The Cross or the Stake... What is the truth?
DOES IT MATTER?
The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus was impaled on a torture stake and not crucified on a “T” cross with a cross beam.
The cross was a pagan symbol from antiquity. It was certainly a “cross of shame “ (See below)
However, the Society considers believing Jesus died in this manner is to believe another pagan doctrine “like the Trinity”.
To them it is a big issue and one that has to be answered as it effectively isolates Witnesses from all other Christians and churches.
However, all the evidence from:
• Bible • History and • Archaeology does not support the Society’s claim:
THE BIBLE EVIDENCE
The Bible does not state clearly which type of cross it was, but the evidence favours a “T” cross:
The Watchtower also prints three different Bibles as below and King James and the American Standard Versions confirm that Jesus died on a cross and NOT on a stake.
The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus was impaled on a torture stake and not crucified on a “T” cross with a cross beam.
The cross was a pagan symbol from antiquity. It was certainly a “cross of shame “ (See below)
However, the Society considers believing Jesus died in this manner is to believe another pagan doctrine “like the Trinity”.
To them it is a big issue and one that has to be answered as it effectively isolates Witnesses from all other Christians and churches.
However, all the evidence from:
• Bible • History and • Archaeology does not support the Society’s claim:
THE BIBLE EVIDENCE
The Bible does not state clearly which type of cross it was, but the evidence favours a “T” cross:
The Watchtower also prints three different Bibles as below and King James and the American Standard Versions confirm that Jesus died on a cross and NOT on a stake.
I'm not sure if any other Bibles support the Watchtower claim?
A. Inscription Above Christ’s Head.
Matt. 27:37 (NW) It was posted “above his head”.
John 19:19-20. It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.
If He was on a stake, the sign in the three languages would have been too big to be posted “above his head” between his up stretched arms. It would have been posted “above his hands” or “body” and the Bible would have said exactly that!
B. The Nails in His Hands.
John 20:25 NWT “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails “
Only one nail was used to impale the hands on a stake. Two nails were used on a “T”
cross.
A. Inscription Above Christ’s Head.
Matt. 27:37 (NW) It was posted “above his head”.
John 19:19-20. It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.
If He was on a stake, the sign in the three languages would have been too big to be posted “above his head” between his up stretched arms. It would have been posted “above his hands” or “body” and the Bible would have said exactly that!
B. The Nails in His Hands.
John 20:25 NWT “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails “
Only one nail was used to impale the hands on a stake. Two nails were used on a “T”
cross.
C. A Cross of Shame.
Phil 2:8 NKJV. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Phil 2:8 ASV. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
Phil 2:8 TBILE. And being found as it were a man in guise, he humbled himself to become obedient down to death, the death of the cross.
NOTE: The three Bible above are printed by the Watchtower.
Phil 2:8 NKJV. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Phil 2:8 ASV. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
Phil 2:8 TBILE. And being found as it were a man in guise, he humbled himself to become obedient down to death, the death of the cross.
NOTE: The three Bible above are printed by the Watchtower.
Gal. 5:11 KJV. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:11 ASV. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.
Gal 5:11 TBILE. But why am I, brothers, still being persecuted, if I am still preaching circumcision? then the difficulty of the cross is shelved.
Christ died a most shameful, degrading and cruel type of death.
There are 28 References in the KJV Bible in the NT talking about the cross of Christ.
The cross was the most cruel and symbolically shameful of the two!
D. Peter’s Death.
John 21:18-19 Jesus told Peter the “kind of death” he would die ... would “stretch out your hands”.
Gal 5:11 ASV. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.
Gal 5:11 TBILE. But why am I, brothers, still being persecuted, if I am still preaching circumcision? then the difficulty of the cross is shelved.
Christ died a most shameful, degrading and cruel type of death.
There are 28 References in the KJV Bible in the NT talking about the cross of Christ.
The cross was the most cruel and symbolically shameful of the two!
D. Peter’s Death.
John 21:18-19 Jesus told Peter the “kind of death” he would die ... would “stretch out your hands”.
Jesus told Peter that he would stretch OUT his hands.
Jesus did not say Peter would stretch up or down his hands.
John 21:18-19
The apostle Peter was crucified upside down in Rome in AD 69.
This would be crucifixion with a cross beam. He is believed to have died this way 67 A.D. in fulfillment of this prophecy, but chose to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified like Jesus who he had denied.
The Harp of God 1928:
The below pictures are from the book called "The Harp of God". (1928)
Pg: 113. See picture of Jesus upon the cross.
Pg: 136. And Pilate more righteous than the clerics, posted over his cross the sign: “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.”
Pg: 140. When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary he provided the ransom price.
Pg: 142. The ransom price was provided at the cross. The cross of Christ is the great pivotal truth of the divine arrangement.
Pg: 143. In the cross of Christ I glory.
Pg: 148. In the death of Jesus upon the cross, what particular prophecy was fulfilled?
NOTE:
For over fifty years the Society taught that Jesus was crucified on this type of a cross.
The Watchtower taught this as Bible truth door to door but no longer truth to them.
The Harp of God 1928:
The below pictures are from the book called "The Harp of God". (1928)
Pg: 113. See picture of Jesus upon the cross.
Pg: 136. And Pilate more righteous than the clerics, posted over his cross the sign: “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.”
Pg: 140. When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary he provided the ransom price.
Pg: 142. The ransom price was provided at the cross. The cross of Christ is the great pivotal truth of the divine arrangement.
Pg: 143. In the cross of Christ I glory.
Pg: 148. In the death of Jesus upon the cross, what particular prophecy was fulfilled?
NOTE:
For over fifty years the Society taught that Jesus was crucified on this type of a cross.
The Watchtower taught this as Bible truth door to door but no longer truth to them.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
Christians such as Irenaeus (second century A.D.) speak of Jesus’ cross as having a cross beam, and the Epistle of Barnabas X, 8 which was written earlier speaks of the cross as having the shape of a Greek letter TAU (“T”)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
A. Skeletal Remains of a Man Who had Died by Crucifixion.
In 1968 in an ancient cemetery at Giv’at Ha-Mitar just north of Jerusalem archaeologists unearthed the skeleton of a man Yehohanan who had been crucified between the age of 24 and 28 about the same time as Christ.
From Buried History Vol. 9, No 2, (June 1973) pp. 38,39, “…the arm bones were scratched around the nails, by Yehohanan’s writhings, some two inches above the wrist bones ... Scholars in Jerusalem believe that the posture revealed in the anatomical report indicated the usual position for crucifixion used in the city at that time.”
These scholars were Israelis, not Christians who could have been biased in their report.
B. Drawings in the Catacombs.
Some graffiti has been found in the catacombs featuring a “T” cross. But the following graffito, in the Museum on the Palatine Hill in Rome was done by a non-Christian mocking their beliefs. It featured a Christian worshipping a crucified ass, labeled:
Alexamenos worships
Christians such as Irenaeus (second century A.D.) speak of Jesus’ cross as having a cross beam, and the Epistle of Barnabas X, 8 which was written earlier speaks of the cross as having the shape of a Greek letter TAU (“T”)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
A. Skeletal Remains of a Man Who had Died by Crucifixion.
In 1968 in an ancient cemetery at Giv’at Ha-Mitar just north of Jerusalem archaeologists unearthed the skeleton of a man Yehohanan who had been crucified between the age of 24 and 28 about the same time as Christ.
From Buried History Vol. 9, No 2, (June 1973) pp. 38,39, “…the arm bones were scratched around the nails, by Yehohanan’s writhings, some two inches above the wrist bones ... Scholars in Jerusalem believe that the posture revealed in the anatomical report indicated the usual position for crucifixion used in the city at that time.”
These scholars were Israelis, not Christians who could have been biased in their report.
B. Drawings in the Catacombs.
Some graffiti has been found in the catacombs featuring a “T” cross. But the following graffito, in the Museum on the Palatine Hill in Rome was done by a non-Christian mocking their beliefs. It featured a Christian worshipping a crucified ass, labeled:
Alexamenos worships
JUSTUS LIPSIUS
The Catholic scholar Justus Justus of the 16th century wrote De Cruce Liber Primus. It featured many woodcut illustrations of crucifixion. Most had cross beams. On pages 647 was a “T” cross with Irenaus’ description of the cross of Christ.
However, the Society ignored the above and featured the illustration of a Crux simplex. In The Kingdom Interlinear,(1969) p.1155 they wrote: “This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled”.
The Catholic scholar Justus Justus of the 16th century wrote De Cruce Liber Primus. It featured many woodcut illustrations of crucifixion. Most had cross beams. On pages 647 was a “T” cross with Irenaus’ description of the cross of Christ.
However, the Society ignored the above and featured the illustration of a Crux simplex. In The Kingdom Interlinear,(1969) p.1155 they wrote: “This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled”.
If a Watchtower member disagrees then maybe they can show us from the original book where we are wrong. Very deceiving the Watchtower only shows one picture.
Below are just a few more text that talk about the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Hebrews 12:2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
The cross of Jesus Christ is not to be revered nor repudiated. Readers are urged to be careful that while they are contending over the method of Christ’s crucifixion that they are not missing out on a personal relationship with the One who was crucified, and the benefits of this most wonderful outworking of Divine love!
Below are just a few more text that talk about the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Hebrews 12:2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
The cross of Jesus Christ is not to be revered nor repudiated. Readers are urged to be careful that while they are contending over the method of Christ’s crucifixion that they are not missing out on a personal relationship with the One who was crucified, and the benefits of this most wonderful outworking of Divine love!