The Cross of Jesus Christ Revised May 27, 2014.DOC

2019

A large preponderance of scholars agree on the historicity of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The earliest accounts of the death of Jesus are contained in the four canonical gospels. There are also other references in the New Testament epistles. In the synoptic gospels, Jesus predicts His death in three separate places. Each of the four Gospels end with an protracted narrative of Jesus' arrest, preliminary trial at the Sanhedrin and concluding trial in Pontius Pilate's court, where Jesus was lashed, convicted to death, and then led to the place of crucifixion initially carrying His cross before Roman soldiers induce Simon of Cyrene to carry it for Him. Jesus was thus crucified, entombed, and Resurrected from death. This article based on a literature review of relevant articles in academic journals and other works interrogates what early Christians believed concerning death, the Roman modus operandi of Crucifying one, the Crucifixion of Jesus as reconstructed from historical sources and the two tombs of Jesus identified in Jerusalem. It additionally expands on the critical spiritual significance of the Crucifixion for Orthodox believers.

Novum Testamentum

Ancient crucifixion has been the subject of some major studies in the last twenty years. However, they remain silent on how the patibulum was attached to the vertical post or stipes, either with or without an individual. This issue is addressed in this article. The author describes modern approaches to this issue and suggests that there is evidence that nails were used in attaching the patibulum to the crux/stipes. Moreover, the author suggests that the crux/stipes was not imagined to be always already erected before the patibulum was attached, contrary to what is usually related. The Gospel of Peter implies that both beams were attached to each other on the ground before being raised up, and this practice is attested with similar capital punishments in Antiquity as well.

A common assumption about crucifixions is that they were generally carried out in approximately the same way as the crucifixion of Jesus, i.e., that the condemned was attached to some kind of vertical construction in order to be executed. In the search of historical knowledge about this punishment, ancient Greek texts containing the verb anastauroun or anaskolopizein are often referred to. The present paper suggests that the conclusions drawn from these texts may be unsatisfactory. This suggestion is based on the fact that the majority of the texts do not specify what kind of suspension they refer to. In order to create a firm textual basis for the study of crucifixion we need to take into account a broader terminology, and to find more intra-and extratextual indications about the nature of the punishment. The result of this critical view is that it significantly reduces the number of relevant texts and takes some new texts into consideration.

2011

A word of thanks goes also to the participants at the SBL and EABS conferences who have offered their suggestions and support, as well as to

Crucifixion is understood predominantly under a framework derived from Christian theology. The reality, however, was that in the time of Jesus of Nazareth’s execution it was the most despicable method of punishment employed throughout the Roman Empire. This paper seeks to elucidate the role of crucifixion in the Roman world, synthesising ancient sources, modern sociological thought and archaeological perspectives to arrive at a holistic conclusion as to its meaning, ideology and reality. It will argue that selection for crucifixion was determined by social status, representing dishonour of the individual; that the series of physical and mental punishments inflicted during the process were akin to modern definitions of torture denoting degradation of body and soul; and finally that the display of the condemned was important not only communicating the dishonour and degradation of the victim but in instilling both fear and delight in visitors, in asserting the power of the state and in ascribing deeply embedded social meanings to locations. Ultimately, utilising these approaches permits us to understand more widely than previous studies have allowed the significant role crucifixion played in the Roman world

Routledge Focus Series, 2023

Open access full-text ebook. David Tombs, The Crucifixion of Jesus: Torture, Sexual Abuse, and the Scandal of the Cross (London: Routledge, 2023). Publisher web-page https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9780429289750/crucifixion-jesus-david-tombs. Series page https://www.crcpress.com/Rape-Culture-Religion-and-the-Bible/book-series/RCRB Abstract Roman crucifixions sought to degrade and dehumanize their victims in ways that destroyed their dignity and stigmatized their memory. Paul speaks of the cross as a 'scandal' or 'stumbling block', but the significance of this language has never been explored in terms of sexual violence. The Crucifixion of Jesus examines crucifixion as a form of torture, state terror, and sexual abuse. It reads recent accounts of torture alongside the presentation of crucifixion in the Passion narratives and other Greek and Roman sources.

Review of Biblical Literature

Aristotle University Medical Journal, 2011

Crucifixion has long been known as a method of execution as it was first practiced by the Persians 1,2,3. Alexander the Great adopted it and through his extensive conquests, it was transferred to Egypt, Carthage and Rome. Crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment in Roman times for traitors, rebels and slaves 3,4. Romans made some modifications to the shape of the cross 3 .