Cross-examined
Christians regularly speak of “the Cross”, but few have a solid understanding of what they mean by the term. In fact, for me, “the Cross” risked becoming part of a battery of Christian jargon which I expected everyone to understand while I behind my own ignorance. Cross-examined is a fantastic overview of the Cross in Christian doctrine; why it was necessary, what it achieved, and how we should respond to it.
Cross-examined has been described as the diet version of John Stott’s classic book The Cross of Christ. The Cross of Christ is a meaty volume (although, may I suggest, well worth investing the time to read!) so Cross-examined neatly fills a void as a more accessible treatment of the Cross. But it would be unfair to accuse Mark Meynell of simply reworking Stott’s content into a slimmer book. He has structured Cross-examined in a helpful way that clearly communicates the message of the Cross for Christians and non-Christians alike. It is structured in four sections, each with a theme that broadly matches that of a four-week evangelistic course I have recently been involved in. In part 1, the person of Jesus is introduced as the man with whom we have to reckon. Part 2 covers the problem of sin and God’s righteous judgement towards it. Part 3 is Meynell’s treatment of the mechanics of the Cross and what it achieved for us. It is striking that in 11 chapters, only four cover the mechanics of salvation – Meynell does not address the Cross dispassionately, but rather engages with it as a matter of the heart. Part 4 is testament to this, taking up the theme of Christ’s resurrection as an exhortation to live a cross-shaped life.
Most of the chapter headings are followed by a Bible reference that Meynell suggests we look up and keep open while reading the chapter. This, along with a very comprehensive spread of scripture quoted throughout the book, demonstrates that Cross-examined is based in the Bible. But as well as being bible-based, Meynell frequently uses illustrations from contemporary culture and history to explain the key points of his argument. These illustrations are sometimes a little forced, and are perhaps more prolific than necessary, but are generally helpful in making the desired point. Meynell’s style is contemporary but not self-consciously so – he writes clearly, and the chapters are engaging enough to allow Cross-examined to be enjoyable to read. Each chapter ends with a summary of the content covered in the book. Sometimes this is a bullet-point list of material, but at other times the summary comes in the form of a quote or a table. Meynell is keen on presenting information in diagrams and tables, which are another engaging way of communicating the point he is trying to get across.
Cross-examined is an easy book to read, which is commendable. But I think this is not only a book you can read, but one you should read! It is, essentially, a gospel outline – it covers the core truths of the gospel in an engaging, extended way. Therefore, it will be of great nourishment to any Christian as they are reminded of the good news of Jesus. It might also be an appropriate book for the seriously keen non-Christian to read, as a way of exploring further the Christian faith. At any rate, although it is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the Cross, Cross-examined is a great introduction to the central matter of Christian faith, and I cannot think of anyone who would not benefit from reading it.
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Ali grew up in London, but is currently at university in the North East of England. He helped to re-launch Crossring in 2009, and has acted as Managing Editor of the website since then. He occasionally dabbles in photography and web development - he also designed and maintains the Crossring website.
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