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Re: Jesus carrying cross
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To: B-GREEK@virginia.edu
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Subject: Re: Jesus carrying cross
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From: John Richards <jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk>
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Date: Tue, 26 Jul 94 08:55:59 GMT
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> I doubt that this is the case, since the original meaning of _stauros_
> was simply an upright stake or post. So why, then, does "John" say that
> Jesus carried his _stauros_? Perhaps he meant simply the stake, or
> perhaps he meant a part of the whole (the crossbeam)--it appears we cannot
> know from the text.
There is quite another possible explanation of John here. By the time
that Gospel was written the phrase "take up your cross" was clearly in
wide use as a cult shorthand for discipleship. The synoptic gospels even
have Jesus *before* his crucifixion, saying that "if anyone wants to be
my disciple, let him take up his cross (daily) and follow me". John
could well be portraying Jesus manfully carrying his cross (literally)
as a *spiritual* example - pour encourager les autres. In that case, it
would have no bearing on the form of the Roman cross, except as the
Church (of the early 2nd. century?) imagined it.
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John Richards Stackpole Elidor (UK)
jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk
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