The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index

cross

CROSS (Gk. stauros, a "stake"; Lat. crux).

The cross that was used as an instrument of death was either a plain vertical stake to which the victim was fastened, with the hands tied or nailed above the head, or such a stake provided with a crossbar, to which the victim was fastened with the arms outstretched.

Of this crossbar three varieties were known, so that there were four forms of the cross:

(1) simple (Lat. simplex), (shaped like a lower case "t"), on which it seems likely that Jesus died for our sins, because of the notice placed above His head (Mt. 27:37)

(2) St. Andrew's (decussata), which is shaped like a capital "X"

(3) St. Anthony's (commissa), which has the crossbeam at the top (shaped like a capital "T")

(4) the Latin (immissa),. the so-called Greek cross which has the crossbeam in the center (shaped like a plus sign).