Why crucifixion?
Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:06 am
For the purposes of this thread, assume that there is/was no historical Jesus who was crucified and then thought to be the Messiah or the Son of God or whatnot. The notion, then, that the Messiah or the Son of God had to be crucified must have come from some other source than historical misfortune. What might that other source have been? What I am looking for is a list of options, like so:
Nota bene: I am already mentally taking into account the possibility of some mystic experiencing a random vision or hallucination involving crucifixion, so no need to add that one. Also, for the purposes of this thread I am not interested in sources for the mere death, or even the execution, of a Son of God or a Messianic figure; it has to be something which would suggest crucifixion in particular.
Thanks.
Ben.
ETA: I am adding suggestions on this thread which include ancient references to the list.
- The Greek of Psalm 21.17 (22.17 Masoretic, 22.16 English) says that "they dug my hands and feet" (ὤρυξαν χεῖράς μου καὶ πόδας), perhaps suggesting the piercing of the hands and feet for the purpose of crucifixion.
- Zechariah 12.10 prophesies that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will look upon the one whom they have "pierced" (דָּקָ֑רוּ, in the Hebrew only, not in the OG) and mourn him (and Isaiah 53.5 uses מְחֹלָל in a similar sense), and perhaps this piercing suggested crucifixion.
- The wicked in Wisdom of Solomon 2.20 plot to condemn the righteous man to "a shameful death" (θανάτῳ ἀσχήμονι), and there was no death more shameful in antiquity than the servile supplicium, crucifixion.
- Some ancient dying and rising gods and goddesses were thought to have suffered some kind of hanging or crucifixion.
- Cyrus the Great is called an Anointed One (= Messiah) in Isaiah 45.1 who, according to Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 2.44.2, suffered crucifixion.
- Justin Martyr, in Dialogue 40.3, claims that the Passover lamb was dressed and roasted in a fashion "like unto the form of the cross" (ὁμοίως τῷ σχήματι τοῦ σταυροῦ), thus possibly suggesting that a figure known as the Lamb of God would undergo crucifixion.
- Plato, in The Republic 2.362a, has Glaucon citing anonymous persons to the effect that the fate of the just man is to be "staked up" (ἀνασχινδυλευθήσεται), thus suggesting crucifixion.
- Philo, in On the Posterity of Cain and His Exile 17.61, compares souls being attached to bodies to men being attached to crosses via crucifixion.
- Isaiah 50.10; 52.13 (refer also to 53.11) speaks of a suffering "servant" (παῖς) whom Christians commonly identified with Christ, and the servile supplicium, the mode of death most appropriate for slaves or servants, is crucifixion.
- Odes of Solomon 27.1-3; 42.1-3 and other early texts describe a worship posture, sometimes called orans, involving the stretching out of the hands: a posture which, far from being suggested by an historical crucifixion, may perhaps have actually suggested crucifixion.
Nota bene: I am already mentally taking into account the possibility of some mystic experiencing a random vision or hallucination involving crucifixion, so no need to add that one. Also, for the purposes of this thread I am not interested in sources for the mere death, or even the execution, of a Son of God or a Messianic figure; it has to be something which would suggest crucifixion in particular.
Thanks.
Ben.
ETA: I am adding suggestions on this thread which include ancient references to the list.