Jesus Christ/Atonement/Crucifixion

1. REDIRECTTemplate:Test3

Answers portal
Jesus Christ
RESOURCES
Alpha and Omega April 6? LDS worship a 'different' Jesus? Are LDS Christians? Atonement LDS Quotes Centrality in LDS thought As viewed by historical Christianity LDS vs. evangelical view Extent of the Atonement Garden or cross? Portrayed in Latter-day Saint hymns Brother of Satan? Conception Date of birth Divine before born? Death on cross? Married? Only Melchizedek holder? Praying to Jesus? Elohim and Jehovah Grace Rapture
PERSPECTIVES
MEDIA
OTHER PORTALS
God Holy Ghost Holy Bible Early Christianity & Apostasy

This page is based on an answer to a question submitted to the FAIR web site, or a frequently asked question.

==

Questions

==

I have been told that in the original Greek of the New Testament, accounts of Jesus' death only say he was put to death on "a pole." Is the belief of most of Christianity on "the cross" actually misguided?

Answer

It is true that the Greek word σταυρος (stauros) used in the NT means a "pole" or "stake" driven into the ground, and not specifically a cross. Calling the upright portion a "pole" does not, however, tell us whether a crossbeam was attached to it or not.

The most common form of Roman crucifixion was to use the crux commissa, which used a permanent pole driven into the ground, to which a cross beam was attached at the time of execution. This formed the shape of a capital 'T' and therefore is also called the Tau Cross (it is also referred to as St. Anthony's Cross). This is different than the Latin cross, which has a lowered cross piece, forming the classic "cross" shape (somewhat like a lower-case 't').

Accordingly, when the scripture talks about Jesus carrying his cross to the place of execution, it probably was not a huge Latin cross as depicted in the movies (such as Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ), but a crossbeam called the patibulum, which would then be placed over the permanently entrenched stauros or stake.

Thus, it is true that the Greek does not specify a cross per se. However, historical evidence regarding the Roman practice of crucifixion makes it abundantly clear that Jesus was crucified on a type of cross, even if not quite the traditional Latin cross commonly portrayed.

For Latter-day Saints, the key point is not Jesus' precise method of execution, but that his suffering, death, and resurrection atoned for the sins of all humanity. (See 2 Nephi 9:7–8, Alma 34:12.)

Further reading

External links

• Joe Zias, "Crucifixion in Antiquity: The Evidence," CenturyOne Foundation off-site. Includes archaeological remains of a 1st century crucifixion victim.