1 ▪ Older Than the Gospel—Pagan pedigrees of the cross
Long before the Roman executioners of the first century, cross-shaped emblems were already sacred to Egypt (ankh ☥, “sign of life”) and to Mesopotamia (the “mystic Tau” of the god Tammuz) Pre-Columbian temples at Palenque, Buddhist pagodas, even Cuma Indian charms in Mexico all employed variations of the same form. Torah warns Israel not to import such cultic symbols (Deut 12:30–31), a principle the earliest disciples took seriously.
2 ▪ What Romans Actually Built: the crux commissa
The Greek σταυρός (staurós) just means an upright stake. Yet by the first century the Romans normally added a cross-beam (patibulum) and produced a T-shaped gallows called the crux commissa or tau cross
Early writers confirm the shape:
| Writer | Century | Testimony |
|---|---|---|
| Epistle of Barnabas | late 1st/early 2nd | “Grace was to come by the Τ.” Barn. 9.7 |
| Clement of Alexandria | 2nd | Calls the letter Τ “the Lord’s sign.” |
| Tertullian | early 3rd | Notes that Greek Τ and Latin T “have the very appearance of a cross.” Ad Nationes 1.12 |
Archaeology agrees: the victim usually carried only the cross-beam to the site, where it was hoisted onto a permanent upright. Add the gospel detail that the inscription was fixed “above His head” (Matt 27:37) and the most natural reconstruction is a Τ, not the later † shape.
3 ▪ When the Cross Became a Badge
Believers of the first three centuries left no evidence of wearing or venerating the cross. That changed after Emperor Constantine’s vision of a radiant cross in 312 CE and the slogan “In this sign, conquer”. From that moment the cross moved from a Roman gibbet to imperial banners, church façades, and finally personal jewelry.
4 ▪ From Banner to Bludgeon
Medieval crusaders etched or even carved crosses onto the backs of Jewish and Muslim captives; later mobs compelled Jews to kiss the crucifix on pain of death. For many descendants of Israel the cross evokes persecution rather than redemption.
5 ▪ Halakhic Reflection for Nazarene Jews
- Idolatry risk — Because the cross functioned as a pagan talisman long before it marked Yeshua’s death, public veneration courts the prohibition of Ex 20:4-5.
- Misplaced focus — Heb 12:2 calls us to fix our eyes on Messiah Himself, “despising the shame,” not on the lumber that executed Him.
- Historical honesty — Recognising the Τ-shape reminds us that our Master’s sacrifice was a brutal Roman sentence, not the sanitized emblem of later art.
6 ▪ A Better Sign to Bear
If one desires a visible reminder of the atonement, Scripture already supplies the מֵאוֹת / σημεῖον—the blood-marked door-posts of the first Passover (Ex 12:13) and the תָּו (tav) mark set on the foreheads of the righteous in Ezek 9:4. Both prefigure redemption without importing foreign icons.
7 ▪ Putting It All Together
As Nazarenes we rejoice that Yeshua was willing to stretch out His arms on a Τ-shaped gallows for our deliverance, yet we refuse to baptize the cross itself—pagan, political, and painful to our Jewish people—as a holy symbol. Our boast is in the Resurrected One, not in the timbers of Rome. Let the world see our allegiance not in metal trinkets but in covenant faithfulness, Torah obedience, and the fruits of the Ruach ha-Qodesh.
“May I never boast except in the gallows of our Master Yeshua the Messiah.”
(adapted from Gal 6:14)
A Personal Appeal from James Scott Trimm
Dear friends and supporters,
Today I write with an even heavier heart and a deeper sense of urgency.
Many of you already know that my wife, Inga “Kitty” Trimm, has lived for years with chronic and disabling pain. Multiple abdominal surgeries left her with numerous hernias that cannot be repaired. Each day is a battle, and strong pain medications are the only thing that make life remotely tolerable—though even then, she is never truly free from pain.
Recently, test results confirmed what we feared: signs of an autoimmune disease—likely lupus—yet another lifelong, incurable condition. And now, her symptoms are worsening. She has begun to experience unexplained fevers, a serious complication of lupus.
Recently I had to take her in for a medical test we couldn’t afford, but we had no choice.
We are still waiting for her to be seen by a specialist, but the Social Security Administration continues to mishandle her case, delaying the benefits she needs now more than ever.
Meanwhile, my own secular income ended a month ago, our rent is due on the first, and right now we do not have it.
We are holding on by sheer faith.
And still—I press forward in the work I have been called to do:
- The restoration of the original Hebrew and Aramaic Scriptures
- The recent completion of my Magnum Opus on the Semitic origins of the New Testament
- The full reconstruction of the Book of Revelation in Hebrew
These are not just academic works—they are my life’s mission. But right now, I cannot do this alone.
There’s an old Jewish parable about a wedding where each guest was to bring a jug of wine for a communal vat. But each villager assumed others would bring enough. On the wedding day, they opened the tap—only to find a vat full of water.
Please—don’t assume someone else will do your part.
If this work has blessed you—if the teachings, translations, or research have helped you grow in your walk—please consider giving today.
🔗 Donate online: https://nazarenespace.com/blog/donate/
💳 Or via PayPal: donations@wnae.org
Ask yourself:
Is this work worthy of your support?
Where else is this level of dedication being poured into restoring the true Jewish roots of the New Testament—in its original languages?
As I’ve said before: this is a cooperative mission—you and I, shoulder to shoulder, laboring to restore the voice of the Messiah in the language of His people.
🙏 Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for standing with us—in prayer, in giving, and in faith.
With deepest gratitude,
James Scott Trimm
What is your opinion on Epistle of Barnabas? Because previously, you referred to it as Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas. So I thought that you thought that it wasn’t the real Barnabas who wrote it.
True, it was not the real Barnabas. Whoever wrote it (Ignatious?) it is still a very early document.