By the Scripture’s Own Writers
Cross
Definition
In Christendom, the symbol falsely used to represent Christianity. From the erroneous idea that Jesus Christ was put to death on a post with a crossarm.
Origin
Ancient Egyptians worshiped what has since been called the crux ansata, a phallic emblem shaped like a “T” with an oval handle on top, representing the male and female organs of reproduction combined. It was supposedly a symbol of life. Constantine (a pagan at the time, also afterward a professed worshiper and yet a murderer, falsely claiming conversion to Christianity) claimed to have a vision A.D. 312 of a burning cross in the heavens, with the words in Latin, In hoc signo vinces (“By this sign you will conquer”). It was after this (by the edict of Milan in 312) that the cross was incorporated into apostate Christianity. The cross was also used in worship by ancient pagan Babylon, India, Syria, Persia and the Aztecs.
Jesus Was Put to Death on a Simple Upright Stake
“Cross” (AV, AS, Dy) from Greek, stau-ros’, “an upright stake or pole” (Hebrew, tz’laV; Latin, crux). Greek, xy’lon, “tree or stake”; also used in reference to the instrument used to put Jesus to death. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29) At Ezra 6:11 we find xy’lon in the Greek Septuagint (1 Esdras 6:31) as a beam on which the violator of the law was to be hanged, as at Luke 23:39. Crux (Latin) originally meant a tree, frame, or wooden instrument of execution. “Cross” was a later meaning of crux. The term crux simplex (Latin) was used to denote a plain upright execution stake. The Greek verb stau-ro’o (“crucify”) meant “to fence with pales” as a stockade, or “to fasten or fix on a pole or stake”, “to impale.” (John 19:15) A-na-stau-ro’o (Hebrews 6:6) is a synonym for stau-ro’o.
Jesus’ Death on a Stake or Tree, Not a Cross, Was Necessary to Fulfill Scriptures, Free Jews from Law
Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 “If any man has committed a sin deserving of death, and if he is put to death by being impaled upon a stake, his corpse must not remain all night upon the stake; you must be sure to bury him the same day, for an impaled man is under God’s curse.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: ‘Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’ “
Colossians 2:14 “[Christ] blotted out the handwritten document against us which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us, and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake.”
See also: Ephesians 2:15, 16; John 19:31.
Execution Stake a Thing to Be Hated, Not Worshiped
Isaiah 14:19 “Thou art cast forth away from thy sepulchre like an abominable branch [stake upon which a criminal is executed], clothed with the slain, that are thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a dead body trodden under foot.”
Display of Execution Stake Wrong; Would Commemorate Satan’s Supposed Victory in Causing Christ’s Death
Matthew 27:39-42 “So the passers-by began speaking abusively of Him, wagging their heads and saying: ‘O you would-be thrower-down of the temple and builder of it in three days, save Yourself! If you are a son of God, come down off the torture stake!’ In like manner also the chief priests with the scribes and older men of influence began making fun of Him and saying: ‘Others He saved, Himself He cannot save! He is King of Israel; let Him now come down off the torture stake and we will believe on Him.’ “
Hebrews 6:6 “They impale the Son of God afresh for themselves and expose Him to public shame.”
See also: Revelation 11:8-10.
Use of Cross in Worship Is Idolatry
Exodus 20:4, 5 “You shall not make unto you a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down yourself unto them, nor serve them.”
Christ’s Human Body Disposed of by God, Not to Be Worshiped as on Crucifix
John 20:7, 12, 13 “And he viewed the bandages lying, also the cloth which had been upon His head not lying with the bandages but separately rolled up in one place. And she [Mary] viewed two angels in white sitting one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying… . She said to them: ‘They have taken my Master away, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’ “
2 Corinthians 5:16 “Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, certainly we now know Him so no more.”
Christ to Be Worshiped as a Glorious Spirit, Victorious over Death on the Torture Stake
Romans 6:9 “For we know that Christ, now that He has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is master over Him no more.”
2 Corinthians 13:4 “True, indeed, He was impaled owing to weakness, but He is alive owing to God’s power.”
1 Peter 3:18 “Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, that He might lead you to God, He being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.”
Christ the Reigning King Is Now the Signal to Be Pointed to—Not Crucifix or Banner with Cross
Isaiah 62:10 “Pass through, pass through the gates, prepare the way of the people; grade up, grade up the highway, clear it of stones; raise a signal over the peoples.”
Isaiah 11:10 “It shall come to pass on that day that the root of Jesse, who will be standing as a signal to the peoples—to him will the nations resort, and his resting-place will be glorious.”
See: Isaiah 18:3; Revelation 12:1, 5; 14:1.
Preaching of the Stake of Christ Means the Preaching of His Death as a Ransom
1 Corinthians 1:17, 18, 23; 2:2 “For Christ dispatched me, not to go baptizing, but to go declaring the good news, not with wisdom of speech, that the torture stake of the Christ should not be made useless. For the speech about the torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power. But we preach Christ impaled, to the Jews a cause for falling but to the nations foolishness.” “For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Him impaled.”
1 Timothy 2:5, 6 “Christ Jesus who gave Himself a corresponding ransom for all—this is what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times.”
Galatians 3:1 “O senseless Galatians, who is it that brought you under evil influence, you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed impaled?”
“Enemies of Torture Stake” Are Those Denying Christ’s Death as Providing the Ransom
Philippians 3:18, 19 “For there are many, I used to mention them often but now I mention them also with weeping, who are walking as the enemies of the torture stake of the Christ, and their finish is destruction.”
2 Peter 2:1 “However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects, and will disown even the owner that bought them.”
Romans 10:6, 7 “Do not say.. ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.”
See: 1 Corinthians 1:17 – 2:2, above.
Execution Stake a Symbol of Death Under Shame, and Reproach to Christians from Enemies
Hebrews 12:2 “We look intently at the leader and perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before Him He endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples: ‘If anyone wants to come after Me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and follow Me continually.’ “
Galatians 6:12 “All those who want to make a pleasing appearance in the flesh are the ones that try to compel you to get circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ.”
Philippians 2:8 “He humbled Himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.”
‘Boasting in Torture Stake’ Means Gladly Bearing Reproach for Name of Christ
Galatians 6:14 “Never may it occur that I should boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been impaled to me and I to the world.”
Colossians 1:24 “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for you, and I in my turn am filling up what is lacking of the tribulations of the Christ in my flesh on behalf of His body, which is the congregation.”
1 Peter 4:16 “But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name.”
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