The Suffering Christ

[B/W Photodude]

Before the time of Jesus, many believed in two Messiahs. The Suffering Messiah and the Conquering Messiah. (I do note that many of the webpages discussing this are from messianic Jewish websites.)

http://www.sabbathcovenant.com/newdoctrine/Prophecies_of_two_Messiahs.htm

Now, in Israel, there is an art show of Jewish artists who took to painting Jesus's crucifixion. Even seems that one painted Jesus in trying to come to grips with the Holocaust in the years after WWII. This would be a fascinating exhibit to see and almost worth making the trip to Israel to see. Chagall's "White Crucifixion" is just about my favorite painting.

https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/jewish-artists-paint-jesus/

"What is interesting is that some of the artists, when wanting to portray ultimate suffering, found themselves drawn to the iconography of the cross."

[Gary K]

10 minutes ago, B/W Photodude said:

Before the time of Jesus, many believed in two Messiahs. The Suffering Messiah and the Conquering Messiah. (I do note that many of the webpages discussing this are from messianic Jewish websites.)

http://www.sabbathcovenant.com/newdoctrine/Prophecies_of_two_Messiahs.htm

Now, in Israel, there is an art show of Jewish artists who took to painting Jesus's crucifixion. Even seems that one painted Jesus in trying to come to grips with the Holocaust in the years after WWII. This would be a fascinating exhibit to see and almost worth making the trip to Israel to see. Chagall's "White Crucifixion" is just about my favorite painting.

https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/jewish-artists-paint-jesus/

"What is interesting is that some of the artists, when wanting to portray ultimate suffering, found themselves drawn to the iconography of the cross."

Your last sentence is what I would like to commont on.  They are drawn to that because it is the cruelest form of punishment known to man.  It slowly suffocates a man to death after he has lost the strength in his legs to hold himself up.  That is why the Roman soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified on either side of Jesus. 

[B/W Photodude]

1 minute ago, Gary K said:

They are drawn to that because it is the cruelest form of punishment known to man.

I tend to think not. The whole paragraph would show a bit different take on why they are drawn to the crucifixion. And in the context of the whole page, there seemed to be a softening of the historical antipathy to Jesus in Israel even before the Holocaust. 

"What is interesting is that some of the artists, when wanting to portray ultimate suffering, found themselves drawn to the iconography of the cross. In many instances, no other symbols or references captured their sense of alienation, rejection, and trauma in the way that portraying the crucifixion could. Some express a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood with Yeshua, acknowledging him as a member of the tribe, and a fellow Israelite."

[Gary K]

1 minute ago, B/W Photodude said:

I tend to think not. The whole paragraph would show a bit different take on why they are drawn to the crucifixion. And in the context of the whole page, there seemed to be a softening of the historical antipathy to Jesus in Israel even before the Holocaust. 

"What is interesting is that some of the artists, when wanting to portray ultimate suffering, found themselves drawn to the iconography of the cross. In many instances, no other symbols or references captured their sense of alienation, rejection, and trauma in the way that portraying the crucifixion could. Some express a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood with Yeshua, acknowledging him as a member of the tribe, and a fellow Israelite."

Because it is the cruelest form of punishment known they are drawn to the crucifixicion of Christ because they are identifying with His suffering for them, or even just His suffering as a fellow Jew.  No one knows more about suffering than the Jews as a whole.   That they should identify with the ultimate in suffering due to the cruelty of others is hardly surprising to me when looking at the incredible suffering the entire race has faced over the centuries.