"Hoisted on His Own Petard"

Articles From Our Bulletins

Philip C. Strong
12/15/20 - Bulletin Articles

You may have heard our title phrase before (or not). You might even have an idea of what it means (or not). But probably only English Lit majors or fans of William Shakespeare recognize that it originates from Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 4, where Hamlet refers to Polonius being destroyed by his own plotting). A “petard” was a small explosive device typically used to breach gates or doors. Thus, to be “hoisted” (raised) on your own “petard” is to be blown up by your own bomb- to destroy yourself with something with which you intended to destroy something or someone else. It actually has nothing to do with flagpoles or ship’s masts as some have assumed and alleged. But the idea is actually biblical, sort of…

In John 19:17 we read, “They took Jesus therefore; and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha; where they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.” Obviously, the cross Jesus carried (until He was unable to do so and Simon the Cyrenian was “pressed into service to bear His cross,” Matt.27:32) was not “His” in the sense that He made it, just that it was made for Him. Nor did He ever intend to hoist or raise anyone else on it. So the similarity to “hoisted on his own petard” is limited to Him being raised or hoisted on “His” cross. But that’s not all…

In Matt.10:38 and Luke 14:27 (Mark 8:34 also actually), and well before Jesus’ crucifixion, He told would-be followers that they must “take up/carry” their “own cross” and “follow” Him in order to be His disciples. What we, on this side of Jesus’ crucifixion, sometimes fail to appreciate is that “the cross” at that time had absolutely NO SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE- it was ONLY a means of agonizing capitol punishment. No one decorated their homes or places of worship with them, and certainly no one wore them as pieces of jewelry! And yet, Jesus said that in order to be His disciple, one must “take up” and “carry his own cross” and “follow” Him. Furthermore, He also added that such must be done “daily” in Luke 9:23! Now,

If we, wanting to be Jesus’ disciple(s), are willing to look at and take up and carry the implement of our own physical destruction each and every day, do you think we would become and be more spiritually minded? More spiritually dedicated? More appreciative of the fact that Jesus was raised on His own cross that we might have spiritual life?

Jesus carrying and dying on His cross may not be exactly the same as Shakespeare’s “hoisted on his own petard,” but it is oh so much more! And if we are willing to truly follow Him, even to our own death on our own cross, that too is oh so much more than merely being “hoisted on our own petard”! I’ll leave you with one final passage,

“For Christ also died for our sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,” 1Pet.3:18. Are you willing to sacrifice everything- even your own life, to be “made alive in the spirit” together with Christ in order to be brought to God eternally? Hope so, because that is exactly what is required!