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Did Jesus
die on a stake or a cross?
One of the doctrines of the Jehovah's Witnesses that is
wrong, though not an attack on an essential doctrine of scripture, is their teaching
that Jesus died on a stake instead of a cross (Reasoning from the
Scriptures, 1985, pp. 89-90). It really doesn't
matter which Jesus died on. The issue is whether or not He shed His
blood for our sins.
In support of their position, they accurately state
that the Greek word used in many Bibles which is translated into "cross" is
the Greek word "stauros" which means, "an upright stake, esp. a pointed one,
a cross."1 If a stake were used, instead
of a cross, then Jesus' hands would have been placed above His head with a
nail driven through His wrists. Since the wrists would most likely
overlap, only one nail is needed through both wrists. However, some
Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained that Jesus' hands may have been placed
one higher than another on the stake. The reason they say this is
because of John 20:25,
"The other disciples
therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them,
except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my
finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his
side, I will not believe."
Notice the use of the word nails (plural) in reference to hands (plural).
This is strong evidence that Jesus was crucified on a cross with
outstretched hands -- one nail in each hand which would explain the plural
nails. If Jesus was crucified on a stake then both hands would
have been placed above his head and only one nail would have been
needed to go through both hands. Again, it says "...in his hands the print of the
nails..."
Again, this is not an issue of essential doctrine, but
I do believe the evidence is sufficient to demonstrate that the Watchtower
organization is incorrect in yet another matter.
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1. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon,
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