- published: 26 Apr 2016
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Crucifixion is a method of slow and painful execution in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang for several days until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It is principally known from antiquity, but remains in occasional use in some countries.
The crucifixion of Jesus is a central narrative in Christianity, and the cross (sometimes depicting Jesus nailed onto it) is the main religious symbol for many Christian churches.
Ancient Greek has two verbs for crucify: ana-stauro (ἀνασταυρόω), from stauros, "stake", and apo-tumpanizo (ἀποτυμπανίζω) "crucify on a plank," together with anaskolopizo (ἀνασκολοπίζω "impale"). In earlier pre-Roman Greek texts anastauro usually means "impale."
New Testament Greek uses four verbs, three of them based upon stauros (σταυρός), usually translated "cross". The most common term is stauroo (σταυρόω), "to crucify", occurring 43 times; sustauroo (συσταυρόω), "to crucify with" or "alongside" occurs five times, while anastauroo (ἀνασταυρόω), "to crucify again" occurs only once at the Epistle to the Hebrews 6:6. prospegnumi (προσπήγνυμι), "to fix or fasten to, impale, crucify" occurs only once at the Acts of the Apostles 2:23.
My God, my God! Why hast thou forsaken Me?
Be not far from Me, for trouble is near
For bulls have surrounded Me, they open wide their mouths at Me
I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint
My heart is like wax, melted within Me
Dogs have surrounded Me, and nailed my hands and feet
I can count every one of my bones, they look and curse and stare at Me
Mary, why do you weep? For now you see it's Me
I've risen from the dead; the others shall come and see
God gave me the victory over satan and this world