How do we know Christ died on the Cross?

[Porknpie]

Peter died on an upside down cross. Why would he insist on it if Jesus did not die on a cross?

St. Peter dying crucified upside down comes from the Acts of St. Peter, an apocryphal writing as well as the oral tradition through the church. Christ did say that St.Peter would die on the cross, and that St. Peter should follow him (crucifixion as a dual meaning implied?)

John 21

18 Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19 He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

 

[Contarini]

Jehovah Witnesses tell me that Jesus did not die on the cross, how do I prove that our Lord did? Is there any evidance I can use such as tradition, early church fathers, or even scripture where I can prove this? Thanks God Bless

Isn’t their point simply that it was a stake rather than a cross with a crosspiece? I have never been able to see why that is terribly important. They don’t deny that he died on an instrument of Roman torture, which is the key point.

The Church Fathers did draw on a lot of symbolism in which they saw any kind of cross-shaped structure as pointing to Jesus’ cross. I believe that the Epistle of Barnabas is the first example of this, though I may be remembering wrong. While I like this symbolism, I wouldn’t say it’s a vital theological point. JWs get all bent out of shape about it because they see the cross as pagan, I think.

Edwin

 

[Kc906]

Isn’t their point simply that it was a stake rather than a cross with a crosspiece? I have never been able to see why that is terribly important. They don’t deny that he died on an instrument of Roman torture, which is the key point.

The Church Fathers did draw on a lot of symbolism in which they saw any kind of cross-shaped structure as pointing to Jesus’ cross. I believe that the Epistle of Barnabas is the first example of this, though I may be remembering wrong. While I like this symbolism, I wouldn’t say it’s a vital theological point. JWs get all bent out of shape about it because they see the cross as pagan, I think.

I couldn’t agree more with your statement. In reality, it is just semantics to argue/bicker over the specific instrument that our Lord died on. The fact is, our Lord, God, and Savior, willingly became man and laid down his sinless life so that we may have the opportunity to reign eternally with him.

The JW’s believe that “Christendom” as a whole idolizes the cross, that it in itself is an idol. Now, they can hold this belief and still believe that Jesus died on a T shaped object that we call a cross today, but they don’t. Scriptures, history, and Chuch tradition prove otherwise.

John 21:18-19 talks about Peter “stretching out his hands” when he is old when he follows Christ. This of course is forseeing the death the Peter would have, on a T shaped cross upside down.

Thomas does mention the plural of nail**(s)** when referring to the marks on Jesus’ hands, which would lead us to believe that both of his hands had a nail in them.

Again, is this in any way, shape, or form, going to get us to heaven if we believe Jesus died on a torture stake? I personally don’t believe so. But this does show you the lengths a religion will go to deny reality, to change verses in scripture, to adhere to a predetermined belief held by it’s leaders when all evidence leads otherwise.