Nailed to a cross or hung from a tree?

Question

Why do the gospels tell us that jesus was nailed to a cross whereas in Acts, jesus was hung from a tree? This is especially strange since is not Luke supposed to be the author of Acts?

Answer 1

The Greek word rendered “cross” in many modern Bible versions (“torture stake” in NW) is stau·ros´. In classical Greek, this word meant merely an upright stake, or pale. Later it also came to be used for an execution stake having a crosspiece. The Imperial Bible-Dictionary acknowledges this, saying: “The Greek word for cross, [stau·ros´], properly signified a stake, an upright pole, or piece of paling, on which anything might be hung, or which might be used in impaling [fencing in] a piece of ground. . . . Even amongst the Romans the crux (from which our cross is derived) appears to have been originally an upright pole.”—Edited by P. Fairbairn (London, 1874), Vol. I, p. 376.

Was that the case in connection with the execution of God’s Son? It is noteworthy that the Bible also uses the word xy´lon to identify the device used. A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, defines this as meaning: “Wood cut and ready for use, firewood, timber, etc. . . . piece of wood, log, beam, post . . . cudgel, club . . . stake on which criminals were impaled . . . of live wood, tree.” It also says “in NT, of the cross,” and cites Acts 5:30 and 10:39 as examples. (Oxford, 1968, pp. 1191, 1192) However, in those verses KJ, RS, JB, and Dy translate xy´lon as “tree.” (Compare this rendering with Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:22, 23.)

The book The Non-Christian Cross, by J. D. Parsons (London, 1896), says: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . It is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as ‘cross’ when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting ‘cross’ in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape.”—Pp. 23, 24; see also The Companion Bible (London, 1885), Appendix No. 162.

Thus the weight of the evidence indicates that Jesus died on an upright stake and not on the traditional cross.

seriously, you should do some in depth research on this, it is so interesting.
The cross being used in Christianity is wrong full stop.

Answer 2

Cross was not found in the Bible prior the year 325
Constantine the Great was instrumental in putting it there.

Older scripture tell of Jesus being hung on a tree, pole or stake.

Also, the opening words of Acts refer to the Gospel of Luke as "the first account." And since both accounts are addressed to the same individual, Theophilus, we know that Luke, though not signing his name, was the writer of Acts

Answer 3

All mean he was crucified, you need to study how the Romans crucified people perhaps.The trees used were bound together and looking at it, the ties crossed. Don't you find it interesting that there was 3 points on the cross, Father, Son and Holy Ghost as the trinity explains as well Christ had 2 other men beside him and well 2 other crosses.Three any way you look at it.
1. 3 men crucified 2. 3 separate crosses 3. 3 points form a cross

Answer 4

The cross was made from a tree... and a cross is a tree made to and cut for the dsign of the cross...

So hung on a cross or hung on the tree are the same meanings

Answer 5

Euphemisms. He may have been nailed to a tree with a horizontal beam attached.

If you're looking at that much detail you may have missed something bigger. You can't see the woods for the trees!

What is important is not whether it was a treee or a stake in the ground, but what it meant.

Answer 6

because the cross was actually a tree with a crosbeam that the Romans would fasten to the tree. The symbol of the cross we see is just tradition.

Answer 7

It's a metaphor... the cross was made out of wood from the tree. and the nails hung him onto the cross..

Answer 8

The Lord usually speaks to us in parables. Does it matter whether its a tree or a cross, the important thing is that he died as a sacrifice for our sins and therefore giving us the ability to be "worthy of forgiveness" in the eyes of God. because we are cleansed by the blood of Christ

Answer 9

I think from a cross because all the curches I have seen have crosses not trees in them and of course they have told me this so it must be true, they wouldnt want to deceive me in any way because that would be the devils work not the churches ....

Answer 10

h was nailed to the tree with nails and also he had ropes on his hands also to hold him to the tree.. it was a certain kind of tree but right now i can not think of the name of it.. but since that day the tree has never grown straight again.. oh yes it was the dogwood tree....he had nails hammered into the palms of his hands and into his feet... but he also had ropes hanging him onto the tree also....he had been stripped, whipped and humiliated, all for we could be saved...and by gods grace and his act sending his only begotten son to die on the cross for our sins...

Answer 11

Why do people believe that Jesus was nailed to a cross?
He was a prophet,right?
Then why would God let him suffer like that?