Opening Question Is the cross an appropriate symbol for Christianity? Introduction Passion literature requires suffering, but not necessarily death. Jesus both suffers, and then dies in the Gospel account of Mark. The scenes are difficult to take in; perhaps for some, it can even be painful enough to read that they do not like to dwell on it. But face it we should, internalizing it draws us to the one suffering. Mark 15:1-15 Pontius Pilate is known from Roman inscriptions, and some writings. He was not known as a reliable ruler, but when faced with the conundrum of Jewish riot vs. crucifying an innocent ...