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How Early Christian SYMBOLS Show the SHAPE of the CROSS!
Now, how does a symbol of a fish prove that Jesus died on a CROSS and NOT on a straight upright POLE with no cross member.
Here is the picture of the WHOLE fish SYMBOL used by Christians in the first century and all the way through the history of the church.
Please know and understand that the SYMBOL of the FISH was a very common SYMBOL that was used by Christians for the very REASON on the HIDDEN meaning.
In other words, the fish symbol was used by FIRST century Christians that were heavily persecuted to HIDE the image of the CROSS.
To say this another way, if a Christian wanted to know if a person believed in the death and resurrection of Jesus, then they would draw the fish shaped cross in the sand of dirt.
And if the other person was a Christian, then they would say, yes, I too believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God our Savior.
You see, “Ichthys” is the Greek word for fish. And again, the fish symbol was one of the most widely used SYMBOLS of Christian in the first century as well as all of the way through the history of the church.
Even today Christians place the fish SYMBOL on their cars, windows in their homes, and the jewelry they wear.
The SYMBOL of the fish is also related to the many miracles of Jesus we read about in the Gospels, such as the 153 fish in John 21:1-14.
Now, please notice that this particular miracle was done after the RESURRECTION and the number 153 is “mathematically” associated with the resurrection.
Let me explain briefly what I mean. You see, the number 1 cubed added to the number 5 cubed that is also added to the number 3 cubed equals the sum of 153.
In other words, 1x1x1=1, 5x5x5=125, and 3x3x3=27.
And when you add 1+125+27 the number 153 is RESURRECTED.
Also, know and understand that out of all the numbers there are, there are only FOUR numbers that are “resurrected” when the sum of each digit is added together.
Those other three numbers are explained in the short video linked below.
Another interesting fact is that the number 153 is also hidden in the 9 Hebrew letters in the first verse of the Bible that are translated as “In beginning He created”.
Why just use NINE letters? It is because 1+5+3=9.
Here is a video showing that only FOUR numbers out of all of the numbers resurrect to the same number when the sum of each digit is cubed.
To me, this shows that God is the author of the Bible.
The Mystery of 153 Fishes In John Gospel (Part 1) - YouTube
So then, back to showing the importance of this fish SYMBOL and its HIDDEN meanings.
It is supposed that the idea of using a symbol of a fish as a secret code led to an acrostic of the Greek word Ichthys using each letter to form the following Greek phrase.
“Iēsous Christos Theou Hyios Sōtēr,”
This phrase means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” But if these early first-century Christians wrote out this phase, then anyone could easily read the phrase and know that they were Christians.
Thus, the early Christians HID the meaning of this phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior as the Greek word “ICHTHYS” which means FISH.
Hence the SYMBOL of the FISH says it all and it is EASY and SIMPLE to draw.
Anyone could pick up a stick and draw the symbol of a fish in the sand of dirt using TWO curved lines that CROSS at one end to form the tail of the fish.
Let me explain how the symbol of the fish connects to the SHAPE of the CROSS, which the EYEWITNESSES of the crucifixion knew formed the the shape of a CROSS.
For you see, Jesus carried his “stauros” to the place of execution.
The soldiers then nailed the hands of Jesus to that “stauros” lying on the ground.
Then AFTER Jesus was nailed to that “stauros” cross member, they LIFTED Jesus up onto the “STAUROS” that was already fixed firmly in the ground.
And the SHAPE of the crucifixion of Jesus was the shape of a CROSS.
But how does the symbol of the FISH prove that the EYEWITNESSES of the crucifixion saw a CROSS and NOT just a single upright pole or torture stake and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are being taught?
Well, if the eyewitnesses of the crucifixion pictured a straight upright pole, then a single LINE would have been somehow HIDDEN in a secret SYMBOL.
But as you can see from the picture below and from any search on the Internet, the two lines of the fish CROSS each other to form the tail of the fish.
Simply type the words Christian fish symbol in the search bar on any Internet browser to see the same picture or very similar below.
Now some research that I came across said that because of the Roman persecution, the early Christians used secret codes when communicating those they did not know.
So, if they were not certain who they could trust, then that believer would simply draw a single ARC in the dirt.
In other words, one Christians would draw HALF of the fish symbol in the sand of dirt.
And if the one next to them would COMPLETE the other HALF of the SYMBOL of the FISH by drawing in the other ARC that CROSSED over the first arc to form the tail of the fish.
Thus, the fish symbol represents the CROSS by the CROSSED lines at the tail of the fish.
Then they both knew that they were in good company and could speak freely.
Below is a visual aid. Simple picture erases the front of the fish symbol to leave just the picture of the tail and you can clearly see the symbol of the CROSS.
So then, for the governing body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to make the CLAIM that the FIRST century Christians did not use ANY SYMBOLS of the cross is not entirely a true statement of FACT.
And thus, it is misleading Christians to WRONGLY believe that Jesus died on a straight upright POLE with no cross member.
For you see, the pagans did INDEED carve IDOLS of their gods in the SHAPE of a straight upright POLE.
And they would worship their gods before their IDOLS in the SHAPE of a straight UPRIGHT POLE.
Have you ever heard of the Totem POLE? You can do your own research to see the SHAPE of a Totem pole that is without a doubt used as an IDOL to worship pagan gods.
Here is one of many links to find idols in the SHAPE of a POLE or stake and what they represent to the pagans that carved those images of worship.
And here is a quote about a 6,000-year-old artifact from a different website than linked above. The emphasis is mine.
“It is known that the Melanesian people used to worship totem poles which evolved from the shape of a phallus and that some forms of phallic worship were performed as rites of fertility.
But the Melanesians are certainly not the only culture to engage in phallic worship.
Numerous phallic symbols have been collected from almost every country around the world and since prehistoric times, many religions have incorporated a devotion to the male organ into their beliefs.
To the Chinese Taoists, “yang” represented male power and the penis was depicted as a stallion, dragon, rooster, ram and other horned animals.
In the Indus plain, cone-shaped phalli were uncovered which predated the earliest scriptures.
One of the oldest examples can be seen at the Stone Age caves at Fourneau du Diable in southern France where a painting shows a phallic dancer wearing the horned skin of an animal.”
Also, this carving of IDOLS on straight upright trees was done in Old Testament times and is still being done in our day by the native American Indians and other cultures as well.
Here are a couple of verses to consider the FACT that pagans use straight upright TREES to carve IDOLS of their gods during the Old Testament times.
Please take NOTE that the Old Testament was long before Constantine who SUPPOSEDLY corrupted the minds of Christians to START believe that Jesus died on a CROSS.
1 Kings 15:13.
“And also, Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an IDOL in a grove; (Or an idol UPON a TREE of their Asherah, their goddess, also known as Astarte) and Asa destroyed her IDOL and BURNT it by the brook Kidron.”
The Hebrew word translated as “grove” in the King James Version is “'âshêr”, Strong’s number H836.
And it comes from the Hebrew word “'âshar”, Strong’s Number H833, which means to be STRAIGHT.
In other words, she carved or made an IDOL in a STRAIGHT upright STAUROS or tree in the IMAGE of her goddess called Asherah also known as Astarte and many other names.
Basically, she was their goddess of fertility and was worshiped by pagans as the queen of heaven.
Jeremiah 17:2.
“While their children remember their ALTARS and their groves by (Or their Asherah, the image of their goddess UPON) the green trees upon the high hills.”
In other words, when the children remember the ALTARS and their carved IDOLS upon the GREEN TREES upon the high hills.
The Canaanite sacrificial ALTARS look very similar to the SYMBOL of the tower used by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society on their publications distributed to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Below is an idol still around in our day in many countries which again is in the SHAPE of a POLE.
Now, some have wings of an owl, wings of an eagle, or wings of their god, and those wings could be interpreted as being the shape of a cross.
However, not all totem poles have wings.
So then, the pagans carved images of their gods upon STRAIGHT upright TREES.
Yes, it is true that no OPEN and blatantly obvious symbol of the cross can be found in the first century.
But again, there are many OTHER HIDDEN SYMBOLS of the CROSS that can indeed be found in history during the first three centuries BEFORE Constantine that were used by Christians.
We have already talked about the FISH symbol and how the two lines CROSS each other to make the tail of the fish.
And we will cover some more Christians symbols with the HIDDEN meaning of the CROSS in them in a moment.
But first, I want to make the point that should already be obvious.
And that point is that the STRAIGHT upright POLE is beyond ANY shadow of a doubt as being the SHAPE of the IDOLS many pagan gods.
Thus, you have to ask WHY the governing body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are so insistent on Jesus NOT dying on a CROSS shaped “Stauros”.
I mean WHY do they INSIST that Jesus HAD to have died on a STRAIGHT UPRIGHT POLE?
So, to me, it was Satan who DECEIVED the very FOUNDERS of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to CHANGE their former belief that Jesus dies on a CROSS to have Jesus die on a straight upright POLE.
And starting from around that time, the International Bible Students Association became WITNESSES for JEHOVAH.
Please read the study Z-9. WHY Jehovah is NOT God’s TRUE Name!
For you see, the name Jehovah means “to be DESTROYED”.
Whereas Yahweh means to be God. I explain WHY Jehovah is NOT the true pronunciation of the Creator's name in the study linked above.
But for now, let us examine the Jehovah’s Witness article to see HOW the leaders in the governing body CONVINCED their followers to wrongly believe Jesus died on a straight upright STAKE or POLE with no crossbeam like ALL of mainstream Christianity shows or illustrates.
Think this through for yourself. From the day Jesus was crucified all the way to 1927, the church has ALWAYS taught that Jesus died on a CROSS.
Then in 1927 some 1,900 years AFTER the resurrection, ONE man decides to try to prove that Jesus did NOT die on a CROSS, but on a STRAIGHT upright POLE.
What “spirit” influenced his thinking?
Let us closely examine an article written for the Jehovah’s Witnesses to find some clues.
The emphasis and comments in parenthesis are mine.
“Did Jesus die on a cross?
WHAT SOME PEOPLE SAY (Speaking of the REST of the Christians who are Not Jehovah’s Witnesses)
The Romans executed Jesus by hanging him on a cross made of two pieces of wood.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS (Or more correctly, the following is the INTERPRETATION of the governing body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses which they claim the Bible by Jesus was hung on a TREE)
Jesus was executed “by hanging on a tree.” (Acts 5:30, The New Jerusalem Bible) Both of the words used by Bible writers to describe the instrument of Jesus’ death suggest one piece of wood, not two.
The Greek word stau·rosʹ, according to Crucifixion in Antiquity, means “a pole in the broadest sense. It is not the equivalent of a ‘cross.’”
The word xyʹlon, used at Acts 5:30, is “simply an upright pale or stake to which the Romans nailed those who were thus said to be crucified.”
The Bible also relates the method of Jesus’ execution to an ancient Israelite law.
The law stipulated: “If a man commits a sin deserving the sentence of death and he has been put to death and you have hung him on a stake, . . . the one hung up is something accursed of God.” (Deuteronomy 21:22,23)
Referring to that law, the Christian apostle Paul wrote that Jesus became “a curse instead of us, because it is written: ‘Accursed is every man hung upon a stake [xyʹlon].’” (Galatians 3:13)
Paul thus indicated that Jesus died on a stake—a single piece of wood.
“They killed him by hanging Him on a tree.”—Acts 10:39, The New Jerusalem Bible.”
What Jehovah’s Witnesses are NOT being told by their governing body is that other translations of the Bible translate the Hebrew word in Deuteronomy 21:22,23 as TREE and NOT as a STAKE.
And Jehovah’s Witnesses ALSO need to know that other concordances define the Hebrew word “” as meaning PIECES of wood in the PLURAL.
Here is how the concordance in E-Sword defines the Hebrew word “‛êts” pronounced as “ates”.
H6086
עֵץ
‛êts
ates
From H6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence wood (plural sticks): - + carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.
Total KJV occurrences: 329.
It is blatantly obvious that gallows are NOT not out of a SINGLE piece of wood.
Also, one of the definitions is STOCK. And one of the meanings of the English word “STOCK” is the CROSS member of an ANCHOR.
And the ANCHOR is another SYMBOL for the resurrected Jesus, the anchor of our soul, according to
Let us go ahead and read that passage of Scripture.
Hebrews 6:18,19.
“That by TWO immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have FLED for REFUGE to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (Speaking of the hope of the first resurrection at the coming of Jesus.
And there was no RESURRECTION in 1914.
And if the governing body tries to argue that there was an INVISIBLE resurrection, then THEY cannot possibly be a PART of the 144,000.
For you see, according to their own doctrine, ONLY 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will be worthy enough to go to heaven to rule and reign with Jesus.
And according to Revelation 20:4-6 those resurrected at the COMING of Jesus will rule and reign WITH Jesus.
Therefore, Jesus will NOT REIGN over the earth UNTIL after the FIRST RESURRECTION at His COMING)
Hebrews 6:19. Which hope we have as an ANCHOR of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which enters into that within the veil;”
So, as you can see, your governing body is picking and choosing only the meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words to TRY to support ALL of their false teachings.
Notice the meaning of the Hebrew word “aster” ALSO means STOCK.
Yes, a stock can mean a single piece of wood, and a SINGLE piece of wood can be carried by the person being crucified.
And then that SINGLE piece of wood called a “Stauros” in the Greek is then used as the CROSS piece that is lifted up and hung on the “stauros” or STAKE that is already FIXED in the ground.
Thus, the COMPLETE instrument of execution forms the SHAPE of a CROSS.
So, to me, one of the most SOUND Biblical reasons for WHY Jesus was crucified on a CROSS is the the Bible ITSELF clearly states as a FACT the Jesus CARRIED His STAUROS, translated correctly as CROSS in most every Bible translation.
Please read John 19:16,17.
“Then delivered Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away.
John 19:17. And He bearing His (STAROUS correctly translated as) CROSS went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:”
And on the WAY to Golgotha, they COMPELLED a man, one named Simon, a Cyrenian to BEAR the STAROUS or the CROSS piece the rest of the way to Golgotha.
Luke 23:26-33.
“And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they LAID the cross, (STAUROS) that he might BEAR it after Jesus.
Luke 23:27. And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.
Luke 23:28. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luke 23:29. For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luke 23:30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luke 23:31. For if they do these things in a green TREE, (Translated from the Greek word Xulon) what shall be done in the dry?
Luke 23:32. And there were also two other, malefactors, led with Him to be put to death.
Luke 23:33. And when they came to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right HAND, and the other on the left.”
Now, it is believed by most Christian that Jesus was beaten so severely with stripes, He was the near point of death before they laid his cross on Him to bear.
And if the pictures are accurate, INCLUDING the Watchtower pictures of huge upright POLES that look to be no less that ten to twelve feet tall, NOT counting how much of the STAROUS is in the ground to make it stand upright, then that would be an EXTREMELY heavy POLE or STAKE for one man to bear.
I mean a 6x6x12 foot weighs on average 216 pounds.
Plus, the hole would have needed to be dug deep enough to be sure it would stay upright with the weight of the person hanging on the STAUROS.
So, to me, the history, and most every other Christian, the MAIN unright STAKES were ALREADY fixed firmly in the ground and the ones being executed CARRIED a CROSS MEMBER that would be fixed to the stake.
Be sure to continue reading the next study in this series of studie on the true SHAPE of the STAUROS.
Here is the link to the next study called Z-24. The Romans MOCKED Christians for Following a Crucified Man!
If you would like to dig deeper into the TRUTH, then please click on the next section of this series of studies called Z-24. The Romans MOCKED Christians for Following a Crucified Man!
You can also find ALL of the studies on the subject of the errors of interpretation made by the GOVERNING BODY of the Jehovah’s Witnesses under the **Z-0. WHY the Jehovah’s Witnesses Are NOT Biblical! **
Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands.
And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels.
Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels.
For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here? Is God at WAR? **.
More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God.
If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.
For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1, In the BEGINNING!
And also read the study called D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD!
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Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **
And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! **
This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century.
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