Jesus saw the cross as an instrument of glory. He did not recoil from his destiny; rather he recognized that his moment, his ‘hour’, had come. He observed a principle of life within the natural world, namely that life is born from death. In order for a plant to flourish, the kernel needs to die. Until the seed is buried it remains a single seed — if planted it will produce many. Jesus saw his own death mirrored in this process of nature. He lived to die, and his entire life and mission was in preparation for his suffering and death. His death meant life for the world. Through Jesus, the cross, an instrument of terror and death, became a symbol of life and blessing. He knew that through the cross he would be the Lamb of God, an innocent and pure sacrifice, without spot or blemish.