5-stars, religion

It is hard to overstate how much I enjoyed this book. It was hard work, shouldering through the dense material. It's not impossible reading, but it does requires careful thought. Stott shows the significance of the cross and why certain doctrines are important, and he outlines many implications stemming from those doctrines. Lots of brilliant insights.

One of the chapters I especially enjoyed was the one where Stott covers four images of salvation: shrine, market, court of law, and home. They are ...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Keren Threlfall rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reading, christian-classics, theology

Since John R. W. Stott’s death in July 2011, interest in The Cross of Christ has been revived, particularly through the 20th anniversary edition (2006). Although it’s only been around 25 years since first published, The Cross of Christ has already been recognized as a Christian classic. It was on my list of Christian classic to-reads, along with older authors as Athanasius, Augustine, and Luther.

Like a skilled jeweler carefully examining and detailing the many facets of a gem, John Stott goes th ...more

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Jun 12, 2020 Ezra rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-books

Just like IKEA: classic, colossal and always an interesting visit. So expansive are the halls to roam that to make the most of it you need to take a sit down on your trolley, rest up and consider.
So expansive is the range of material that it takes a good while to reach the goal, but when you do reach it it's all the more satisfying. Don't forget the meatballs.

Stott has helped shore up many aspects of the cross I hadn't considered, and provoked many a thought on how the cross does completely effe ...more

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Jun 07, 2019 Kevin Halloran added it · review of another edition

A remarkable book! A blend of accessible yet historical, theological, and devotional material. No wonder this is a classic.

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Jun 05, 2012 John is currently reading it · review of another edition

Quotes that stood out to me as I read:
Ch. 2 WHY DID CHRIST DIE?
"Nobody is ever envious of others who is not first proud of himself." (pg. 57)

"So [the Jewish leaders] felt threatened by Jesus. He undermined their prestige, their hold over the people, their own self-confidence and self-respect, while leaving his intact." (pg. 58)

"We resent [Jesus'] intrustion into our privacy, his demand for our homage, his expectation of our obedience. Why can't he mind his own business. we ask petulantly, and le ...more

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Apr 11, 2020 Brice Karickhoff rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

What a book to read during Holy Week. I am blown away by how beautiful, shocking, logically consistent, and practically applicable the Christian Gospel is at its most simple and most deep levels. This book is an incredible and enjoyable deep dive into the Cross of Christ and it’s significance historically, ethically, and spiritually.

Stott uses a great deal of structure to address the hard questions head on. For some “Jesus died for your sins” is a sufficient story to elicit faith, but for other What a book to read during Holy Week. I am blown away by how beautiful, shocking, logically consistent, and practically applicable the Christian Gospel is at its most simple and most deep levels. This book is an incredible and enjoyable deep dive into the Cross of Christ and it’s significance historically, ethically, and spiritually.

Stott uses a great deal of structure to address the hard questions head on. For some “Jesus died for your sins” is a sufficient story to elicit faith, but for others, like myself, such a statement just forces you to ask “what the heck does that even mean?” If this is you, Stott writes for you.

He addresses 3 pivotal questions regarding the cross as our means of atonement: is it Christian (ie compatible with the teaching of Jesus and his apostles), is it moral (ie compatible or incompatible with justice and goodness), and is it incredible (ie does it actually functionally address such issues as the transfer of guilt). Broadly, he spends the beginning of the book asking “why did Christ die?” - as in, why did he have to? Through the lenses of theology and Jewish history, why was it actually necessary that Jesus die, and who was it necessary that Jesus actually be in order for that death to matter? Why couldn’t God just simply forgive us, without there being a payment, much like he calls us to forgive those who sin against us? These are hard questions! When Stott poses them, he does so with force. He would almost make me nervous that the Bible contains no answer, but then he always proves how thoroughly Gods Word holds up.

Next, Stott addresses the consequences of the cross: salvation of sinners, the revelation of God, and the conquest on evil. He discusses propitiation, redemption, reconciliation, and justification as the four images of what God accomplished at the cross.

Finally, he closes with “life under the cross”. In this section he discusses the implications of living under the cross. He calls us to be a community of continuous celebration, service to others, and love for enemies. He discusses how we are to overcome evil with good and brings this down to the ground of the modern day by attacking racism and sexism and charging us to care for the global and local poor. And finally he addresses the problem of suffering.

This is not a book of apologetics - it is written with the assumption that you believe the Gospel of Christ. This book is verrrry dense and pretty long. This book is also not without its biases. On every page, Stott takes firm theological stands, many of which are contentious, and some of which are bound to be incorrect or incomplete. However, as far as I’ve read, this book was the most complete and encouraging account of what God accomplished at the cross that I know of. To any Christian who wants to go deeper in this respect, I would highly recommend. ...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Mark A Powell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Stott’s seminal work has been reprinted on its twentieth anniversary. Within these pages, Stott surveys the cross of Christ with clarity and aplomb scarcely found in such examinations. Not only does Stott trace the Biblical teaching on the cross, he also addresses common criticisms and controversial views, revealing the truth behind the work Jesus accomplished through His death. Though it reads long in places, careful meditation on Stott’s work is not only helpful, but eagerly recommended.

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Jun 24, 2020 Mitchell Dixon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This has widely been considered one of the best books to read if you are a Christian. John Stott has affectionately been called the closest thing to a pope that Protestants have and I can see why. His width and breadth of knowledge, scriptural, historical, artistic, evangelistic, and pastoral all come out in this book. The Cross of Christ is going to take you on a wide sweep of all of the beauties and graces of the cross and at the heart of it, justification.

This book can be hard to read at tim ...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Bob rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-theology

"This is the best book we have read in this group."

So commented a faculty member recently in a campus book group that discussed Stott's book. And we've discussed some pretty significant books by the likes of Augustine, Pascal, Calvin, Kierkegaard, Barth, and others!

I think what marks this book by John Stott, that I first read when published nearly 30 years ago, is a combination of theological clarity and pastoral application that help one deeply root one's understanding of the work of Christ on "This is the best book we have read in this group."

So commented a faculty member recently in a campus book group that discussed Stott's book. And we've discussed some pretty significant books by the likes of Augustine, Pascal, Calvin, Kierkegaard, Barth, and others!

I think what marks this book by John Stott, that I first read when published nearly 30 years ago, is a combination of theological clarity and pastoral application that help one deeply root one's understanding of the work of Christ on the cross not only in belief but in Christian devotion and practice.

The book consists of four sections. The first is introductory, "Approaching the Cross" and explores the centrality of the cross in Christian belief and practice and considers why such an instrument of torture would become so central that it even shapes the architecture of our great cathedrals. This leads to a focus on why Christ died, considering not only the historical events but the deeper reasons in the purposes of God and the need of human beings.

This brings us to what I think is the central section of the book, which is appropriately enough titled, "The Heart of the Cross." It is here that Stott carefully lays the groundwork for his defense of the substitution as foundational to our understanding of how Christ atoned for sin. But this isn't Jesus simply "taking one for the team" that leaves itself open to questions of divine child abuse. Allow me here to quote Stott at some length:

"Our substitute, then who took our place and died our death on the cross, was neither Christ alone (since that would make him a third party thrust in between God and us), nor God alone (since that would undermine the historical incarnation), but God in Christ, who was truly and fully both God and man, and who on that account was uniquely qualified to represent both God and man and to mediate between them. If we speak only of Christ suffering and dying, we overlook the initiative of the Father. If we speak only of God suffering and dying, we overlook the mediation of the Son. The New Testament authors never attribute the atonement either to Christ in such a way as to dissociate him from the Father, or to God in such a way as to dispense with Christ, but rather to God and Christ, or to God acting in and through Christ with his whole-hearted concurrence." (p. 156 in the 1986 edition)

The third section then moves on to describe "The Achievement of the Cross" in the salvation of sinners, the revelation of God, and the conquest of evil. Particularly striking was his focus on what we see of the glory, justice, and love of God coming together in the cross. Equally wonderful is his explanation of how the victory of the cross frees us from wrath, sin, the law, and death.

The last section then considers "Living Under the Cross." He begins with a discussion of how we are a community of celebration and how our worship and the Lord's table indeed celebrate the work of the cross. I was surprised in this chapter with the extended discussion of differing views of the eucharist where he distinguishes Anglican from Catholic practice. He then moves to how the cross helps us understand ourselves as both sinners and redeemed and of great worth in a way that releases us for great service. This even empowers us to love our enemies and find meaning in suffering.

Stott then concludes with a summary of the pervasive influence of the cross in a chapter that summarizes the book using the letter to the Galatians as a means of review.

What John Stott gave us here, as in all of his writing is a theologically rich but evangelically orthodox account of the cross. He is gracious and pastoral and yet willing to surface theological differences and to clearly set forth arguments from the scriptures for his own positions in a way that demarcates the matters that need to be honestly faced if the Church is to be one not merely in sentiment but truth. Above all, he shows us how the work of the cross is indeed central to the message and life of the Church when we may be tempted to get caught up in moralism, activism, or speculative theology. This may be a word we need as much in our day as when Stott wrote in 1986. ...more

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Sep 18, 2012 James Bunyan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

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Aug 08, 2008 Jeffrey Niles rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: theology

All of history and all of Scripture holds as its central most important event the cross of Christ. Indeed, in the mind of Christ, no other event of his life on earth held a more central focus then the sacrifice he made at Calvary. The cross is the centerpiece of Christianity and must spread from that position until it saturates all of faith and life for the church and for the individual. The Cross of Christ by John R. W. Stott remains after twenty-two years a tour de force in the literature of C All of history and all of Scripture holds as its central most important event the cross of Christ. Indeed, in the mind of Christ, no other event of his life on earth held a more central focus then the sacrifice he made at Calvary. The cross is the centerpiece of Christianity and must spread from that position until it saturates all of faith and life for the church and for the individual. The Cross of Christ by John R. W. Stott remains after twenty-two years a tour de force in the literature of Christian Soteriology. In this survey of the doctrine and implications of the crucifixion, Stott argues for “the centrality of the cross in the mind of Christ, in Scripture and in history” and exhorts his audience toward a faith and life that is permeated by its influence.

In Stott’s survey of the cross he attends to its theology and implications in four parts. The first three chapters approach the cross and consider the biblical record, the reason for the cross, and an examination of what happened there. His introductory chapter argues his thesis of the centrality of the cross. He examines its central place in church history, in the perspective of Jesus, and the emphasis that persisted under the teaching of the apostles and the church in spite of opposition to it. Ultimately for the church, “perceiving the cross to be the centre of history and theology, they naturally perceive it also to be the centre of all reality. So they see it everywhere, and have always done so.” In his evaluation of the cause for Christ’s death, Stott examines those who led Jesus to Calvary, but ultimately points to the reality that Jesus laid down his own life and was led there by his Father. Finally, examining the events surrounding the crucifixion, Stott evaluates why Christ came to endure the cross and concludes three essential truths: sin is extremely horrible, God’s love is beyond comprehension, and salvation must be a free gift.

The second part, ‘The Heart of the Cross,’ deals in three chapters with the problem of forgiveness, the issue of satisfaction, and the self-substitution of God. In this section, Stott addresses various models of the atonement and argues that “all inadequate doctrines of the atonement are due to inadequate doctrines of God and man. . . . The essential background to the cross, therefore, is a balanced understanding of the gravity of sin and the majesty of God. If we diminish either, we thereby diminish the cross.” He concludes in his survey of historical theology that the cross satisfied God himself because sin is grave and only Christ as God and man could be the substitute for sin.

Chapters 7-9 examine the achievements of the cross, namely salvation, revelation, and conquest. First, Stott examines four images of the atonement from Scripture and then highlights substitution as the heart of it, not just an additional image or theory. Secondly, the cross reveals the glory of God as it vindicates his goodness, his justice, and his love. In essence, the cross shows us the character of God. Finally, Stott argues that the cross overcame evil and he examines the theological and practical implications of this victory.

In the fourth and final section of The Cross of Christ, the author turns his attention to what it means to live under the cross. The final three chapters continue to survey the Bible’s teaching regarding the cross and the salvation that was accomplished there as well as the theology of the cross, but Stott also deals with very practical ramifications of living the Christian life in a community of celebration, with attitudes of self-understanding and self-giving, and as men and women who love our enemies. In other words, a true theology of the cross permeates the existence of those who have placed their lives in submission to the one who died on it.

The Cross of Christ is and will continue to be a legacy among other theological works that should be mined over and over again by evangelicals and those of other theological persuasions. Robert Lightner writes that “this volume takes its place among the classics on the subject of the death of Christ.” Peter Wilkinson, an advocate of the emergent church, writes of the work, “Stott sounds like a trumpet call from a bygone era - except that many, like myself, would probably think that the trumpet call needs to be heard just as much today as it was when the book was first published in 1986.”

The genius in Stott’s masterpiece which continues on today is his marvelous integration of a survey of biblical texts, a deep evaluation of the theology of the cross, and the practical implications for the lives of those who read this book. Portions of The Cross of Christ read like a provoking devotional, other sections like a challenging sermon; at appropriate times, Stott’s work is much more in line with a survey of historical and systematic theology. But pervading his entire work is his devotion to the truth revealed by God and a commitment to encouraging the people of God to live out the implications of the cross in the life of the church and in the heart of the individual.

In Stott’s concluding chapter, he summarizes his thesis and supporting arguments and then finishes with “seven striking affirmations about the death of Jesus,” which he draws from the letter to the Galatians. His concluding remarks are powerful and leave the readers dwelling in awe as they meditate upon the great work of the Lord accomplished on the old rugged cross.

Still an active clergyman, Stott continues to preach occasionally at All Saints Church in London. In regard to The Cross of Christ, Stott occasionally brings a theology influenced by his Anglican Evangelical background. Two areas where this is most notable are in his occasional use of the book of Revelation where Stott may take a different approach than some of his readers. Secondly, where other protestant authors might be given to quoting Luther and Calvin more often, Stott will often also balance this by bringing in the perspective of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. While his background has certainly influenced his writing, it does bring in a unique perspective to his book.

The only concerns from this student regarding Stott’s book are more structural than imperative. Stott’s thoughts and outline remain very clear and are reinforced by his careful review of material covered. However, while the four sections and the outline of his book are well laid out, the subheadings within chapters are often misleading. Where Stott seems to give indication that he is moving to another correlating point, he shifts gears to a supporting point that should perhaps be marked differently.

Secondly, Stott is given to quoting a wide variety of authors from a wide variety of theological backgrounds. He uses his material appropriately and draws from the strengths of many great minds. At the same time, he also masterfully and graciously draws attention to the points of view he finds to be contrary to Scripture. However, the amateur theologian may find it difficult to discern the background of various authors which Stott is apt to quote and use. In the words of Robert Lightner, “It would have been beneficial to many readers to distinguish evangelicals from nonevangelicals. When nonevangelicals such as George Buttrick, Horace Bushnell, Rudolph Bultmann, and J. Moltmann are quoted approvingly, on a specific point, alongside men like G. W. Wenham, B. B. Warfield, John Owen, J. I. Packer, and John Calvin, the untrained reader may conclude these all hold the same basic view on the death of Christ.”

The Cross of Christ remains a masterpiece on the substitutionary atonement. John Stott has given a marvelous contribution to the church of this day. His book is not a difficult read, but is deep, well thought out, and life changing. He deals with the theology of the cross, the teaching of the Bible, the views of saints from throughout church history, but also relates the message to the practice of the Christian life. The Cross of Christ will continue on as a must read for years to come and is a remarkable legacy from a man who has lived his life under the Savior who died for those he loved. ...more

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Feb 16, 2020 Brenda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: challies-2020

I listened to a christianaudio version of this, and it was very well-read. There is so much to this book, though, that audio doesn't do it justice for someone like me. I would have benefited much more from reading a hard copy with highlighter and pencil in hand and a notebook nearby. At least I can say I've been "exposed" to this book now and hopefully some of it will stick with me until I can really read it someday. ...more

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Jan 04, 2019 Marc Sims rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The definitive treatment of the atonement. I cannot think of a better book. The argument he provides for penal substitutionary atonement is overwhelmingly persuasive, and because it is Stott, he is able to communicate all of this without being dry and book-ish, but pastorally and worshipfully.

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Jan 02, 2021 Alex Sachak rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a brilliant book! The Christian faith is at its very core about the cross and I have read no better treatment of the subject than this book. Stott writes with such clarity and balance on the many biblical, theological and pastoral questions that the cross of Christ confronts us with. I hope to return to this many more times in the future.

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Dec 13, 2018 Stuart rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

By far one of the best books I've read this year. Easily in the top three. Maybe even number one.

Stott spends his time in the first half of the book setting up the theological arguments for the crucifixion, and he takes his time. During the first half you'll get the urge to put it down, don't! It is well worth the time. In fact, go get your pencil and a notebook and take your time.

Then in the second half Stott shifts to speaking pastorally and begins drawing implications of the cross on our li ...more

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Apr 24, 2020 Noah Austria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"But God does not impose his gifts on us willy-nilly; we have to receive them by faith. Of both the divine gift and the human reception the Lord's Supper remains the perpetual outward sign. It is intended to be "a participation in the body and blood of Christ" (1 Cor 10:16)."

"God could quite justly have abandoned us to our fate. He could have left us alone to reap the fruit of our wrongdoing and to perish in our sins. It is what we deserved. But he did not. Because he loved us, he came after us ...more

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Aug 17, 2010 Tom Bazan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: christian

Probably one of the most complete books that I have ever read. Stott shows how Christianity is focused around the Cross of Christ. He covers topics broadly and, generally, thoroughly. He is extremely well-read and I will probably use this book as a reference for the variety of topics that he covers.

His description of what Christ (God) accomplished on the cross--the different aspects and why each of them is vital--is probably one of the best that I've read. Basically, he takes some very big ideas ...more

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Mar 23, 2007 Thom Leiter rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: christian, inspirational

OK...so the journaling thing got set by the wayside and I haven't been able to keep up on it, so, I'll just give some insight into the book. This is an amazing book nonetheless.

Here goes...

If you are someone who has been introduced to Christ for the first time, this book may not be the first book you'll want to read. Only because it's very theologically based and deep in it's exposition. Wonderful to read, but can be very hard to understand at times.

I don't believe that God opens our eyes to t ...more

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May 24, 2016 Samuel Kassing rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is my second time reading through this book. The first time I read it was roughly 8 years ago. I had recently become a Christian and was wrestling with the implication of suffering. This book was helpful then and it is still an edifying read today.

I lowered my rating though upon finishing this reading of Stott's work. I question Stott's reworking of simplicity and impassiblity. These are technical things. But, I think they pastorally matter. I affirm his heart behind his statements but I d ...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Mike Print rated it really liked it · review of another edition

If you are interested in Christianity, God or Jesus read this book!

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Sep 18, 2011 Douglas Wilson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: theology

Very fine book. I have read Stott over the years, and have always enjoyed him, but I decided to read this (listen to it on audio, rather) after he went to be the Lord. Very helpful, in a lot of ways.

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Oct 22, 2012 Chris Land rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is one of the best books on the cross and highly recommend it.

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Jul 18, 2019 Drew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Read it and then go ahead and plan to re-read it.

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Nov 17, 2020 Ernest rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: top-10-read-in-2020

It is hard to overstate how influential this book is in modern Christianity. Having been referred to as ‘an excellent biblical exposition’ and ‘a classic study of the centre of [the Christian] faith’, Stott delves into the significance of Christ’s cross, placing it at the foundation of the Christianity in a work that is thoroughly deep and comprehensive in its treatment of the subject.

This work is an intellectually hefty tome – rather than being something that can be easily digested over a cock It is hard to overstate how influential this book is in modern Christianity. Having been referred to as ‘an excellent biblical exposition’ and ‘a classic study of the centre of [the Christian] faith’, Stott delves into the significance of Christ’s cross, placing it at the foundation of the Christianity in a work that is thoroughly deep and comprehensive in its treatment of the subject.

This work is an intellectually hefty tome – rather than being something that can be easily digested over a cocktail on a beach, it demands a serious mindset to carefully understand the points it makes. I had to digest it in small chunks, reading a few pages and having to think and ponder things for days, if not sometimes weeks. This doesn’t mean that it is inaccessible – those willing to put the time and effort into this serious subject will find complex material taken seriously but logically presented in a way that allows the expansive material to be properly covered, albeit deliberately and carefully.

This does not mean that one cannot quibble with nothing of what Stott presents. Here, I tread very carefully as I know that I count for nothing compared to Stott’s intellect and Biblical scholarship (and it would not be entirely incorrect to state that this section is as much to prove that I actually did read the book rather than just echo many others who rightly praise this work). Stott write on page 354 that ‘[i]n particular, in warfare there is neither a judge not a court. In declaring war a state is acting as judge in its own cause, since as yet no independent body exists to arbitrate in international disputes’. Even with the book’s first publication in 1986, the International Court of Justice was established in 1945, succeeding the Permanent Court of International Justice which existed from 1922 to 1946. Since then, the International Criminal Court began operating on 1 July 2002 following the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted on 17 July 1998. However, none of this serves to detract from the main point Stott makes in that section, let alone the rest of the book.

This is a work that deserves the time spent in it and is one that I will be coming back to again and again over the years. The cross is simultaneously both simple and not simple. Accessible to those willing to put the work in, is it to our benefit that Stott has crafted this magisterial work.
...more

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Sep 07, 2019 Matt Lee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: theology

In this work, Stott considers a systematic approach to understand the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ and its implications.

The book, in brief overview, considers the necessity of the cross, the indentity of the one who died on the cross, and how its benefits are applied to believers.

Where this books is particularly strong is its defence of not only the de facto truth of penal substitutionary atonement (PSA), but why PSA must necessarily be the only possible way to consider the work of Christ on the In this work, Stott considers a systematic approach to understand the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ and its implications.

The book, in brief overview, considers the necessity of the cross, the indentity of the one who died on the cross, and how its benefits are applied to believers.

Where this books is particularly strong is its defence of not only the de facto truth of penal substitutionary atonement (PSA), but why PSA must necessarily be the only possible way to consider the work of Christ on the cross. In particular, his dismantling of the ransom theory by showing, in its logical extent, Satan essentially takes the place of God, was instructive.

Moreover, Stott's explanation of terms (to which he devotes entire chapters in the book) such as propitiation and expiation, and the difference thereof, is extremely helpful in the context of the work. Too often books are written, supposedly for the lay person in the Church, but fail to explain much, if any, of the theological language that (rightly or wrongly) is foreign to them.

His discussion on the difference between Abelard and Anslem in their views on the atonement was fascinating, but I wish that he had developed their theologies a little further. Greater interaction with those works from antiquity would have highlighted the genius of Anslem's work in clarifying the nature of Christ's work on the cross.

Some criticisms of this book would include the author's strange tendancy to wholly unnecessarily lean on Barthian theology at times when, though the points themselves were not unorthodox, made the reader work more than necessary to understand the author's point (given Barth's strange use of language in places). Furthermore, Stott occasionally seems to tie himself in proverbial knots in explaining the sinful nature of man, yet his other, clearer, statements show his orthodoxy on the subject. Finally, at the beginning of the book, Stott is rather uncharitable to the Puritans in their view of the second commandment.

Overall, this book is highly recommended, with the peripheral critiques notwithstanding. In what it sets out to do (explain Christ's work on the cross and its application), it is simply excellent. ...more

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Feb 12, 2021 Tyler Brown rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really fine treatment on the work of Jesus on the cross.

Some of my favorite insights. Stott does a great job in part one of highlighting the reasons Christ died at the human level (considering, Judas, the Jews, Pontius Pilate and the others responsible) before considering the Father sent Jesus and the Son gave himself in the crucifixion. In the second section, he offers a helpful paradigm of thinking about the scriptural language of atonement. He argues that substitution is the heart of the d ...more

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Dec 17, 2020 Matthew McBirth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 Stars.
An amazing classic that every person interested in Jesus of Nazareth should read. Stott did an amazing job diving into the subject of the cross of Christ, looking at it from several view points that could very well be confusing without his consistent structure. This was my second time reading it, and the importance of the scandalous cross of Christ never gets old.

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Mar 14, 2019 Amber rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Fantastic! Stott brilliantly takes the reality of the work of Christ and helps bring it to life in a comprehensive way. Given the topic, this is an incredibly accessible book - it was hard to put down!

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Oct 10, 2018 Matt Allhands rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Stop reading this review, and go read this book.

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Apr 24, 2019 Natalie Print rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A helpful, well-researched exploration of why Jesus died on the cross, what was achieved when he did, and the life-changing difference that makes to our lives. I found it to be a good book to read during Lent and the discipline was helpful as some sections are easier to read than others, but I am glad that I have finally read it. For me, the best section was the last, as Stott explored the practical difference Jesus’ death should make in our day to day lives, so I would encourage perseverance!

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About John R.W. Stott

John R.W. Stott

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John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist, and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why ...more