Jesus didn't die on a cross?

[Woody]

This is what a Swedish Pastor is saying.

Disclaimer: Being Swedish has no bearing on my posting this article. I neither confirm nor deny this Swedish Pastor.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/li...cholar/19530666

[Guest]

Yeah that's who I wanna put MY faith in, some theologian at the University of Gothenburg.

Mat 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

But what did the disciples know? They never went to a university.

[Guest]

Mat 27:40 ......If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Joh 19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Joh 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother...

[phkrause]

This is what a Swedish Pastor is saying.

Disclaimer: Being Swedish has no bearing on my posting this article. I neither confirm nor deny this Swedish Pastor.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/li...cholar/19530666

Well than I'll deny this pastor!

[Guest]

Woody, if you really don't know which one to believe on this. The Bible, or some theologian, then may God have mercy on your soul.

[Woody]

I'm not sure you read all of the article.

[Guest]

No, I didn't. I read just enough to see that he believes the Bible is wrong. Based on something he thinks he found out about the customs back then.

[Woody]

read further

[Guest]

Why?

[Woody]

so you can be educated.

[Guest]

I already know the Bible is right. But if there's something else you think I should know, then just tell me. You can paraphrase it.

[Woody]

Read the article.

[pnattmbtc]

The cross was an unusual form of punishment, saved for those who defied Rome's authority. If you committed a capital crime, but not one involving Rome's authority, you could suffer capital punishment, but not by means of crucifixion. The Christ's death involved Rome's authority is made clear by the Gospel accounts.

That is, the Jews who accused Jesus Christ did so in a way so that He would be specifically crucified. The idea was that Christ could not possibly be the Messiah if God allowed Him to be crucified because of what Moses had written (about being accursed, quoted in Gal. 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:")

So they could prove Christ to be an impostor if they could get Him crucified. This seemed to be working -- until the resurrection.

So there is ample evidence in the Gospel account that a cross was involved in Jesus' death. Even if you allowed that the word used could be translated something else, like "pole," it would explain these other factors.

There's also the problem as to why it was generally understood that Jesus died on a cross. The Swedish theologian admitted not having any answer to this.

If one looks around on the web, it's easy to find people who doubt there is evidence that Jesus Christ even existed. I think there was a fellow here who posted here who believed this (that there was little evidence that Jesus Christ existed).

[Woody]

Wow. Someone who actually read the article.

Thanks pnattmbtc.

And I agree with your post.

[pnattmbtc]

Yes, it wasn't too long. And well written. I'll read articles like these no problem.

I'm learned a lot from "liberals." Although there are things I certainly disagree with, I find they attempt to strip away the tradition and try to see what was really happening historically, and that turns out (not surprisingly) to be very valuable in many cases.

[John317]

Quote:

Woody: This is what a Swedish Pastor is saying.

Disclaimer: Being Swedish has no bearing on my posting this article. I neither confirm nor deny this Swedish Pastor.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/li...cholar/19530666

This Swedish pastor, Samuelsson, agrees with what Jehovah's Witnesses have been saying for the last 50 years or more.

But the Bible is clear that Jesus was actually impaled on what we call the cross, not merely a "torture stake."

How can we sure how Jesus died? Does the Bible leave any doubt?

Let's look at a few Bible facts:

1) Matt. 27: 37-- "they put up over His head the accusation written against Him." Greek: "above His head."

Where did they post it? Over His head. Not over His hands.

If Jesus was impaled with his hands extended UP above his head, it would say the accusations were put over His hands, not over his head. If they put the accusations above his head while his arms were extended upward, nobody would have been able to read the sign because their view of the sign would have been obscured by Jesus' arms. But their view wasn't obscured because John 19: 20 says many of the Jews read it.

2) If a policeman told you to "stretch out your hands," what would you do? Would you immediately put both your arms up over your head?

Not unless you didn't understand English or are drunk.

If you understand English and are not drunk, you will put your arms OUT, not up.

Yet John 21: 18 says that when Jesus told Peter he would be crucified (like His Lord), Jesus said Peter would "stretch OUT your hands."

Conclusion: When Jesus was crucified, Jesus had his hands and arms out-stretched, not extended up over his head.

As it turns out, then, the Bible does in fact teach that Jesus was crucified [Gk anastauroun] on a cross [Gk stauros], just like almost all Christians have believed for close to 2,000 years.