Use of the cross in worship: Is it really proper?

I firmly believe in the death of Jesus Christ, that it provided the ransom that opens the door to everlasting life for those who truly demonstrate faith in him. (Matthew 20:28; John 3:16). However, I do not believe that Jesus died on a cross, I do believe that Jesus died on an upright stake with no crossbeam.

Why do I say this? The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits: “The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures, where it has largely a cosmic or natural signification.”

Various other authorities have linked the “cross” with nature worship and pagan sex rites.

W. E. Vine, respected British Bible scholar, offers these hard facts: “By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. pagans were received into the churches and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted.”— Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.

Oxford University’s Companion Bible says: “The evidence is that the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, and NOT on two pieces of timber placed at any angle.”

More important, no matter what device was used for the torture and execution of Jesus, no image or symbol of it should become an object of devotion or worship for Christians. “Flee from idolatry,” commands the Bible. (1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21)

Why, then, was this pagan symbol of the cross promoted? Apparently, to make it easier for pagans to accept “Christianity.”  In the fourth century, pagan Emperor Constantine became a convert to apostate Christianity and promoted the cross as its symbol.

The Greek word used in the scriptures that is generally translated “cross” is stau·ros’. But stauros’ basically means “an upright pale or stake.” The Companion Bible points out: “stau·ros′ never means two pieces of timber placed across one another at any angle. There is nothing in the Greek of the New Testament even to imply two pieces of timber.”

The book, “The Non-Christian Cross” by J.D. Parsons (London, 1896) states: “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 [upright stake]; 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. ”

The writer also states: “It is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate stauros’ as cross when rendering Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue.”  In several texts, Bible writers use another word for the instrument of Jesus’ death. It is the Greek word “xy′lon”. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, defines “xylon” 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.”

Explaining why a simple stake was often used for executions, the book Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung ( i.e. The Cross and the Crucifixion), by Hermann Fulda, states: “Trees were not everywhere available at the places chosen for public execution. So a simple beam was sunk into the ground. On this the outlaws, with hands raised upward and often also with their feet, were bound or nailed.”
From the foregoing, we clearly see that it is WRONG to use the Cross in worship.

I once again emphasize that I believe in the death of Jesus Christ, that he died for us, with benefits to us if we show true faith in him. However, Christ died, NOT on a cross, but on an upright stake.

Pastors, please examine this matter very seriously since we do not want to intentionally or unintentionally mislead our church members.

Best wishes,
Simeon James

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32 Comments

  1. Duane
    May 27, 2023

    Here it is, almost June , 2023. In 13 years no new comers. Shame. You would think people would be more concerned about a carved piece of would in their church, set up next to the alter. As Christians, the Bible teaches baptism washes away our old sins and we start a new life of faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus taught us to love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength.
    The seal of God is to share the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to keep the commandments of God, as writen in the book of Revelations. This is Righteous. The mark of the beast, defy or ignore Bible teachings, not Christ like, or also know as self-righteous.
    My hope is I plant a seed, someone might read this. My Church, well doesn’t matter as there is not a perfect church on earth.
    Reading the Bible is our bread
    Prayer is our breath
    Sharing the love of Jesus is our strength.
    May the Good Lord be with you

  2. Anonymous
    May 15, 2013

    wait a minute

  3. Same Story
    December 10, 2010
    • notdsamestory
      December 10, 2010

      It was july acctually read it to.

      And its not the same story.

  4. Jean, Toronto
    October 4, 2010

    Simeon James:

    With a name and surname like that I would think that you should know better. I have no doubt that you were baptized and brought up in the Catholic faith but you must have renounced your faith.
    There are many facts which some people will never know because they are not well read; others are not aware of it and still others have renounced it which is why there are religious disputes, distortions and divisions in this world. Do your research and not based on the words and mentality of others.
    You need The Cross – of Our Lord Jesus Christ – like you need all your faculties of your body until death and thereafter when you arrive in eternity for your judgment.
    The reason why the Catholic Christian Church, the First Church which was established after Our Lord was resurrected, worships on Sundays, He was resurrected on a Sunday. Remember He died on Good Friday and three days after He resurrected. When He appeared to the disciples it was on a Sunday.
    Catholics are not Jews. Those Jews who remained in their beliefs did not accept Our Lord Jesus Christ. Some did convert to Christianity.
    Saint John The Baptist said to the Pharisees and Sadducees – – Matthew 3:8:12 – You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
    The Catholic Church is not a copy cat of any other religion. We are not those as Jehovah’s and the likes who formed their religions after the Catholic Church was formed. These are not experts and of Catholicism. They broke away from the Catholic Church and formed their own opinion which is not the true opinion.
    Refer to Luke 2:34: – The Presentation in the Temple – Simeon said…Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel (all over the world too), and to be a sign that will be contradicted…so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
    This is exactly what many as yourself are doing.
    Cease talking about and teaching false doctrines which lead others astray, as the weak of faith and spirit and some who have none at all.

  5. Jean, Toronto
    October 4, 2010

    @C:

    Disobedience, spurred on by Satan’s whims and wiles caused them to form their own religion. It would be interesting to know where their souls are today.
    Our Lord Jesus Christ died on The Cross. There is ample testimony to that which should not be disputed and by no means Christians of all.
    We need The Cross to remind us of what Our Lord did for us that we might we saved, if we have obeyed His (Our) Heavenly Father’s Will.
    Having said that, here is a test: Lie down straight and open your arms. You are in the form of The Cross. Do you need any further clarification?
    Those who dispute that Our Lord Jesus Christ did not die on The Cross are heretics. You are not a Christian. However, you better believe. Otherwise your soul is at stake for all eternity.

  6. C
    September 23, 2010

    @Itassian: Another group of Millerites was influenced by Joseph Bates, a retired sea captain, who in 1846 and 1849 issued pamphlets insisting that Christians observe the Jewish Sabbath—Saturday—instead of worshipping on Sunday. This helped feed the intense anti-Catholicism of Seventh-Day Adventism, since they blamed the Catholic Church for changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.

    These two streams of thought—Christ entering the heavenly sanctuary and the need to keep the Jewish Sabbath—were combined by White, who claimed to have received many visions confirming these doctrines. Together with Edson and Bates, she formed the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination, which officially received its name in 1860. – is that the theology you talk about?

  7. Pillow
    September 22, 2010

    @Itassian:Do u every read the bible? do u ever see where the church met on the first day of the week? You r still loving the mosiac law. Sunday…. Ressurection day is the day of the lord. Common sda.

  8. Pillow
    September 22, 2010

    @Old: Something like this won’t save you. So cross or not is not what will lead you to God.

  9. youthermist
    September 22, 2010

    Here we go again, just what is it with these religious nutters who are resident on planet earth today..

    In the here and now, with wars, terrorism, hunger,poverty,and natural disasters taking the lives of thousands every day,we are postulating on whether a palestinian jew was hung upside down on a crossbeam by the Roman occupying powers two thousands years ago. whoever this guy was, he was caught and punished as a terrorist. It was the punishment of choice of the Roman empire,
    luckily some of his followers fled, others turned to other forms of sedition like religion.

  10. pwelly
    September 22, 2010

    i know the MESSIAH did not died on a cross but let us just say 4 pease sake he did have u all ever read the BIBLE if not please do so u will notice that the ALMIGHTY ask MOSES to built to be place in his place of worship no where in the BIBLE was a cross ever present in true WORSHIP infact rome was and still is and will continue to be a pagan nation till the returhn of the MESSIAH now people think for a moment would the ALMIGHTY evre ask his children to bow before to wear to tattoo on their skin or to have in their place of worship any thing that came out of a pagan nation?

  11. Typical Dominican
    September 22, 2010

    stupes… i doe even read all…da just sort.. from d time d they say bout doe believe he die on a cross and u start tukin bout catholics

  12. newtral
    September 22, 2010

    WONDERFUL ARTICLE!!!
    Some Dominicans will never accept TRUTH no matter what you tell them.
    They were made to believe by their Priest and Pasters that Jesus was put to death on a cross and that it should be used in worship, so it is difficult to change now.

    “The TRUTH is suborn facts”

  13. Fairplay
    September 22, 2010

    Crucifixion was the Roman Empire’s method of capital punishment at the time of Jesus Christ.

  14. Itassian
    September 22, 2010

    There are more important issues to discuss than whether Christ died on a cross or on a stake. To begin with I don’t believe the pieces of wood, whether they be a pole or stake or cross have nothing to do with ones salvation.The cross or the stake meant nothing without the death of Christ. It is not the cross that should be the focus but he who died on the pole as you suggest. Just to remind you when Jesus was brough before the Pilate what did the Jews say? Cricify Him! Cricify Him!. The word crucify means to execute on a cross. Did the type of object he was nailed on change the fact that he was crucified? It was the act of cricifiction that was significant, not the cross or the pole.

    Now my question for you Simon is, on which day do you worship? If you worship on Sunday, then you are no better off than those who kneel before the cross. The day of worship has more salvific significance than the type of cross Christ died on.

    According to you “In the fourth century, pagan Emperor Constantine became a convert to apostate Christianity and promoted the cross as its symbol. Apparently, to make it easier for pagans to accept “Christianity.” Isn’t he the same Constantine that changed the true day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? So if you worship on Sunday aren’t you accepting a day promoted by Constantine to promote Christianity as well?

    Apparently you believe and accept the words of W. E. Vine, J.D. Parsons ,Oxford University’s Companion Bible and the likes more than you do the Bible. Isn’t the day of worship commanded by God more significant to ones salvation or worship than the one promoted by the same constantine who promoted the cross and which most christians accept?. Now don’t come up with that nonesense that the Sabbath was abolished because the same commandment which said thou shall not bow down to any graven image (idolatory) also said Remember the Sabbath Day (which is not Sunday) to Keep it Holy.

    Unless you and the Pastors like you obey the fourth commandment, then you are in the same boat as those who bow before the Cross. And you all are just as well misleading your church members.

  15. September 22, 2010

    remember every one does indeed read the bible to fit their own sins. And to me when i see the cross it reminds me that i could have been crucified just like the theives who was hang on the cross also but jesus christ took my place.So mr simeon James go and worry about your soul salvation and not the cross.

  16. fUWP
    September 22, 2010

    Simeon, this is Dominica and we believe he did on the cross….take your fake stake story somewhere else

  17. Anonymous
    September 22, 2010

    and so what? We all know the meaning of the cross — whether it was a tree, whether it was a cross, that’s beside the point.

  18. :-)
    September 22, 2010

    @@Madness: Yes, you can meditate on Jesus without using the cross. Don’t we meditate on our dead loved ones without using the knife, vehicle or object which killed them?

  19. Wow
    September 22, 2010

    Remember: “Beware, many will come like wolves in sheep’s clothing”.

  20. OMG
    September 22, 2010

    @:-):

    Your analogy is completely baseless. you cannot compare the murderous stabbing of a love one with the death of Christ. Christ was not a victim, he was a sacrifice, a volunteer to die in your place. so we merely speak of the cross as that symbol of ultimate sacrifice.

    and by the way some people actually have symbols of their love one death to remind them ( as screwed up as this may seem), it can serve as a step in grief recovery.

  21. September 22, 2010

    Some people take one theology class, or hear one far off sermon and they think they have to become oh so Pius and deep and then confuse the hell out of the rest of us with their newly found ideologies, philosophies and propaganda!

    So what if the Thing they nailed Jesus too was called a stake? So what. does that in any way affect how we receive salvation? Does that in anyway affect our relationship with Christ?

    I just waiting for the article that going to tell me Easter is pagan too so i should not celebrate Christ resurrection. Or Christmas for that matter :) such minor things become so major for the weak.

    To me the cross is a constant reminder of what i escaped. A constant reminder of the shame human kind brought on Christ. A constant reminder of a merciful and loving Father who sacrificed his son in the most gruesome way so that i wouldn’t have to go through that same thing.

    The cross is just a reminder of Christ death.
    Nothing more.
    The cross is not greater than his grace.
    I Focus on His grace, His resurrection and His love towards me.

  22. @M
    September 22, 2010

    @MAESTRO:
    Good Pint Maestro… i like the fact that u seek the truth and not fabrication. However if a group is making up a story… for divisive purposes,,, point them out! That stake talk and Idol worhsip is what JW go around telling people. Point them out for the lies the propogate.

  23. Chavez Jr.
    September 22, 2010

    God the Almighty is the Judge, not man. Only God knows the heart of man when he (man) prays, not man.

  24. @Madness
    September 22, 2010

    @:-):
    A event that changed the World and brought salvation to us is a “sad reminder”? That is the same thing a JW told me couple months ago. Typical teachings of the Watchtower. You cannot be ashamed of Jesus and what we went through. Instead.. you should meditate on Jesus Death. Afterall,,, the scripture says…. “Proclaim his Death until he comes”.

  25. September 22, 2010

    But i would hope that we all who claim to love Christ or who are believers of the Gospel of Christ would be open minded to information that may be contradictory to what we were taught. Lets stop this branding by using Jehovah Witnesses, Catholics, etc, let us seek the truth or are we prepred to risk spending eternity in Hell because of pride or religious afiliations. I dont. Peace

  26. :-)
    September 22, 2010

    You guys are missing the point. The writer is examining the USE of the cross in worship.
    Would you take up the knife a criminal used to heinously and brutally stab your Mother (or anyone who is dear to your heart) and clean up that knife and hang it in your living room to look at it every day? Or would you make little replicas of that knife and hang it around your neck and encourage other family members to do the same?
    I wouldn’t think so.

    The cross has absolutely no place in true, pure worship as it is a sad reminder of what our Lord Jesus Christ was put through.

  27. @Question
    September 22, 2010

    You have to seek the TRUTH. The ONE TRUTH. These people are out there to divide and rule. Trust me, I saw it coming. We have to seek the truth and evidence. Trust me… a mad sect. “cult” out there.

  28. Check
    September 22, 2010
  29. Old
    September 22, 2010

    Do you know the founders of Jehovah Witnesses started that “stake” talk. Mr. Russel and “The Judge” made up the theology and wanted to be different. Now you are saying that it was pagan practise. Go to Rome.. go to the holy land. You will get all the evidence and see and learn of the practices over there… not the opinion of a sect.

  30. September 22, 2010

    Jesus died on a stake????????????? dude you way out there.
    What do we care if is a stake, stick, or cross. Dude, that is not important.
    Jesus Died, Jesus resurrected and now we too can live eternally that is what is important.

  31. New
    September 22, 2010

    I guess you Mr. James about to start a “new church” or join the Jehovah Witnesses…. made up theology. Do you believe the bible alone and modern day writing can actually tell you what happened 2000 years ago? People….. the bible alone cannot be the source of information. Sacred tradition is also part of it. Your bible itself says that. Do you know that Peter was also crucified? (up side down) Because a word can be translated as “stake”…. you want people to deny the cross…. and say is a stake and forget what actually happen.

    Common people,, don’t let a little knowledge lead you to lies and mislead the faithful. Seek the TRUTH… not opinions to start another sect.

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