Any society's greatest expression of power over its citizens is found in its relationship to those it labels "criminal". For these people their imprisonment, removal of rights and even death is considered a part of the different acceptable actions that a society may take with regard to them once it has them in its power. Understanding this, it is interesting that the plan of the creator of the universe would involve submitting himself to the ultimate situation of powerlessness in a society - that of a condemned criminal. And yet it is so characteristic of the God of the Bible to demonstrate that even the greatest strength of men is still weaker than God's greatest weakness.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
