why is the cross worshipped and wasn't the shape different?

Question

I don't want 2 offend ne1, just 2 know the answer to the questions. Y do u Christian ppl worship the cross if u believe God's son died on it? If it weren't 4 that, he would have lived 4ever, right? And also, the shape of the cross 4 execution was a capital T, not a lowercase t.

sry, I didn't rly think about wut I was saying. I meant Y is it so holy 2 u guys? And if there's ne1 who wants 2 bash Christianity or any other religion, dont do it cuz A: It's mean and wrong, and B: ur giving ur own religion a bad name.

Answer 1

The King James Bible says Jesus was put to death on a tree.

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Acts 13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Michelangelo and the Cross

Italian government art experts are said to be “90 percent sure” that a sculpture recently found in a monastery in Lebanon is the work of the famous Italian artist Michelangelo. The small wooden carving is said to be worth $2.5 million (U.S.) if it actually is Michelangelo’s work. According to an Associated Press report, “the figure is unusual because it represents Christ with his hands stretched out above his head instead of to the side, as he usually is depicted on the cross.”

Whether the wooden sculpture is the work of the 16th-century artist Michelangelo or not, it illustrates that the impalement of Christ on a cross frame has not always been so certain as Christendom’s leaders today would have people believe. For example, the 16th-century Roman Catholic scholar Justus Lipsius illustrated impalement on an upright stake in his book “De Cruce Liber Primus.” This fits the meaning of the Greek word used in the Bible to describe the impalement of Christ—“stauros”—which “denotes, primarily, an upright pale or stake.”—“An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

Jesus Christ did not die on a cross. The Greek word generally translated “cross” is stau·ros'. It basically means “an upright pale or stake.” The Companion Bible points out: “[Stau·ros'] never means two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle . . . There is nothing in the Greek of the [New Testament] even to imply two pieces of timber.”

In several texts, Bible writers use another word for the instrument of Jesus’ death. It is the Greek word xy'lon. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) This word simply means “timber” or “a stick, club, or tree.”

Explaining why a simple stake was often used for executions, the book Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung (The Cross and the Crucifixion), by Hermann Fulda, states: “Trees were not everywhere available at the places chosen for public execution. So a simple beam was sunk into the ground. On this the outlaws, with hands raised upward and often also with their feet, were bound or nailed.”

The most convincing proof of all, however, comes from God’s Word. The apostle Paul says: “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 [“a tree,” King James Version].’” (Galatians 3:13) Here Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, which clearly refers to a stake, not a cross. Since such a means of execution made the person “a curse,” it would not be proper for Christians to decorate their homes with images of Christ impaled.

There is no evidence that for the first 300 years after Christ’s death, those claiming to be Christians used the cross in worship. In the fourth century, however, pagan Emperor Constantine became a convert to apostate Christianity and promoted the cross as its symbol. Whatever Constantine’s motives, the cross had nothing to do with Jesus Christ. The cross is, in fact, pagan in origin. The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits: “The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures.” Various other authorities have linked the cross with nature worship and pagan sex rites.

Answer 2

What makes you think that we Christians worship the cross?

The cross was obviously played a very important role in the redemption that Jesus' death and resurrection brought about -- but that doesn't mean we worship the cross.

We worship God, and only God.

There's a lot of debate on the shape of Jesus' cross. It very well could have been shaped like a capital T, as you said.

But it could also have been shaped like a small T. The Bible is clear that a sign reading "Jesus, king of the Jews" was posted on the cross, and it's quite possible that this was attached to the very top part of the cross.

Answer 3

Just a couple of technical pointers...Firstly, Christ is very much alive today as he was back then and as he was before all time, so the cross did not end His life, but rather he broke death through.
Secondly, christians do not 'worship' the cross...we 'venerate it'...That means that we see strength and blessing in it, because it was through the cross that God was glorified and had redeemed us...how? let me answer as best as I can in this limited medium, because the cross has been a cause of many wonders and meditations across the ages, but here goes:

1- The cross was what glorified God, for as much as he did die on it (willingling and with no force), that same strength that him to selfless sacrifice, is the same strength that made him Resurrect Himself by His own power and will. Thus, this same grace of power is given to us, should we accept the blessings that came through the cross.

2- The cross is a form of self-worth, because it was through the act of self-sacrifice it, that Christ has managed to 'buy' our salvation and ensure our attonemnet, thus, giving us a reason to live again.

3- St. Paul says "...to those that are perishing, the cross is foolishness. But to those that are save, it is life. Heaven forbid I have pride in anything other than the cross of Jesus Christ."
Thus, he did not say 'worship' but rather drawn many different values out of it.

4- It is the power of the cross that gives us protection against deamons and all forces of the enemy. For it was the power that christ has displayed through the Cross that he managed to break satan's strong hold on us, and took his power over us away from him.

5- Finally, the reason why it's look has changed over the ages is because, well, it just has...It is not so much how it looks like that matters, but rather the meaning behind it. I guess the reason why it is widely accepted that it is like a lower case 't' rather than a Capital 'T', is because the bible explains that Pontius Pilot placed a plaque with the words "Jesus of Nazereeth, King of the Jews" over Christ's head...if you imagine he cross being a Capital 'T', then there would be no room over Christ's head to nail this plaque, where it is much easier to see it on a cross that is of a lower case 't' design.

Answer 4

Images should not be used in worship Ex. 20:4, 5; Lev. 26:1; 1 Cor. 10:14; Ps. 115:4-8

Christ died on a stake, not a cross Gal. 3:13; Acts 5:30

Answer 5

Easy.

Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

When you stand up, and put your arms out, it is the same as the shape of the Cross. Not a lower cast t, a capital T with a top on it for the head. Come on, you know that!

Answer 6

Not sure but the "X" shaped cross was typically used so the pain would be greater. legs and feet nailed or rope tied since NAILS were extremely expensive. Legs out stretched provide little to no support causing death to be quicker. The hands were nailed outstretched allowing the palms and wrists to be nailed in a row. Death would be much faster and more painful.
The Templars wrote the letter "X" with the sign of the nail extending from the top left leg of each "X" in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Answer 7

No one worships the cross. The actual shape is unknown. The Romans used a variety of shapes and these are depicted in the ante-Nicene art. You have the Tau Cross, the Crucifix, St. Andrews Cross and a variety of others.

Answer 8

properly, it doesnt quite count number, reason the bypass would properly be incorrect too. The romans didnt initiate crucifying human beings on a bypass untill about 150AD. formerly that, the crucifixtion regularly happened by nailing someone to a unmarried submit in public show and then merely stabbing them. A crucifixtion on a bypass regularly in basic terms takes about 8 hours to kill someone, yet each human being became surprised at the same time as jesus died so right now - why? maximum likely because he became nailed to a unmarried submit. Its merely that the later christians did not comprehend this and assumed that crucifixtion became a bypass and inserted that into their writings.

Answer 9

We [christians] worship the cross because, yes, jesus died on it, but he died to redeem our sins. and THAT is why we worship the cross. and the cross could have been a capital T, but then we'd call it a T, not a cross eh?

Answer 10

Actually He died on what the bible calls a tree or a stake in the ground with His hands nailed up over the top of His head.