The Cross as a Mousetrap

Why did Jesus have to die? Couldn’t God just forgive without the suffering of the cross? The early church father Augustine compared the cross to a mousetrap for the devil. Jesus’ death seemed like a victory for the evil one, but in reality, it was his downfall. The devil thought he had trapped Jesus in death, but instead, he himself fell into the trap.

This idea, as strange as it may sound, shows that the cross was a strategic move in the battle between good and evil. The devil thought that he had won by getting Jesus on the cross. But in reality, this was the very moment when his power was broken. Jesus’ death was the price for our sins, but also the ultimate reversal—what seemed like a defeat was God’s master plan to defeat death itself.

Augustine put it well: “The devil rejoiced when Christ died. But through the death of Christ, he was defeated.” This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus’ death was not a tragic ending, but a triumph. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), it was not a cry of despair but a declaration of victory. What a powerful moment that must have been!

The image of the mousetrap helps us grasp the depth of the cross. Jesus, as both perfect man and perfect God, allowed Himself to be caught in death so that He could set us free. His resurrection is proof that death no longer has the final word.

What does this do to you? Do you see the cross as a victory, or do you sometimes still look at it with a sense of sorrow and loss?

How does it change your view of the cross when you see it as a victory instead of a tragedy?