What was Jesus Christ crucified on?

Answer 1

Jesus Christ was put on a torture stake, not on a cross. This was according to the Roman tradition and this is the original statement, as found in the Bible.

AnswerActually Jesus was crucified on a Cross. Period.

The term 'crucifixion' comes from the Latin 'Crux' or 'Crucis' meaning 'cross'. All Biblical evience points to Christ's crucifixion on a cross. The term used by Paul is the Greek 'stauros' meaning 'cross'. If he had meant 'stake' he would have used 'monos stauros' which meant 'torture stake'.

All historical, archaeological evience and tradition holds that Jesus was crucified on a cross-shaped Cross. In the first century the Cross symbol was already used as a symbol of Christianity, and by the start of the second century many of the Church Fathers (some of whom had known personally the disciples) wrote of the crucifixion - on a cross. Tertulian even wrote about early Christians 'making the sign of the Cross' as they prayed. The Roman catacombs show depictions of crucifixion - always on a cross - and they also show crosses carved into the walls as an aid to prayer.

Archaeology has proved that crosses were used by the Romans as a method of execution. Sometimes they were cross shaped and sometimes T-shaped. However archaeological finds in and around Jerusalem confirm that the favoured method of the Romans in Jerusalem was the cross-shaped Cross.

The only group who rejects the historical fact of the crucifixion is the Jehovah's Witnesses. This is despite the fact that originally the Cross was part of their badge of identification. However, as their theology has changed constantly since their foundation it wasn't until fairly recently that a leader in the Watchtower went against all historical, theological, archaeological an Biblical evidence by heretically declaring the Cross 'pagan' and thus the idea of the 'torture stake' emerged. However there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that a stake was used. On the contrary, all evidence ponts to the Cross as the means of execution and means of humanity's reemption.