Jehovah's Witnesses - Ron Rhodes on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ Page 1 of 1

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"Crucifixion by Cross" by Ron Rhodes

Jehovah's Witnesses argue that the Greek word for cross (stauros) in clasical Greek meant "upright stake" or "pale." The Watchtower Society cites The Imperical Bible
Dictionary: 'The Greek word for cross [stauros], properly signified a stake, an upright pole, or piece of paling, on which anything might be hung, or which might be
used in impailing [fencing in] a piece of ground.'

Therefore, the traditionally accepted view that Christ died on a cross is incorrect. Besides all this, the Watchtower Society says, the cross was actually a symbol used in
pre-Christian times and by non-Christian peoples. Indeed, the cross was a symbol of the false god Tammuz in ancient Chaldea. Thus if a person cherishes a cross, he is
honoring a symbol that is opposed to the true God.

The Jehovah's Witnesses fail to point out that the Greek word stauros was used to refer to a variety of wooden structures used for execution in ancient days. Robert
Bowman notes that stauros as a wooden structure could represent shapes 'similar to the Greek letter tau (T) and the plus sign (+), occasionally using two diagonal beams
(X), as well as (infrequently) a simple upright stake with no crosspiece. To argue that only the last-named form was used, or that stauros could be used only for that
form, is contradictory to the actual historical facts and is based on a naive restriction of the term to its original or simplest meaning.' "

Here's an interesting verse, John 20:25, which can be found in the Jehovah's Witnesses own interpretation of the Bible called the New World Translation. It reads,

"Consequently the other disciples would say to him: 'We have seen the Lord!' But he [Thomas] said to them: 'Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my
finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe' " (emphasis added).

Now if Jesus were crucified not on a cross, but on a stake, then only one nail would have been used for his hands. Our text, however, says that nails were used (one for
each hand). This verse is extremely problematic for the Watchtower position - especially since their own New World Translation has the plural form of "nails".

It is also significant that when Jesus spoke of Peter's future crucifixion, He indicated that Peter's arms would be outstretched, not above his head. Jesus told Peter: " 'I tell
you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will
dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Now Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God" (John 21:18, 19, emphasis
added).

In keeping with a cross-crucifixion instead of a stake-crucifixion, we read in Matthew 27:37, "Above his head they placed the written charge against him" THIS IS
JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS" (emphasis added). If Jesus had died on a stake, the text would have said, "Above His hands." But it clearly says, "Above His
head", showing a cross crucifixion is meant."

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