mlinssen wrote: ↑Sun Dec 06, 2020 6:04 am
I did a write up of all occurrences of
cross and
cruci, in the entire NT. Stand back please
English (LSJ)
ὁ,
- A upright pale or stake, σταυροὺς ἐκτὸς ἔλασσε διαμπερὲς ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα πυκνοὺς καὶ θαμέας Od.14.11, cf. Il.24.453, Th.4.90, X. An.5.2.21; of piles driven in to serve as a foundation, Hdt.5.16, Th.7.25.
- II cross, as the instrument of crucifixion, D.S.2.18, Ev.Matt.27.40, Plu.2.554a; ἐπὶ τὸν σ. ἀπάγεσθαι Luc.Peregr.34; σ. λαμβάνειν, ἆραι, βαστάζειν, metaph. of voluntary suffering, Ev.Matt.10.38, Ev.Luc.9.23, 14.27: its form was represented by the Greek letter T, Luc.Jud.Voc.12.
- b pale for impaling a corpse, Plu.Art.17.
The word is stauros, σταυρός. And we're getting on dangerous grounds here, questioning the absolute core and essence of Christianity - but the example is exactly identical to the previous one, only the scale differs. Stauros, as you can see, means pole, stake, pale: a round piece of wood. It is used as a way to fence off property, as a means for foundation, and it is also a rudimentary tool or weapon for shepherds, land labourers and the like. If you consult ancient Greek texts like Odyssey and Iliad, you'll find that they are also used to hurt humans. The Egyptians were also very fond of the stake as instrument of (inevitable, slow) death and it was a common and cheap, readily available instrument many centuries before CE.
Below are all occurrences of the word cross, from Berean Literal:
Matthew 10:38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said His to disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Matthew 27:32 And going forth, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon. They compelled him that he might carry His cross. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Matthew 27:40 and saying, “The One destroying the temple and building it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, also descend from the cross!” (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Matthew 27:42 “He saved others. He is not able to save Himself. He is King of Israel! Let Him descend now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Mark 8:34 And having summoned the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross, and let him follow Me. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Mark 15:21 And they compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, coming from the country, that he might carry His cross. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Mark 15:30 save Yourself, having descended from the cross!” (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Mark 15:32 The Christ, the King of Israel, let Him descend now from the cross, that we might see and believe!” And those being crucified with Him were upbraiding Him. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Luke 9:23 And He was saying to all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross every day, and let him follow Me. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry his cross and come after Me is not able to be My disciple. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
Luke 23:26 And as they led Him away, having laid hold on Simon, a certain man of Cyrene coming from the country, they put upon him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (τὸν σταυρὸν)
John 19:17 And bearing His own cross, He went out to the place called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha, (τὸν σταυρὸν)
John 19:19 And Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. And it was written, (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
John 19:25 Now His mother, and the sister of His mother, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene, had been standing by the cross of Jesus. (τῷ σταυρῷ)
John 19:31 Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation, so that bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath-for that Sabbath was a high day-asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken away. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not in wisdom of discourse, so that the cross of the Christ should not be emptied of its power. (ὁ σταυρὸς)
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those indeed perishing, but to us being saved it is the power of God. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Galatians 5:11 Now brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why still am I persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Galatians 6:12 As many as desire to have a fair appearance in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they might not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. (τῷ σταυρῷ)
Galatians 6:14 But for me, may it be never to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (τῷ σταυρῷ, ἐσταύρωται)
Ephesians 2:16 and He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, by it having slain the hostility. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Philippians 2:8 And having been found in appearance as a man He humbled Himself, having become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (σταυροῦ)
Philippians 3: 18 For many are walking-of whom I have told you often and now I say even weeping-as enemies of the cross of Christ, (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Colossians 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace by the blood of His cross through Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens. (τοῦ σταυροῦ)
Colossians 2:14 having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (τῷ σταυρῷ)
Hebrew 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who in view of the joy lying before Him endured the cross, having despised its shame, and sat down at right hand of the throne of God. (σταυρὸν)
Not so many occurrences really, although it seems to be a big theme in Christianity. Yet the occurrences of the word cross in the entire NT equal those of the word heaven in Matthew alone.
Again, each verse has the Greek word(s) in parentheses behind it, and those are again taken from the Blue Letter Bible website
Stauron: on each and every single occasion, the word is stauros: a pole, a pale, a stake. Yet there is a verb to it as well, and we have already encountered that once now:
Galatians 6:14 But for me, may it be never to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (τῷ σταυρῷ, ἐσταύρωται)
The verb is not very exciting there, it simply is the noun, just as in English: stake, staked. Pale, (im)paled. But there must be other versions of the verb to crucify!?
Matthew 23:34 Because of this, behold, I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and will persecute from town to town; (σταυρώσετε)
Matthew 27:26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and having flogged Jesus, He delivered Him up that He might be crucified. (σταυρωθῇ)
Matthew 27:31 And when they had mocked Him, they took off Him the robe, and they put His garments on Him and led away Him to crucify Him. (σταυρῶσαι)
Matthew 27:35 And having crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots. (σταυρώσαντες)
Matthew 27:38 At the same time two robbers are crucified with Him, one at the right hand, and one at the left. (σταυροῦνται)
Matthew 27:44 And likewise even the robbers, those having been crucified with Him, were upbraiding Him. (συσταυρωθέντες)
Mark 15:15 And Pilate, desiring to do that which was satisfactory to the crowd, released Barabbas to them. And having flogged Him, he delivered Jesus that He might be crucified. (σταυρωθῇ)
Mark 15:20 And when they had mocked Him, they took off Him the purple and put on Him His own garments. And they are leading Him out, that they might crucify Him. (σταυρώσωσιν)
Mark 15:24 And having crucified Him, they also divided His garments, casting lots for them, who should take what. (σταυροῦσιν)
Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
Mark 15:27 And with Him they crucify two robbers, one at the right hand, and one at His left. (σταυροῦσιν)
Luke 23:23 But they were urgent, asking with loud voices for Him to be crucified. And their voices were prevailing. (σταυρωθῆναι)
Luke 23:33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
Luke 24:20 and that our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the judgment of death, and crucified Him. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
John 19:16 So then, he delivered Him to them, that He might be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus. (σταυρωθῇ)
John 19:18 where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, on this side and on that side, and Jesus in between. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
John 19:20 Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. (ἐσταυρώθη)
John 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top all throughout. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
John 19:32 So the soldiers came, and indeed they broke the legs of the first, and of the other having been crucified with Him. (συσταυρωθέντος)
John 19:41 Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been laid. (ἐσταυρώθη)
Acts 2:23 Him delivered up by the determinate plan and foreknowledge of God, you put to death, having crucified Him by lawless hands, (προσπήξαντες)
Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be annulled, that we are no longer enslaved to sin. (συνεσταυρώθη)
1 Corinthians 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? (ἐσταυρώθη)
1 Corinthians 1:23 we, however, preach Christ having been crucified, a stumbling block indeed to the Jewish and foolishness to Gentiles, (ἐσταυρωμένον)
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him having been crucified. (ἐσταυρωμένον)
1 Corinthians 2:8 which none of the rulers of this age has understood. For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And that which I now live in the flesh, I live through faith from the Son of God, the One having loved me and having given up Himself for me. (συνεσταύρωμαι)
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as having been crucified? (ἐσταυρωμένος)
Galatians 5:24 Now those of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (ἐσταύρωσαν)
Galatians 6:14 But for me, may it be never to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (ἐσταύρωται)
Revelation 11:8 And their body will be upon the street of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (ἐσταυρώθη)
Acts 2:23 is very interesting, although most agree that Acts is a (very) unreliable source. The verb is 'to affix, fasten' and nothing more than that. Berean Literal disappoints here, but then again it is an empty phrase hanging in mid-air.
Yet there we have it: we have traversed the entire New Testament, looking for instances of the word cross, verb or noun or anything. And everywhere, except for one single instance, in Acts 2:23, the verb and noun share one thing: the root of both, which is σταυρὸς. The verb simply is the noun, just as in English the word stake can mean both: noun as well as verb
Is there any evidence in the entire NT for a cross, or a crucifixion? No, none. None at all, the noun and verb simply are identical and mean stake, pole, pale. Jesus simply gets σταυρὸς-ised on a σταυρὸς, and there's nothing more to it than that. No details about his posture, using nails: nothing. Jesus is impaled on a pale, or staked on a stake - just like that.
Why then this consistent mistranslation, based on nothing?
Again, I could answer that, and my answer would involve something about "dignified way to die", "all possible sorts of entry points for a stake", "likely made fun of by his opponents"
Turning the stake into a cross was just a damage limitation exercise, all the entire NT ever talks about is stake, stake, stake. Exactly like baptism, the gospel writers had no clue what to do with it - so they simply baptised with baptism, exactly like they just staked with a stake.
Because... well you know the drill
