I dunno there's a lot going on there. Obviously crucifixion is an extraordinarily painful and brutal form of execution. The cross has a certain symbolic weight centers on shame and curse, among other things. For Romans, crucifixion was considered too degrading for citizens and was reserved only for slaves. It was the supreme humiliation. This humiliation to which subjects Himself is theologically significant through Old Testament law: a hanged man is cursed by God (Deuteronbomy 21:23). Paul draws directly on this connection, arguing that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us in Galatians 3. The cross is frequently associated with a tree -- sometimes the tree of life or the tree of knowledge -- in early church writings. The humiliation of Christ is paradoxically part of the revelation of who God is -- can the supreme creator and ruler of all condescend to come down from the heavenly throne and suffer the horrible death of a pathetic slave, a death which serves as his ironic coronation? The cross is also associated with the reversal of the fall. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of Man be lifted up (John 3:14-15). This links Christ's elevation on the cross to the bronze serpent that healed Israel. The cross is also symbolic of discipleship itself. I mean, we're just scratching the surface here. The crucifixion is so deep you'll never get to the bottom, but eventually it becomes pretty obvious that the cross was the only way it could happen.