This will be a short response to the following desperate polemics https://bloggingtheology.net/2017/03/09/contradictions-in-new-testament-was-jesus-hanged-or-crucified/.

A Muhammadan dawagandist claims that there is a contradiction in the inspired Christian Scriptures since certain verses in the Gospels employ the Greek term stauroo to highlight the fact that the Lord Jesus died by crucifixion, having been nailed to a cross (cf. Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:33; John 19:18), whereas other texts claim that Christ was put to death by hanging, specifically by being hung on a tree:

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged (kremasantes) on a tree.” Acts 5:30

This isn’t the only time that Luke speaks of Jesus hanging on a tree:

“And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged (kremasantes) on a tree:” Acts 10:39

The specific Greek word that these verses use for hanging is kremannymi, not stauroo.

If the Muhammadan was truly honest he would have found the answer to this so-called error by the very same inspired writer of Acts that he quotes from:

“And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they CRUCIFIED (estaurosan) him, AND THE MALEFACTORS, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37 and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors WHICH WERE HANGED (kremasthenton) railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” Luke 23:32-39

Luke employs stauroo and kremannymi within the same context to describe the act of hanging or suspending someone on the cross via crucifixion.

This in turn refutes the following assertion made by this taqiyyist:

Interestingly, in NONE OF THE GOSPELS is the word “kremannymi” for Jesus’s crucifixion used. Before going further on Acts 5:30, let’s show the four Gospels accounts i.e what words they have used for the “crucifixion.” (Bold, capital and italicized emphasis ours)

The very fact that Luke uses kremannymi in the very context where he mentions Jesus being crucified alongside two malefactors shows that he basically understood this word to be synonymous with stauroo, and therefore establishes that kremannymi applies to Christ’s crucifixion as well.

With that said, pay attention to what God’s inspired Word teaches concerning the fate of those who try to pervert the God-breathed Scriptures:

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6

Luke wasn’t the only inspired author to employ these words interchangeably:

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified (estauromenos) among you?… For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth (kremamenos)on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:1, 10-14

What makes this rather ironic is that it is the taqiyyist who actually contradicts and refutes himself. Note what he says:

How do we know that Jesus was hanged and not crucified? Well Acts 2:23 lays the evidence out for us. Even though majority of trinitarian Bible translations have translated the Greek word “προσπήγνυμι” (prospēgnym) as “crucified”, this in fact is misleading. If Peter wanted to say that Jesus was “crucified” he wouldn’t have used the word “prospēgnym”, instead he would have used “stauroo” which is the most frequent word used in the NT for someone who is crucified. The Greek word “prospēgnym” the meaning of it according to Scholars of the Greek language is someone who is ‘hanging suspended’ without “nails.” Dr. Jeffrey Paul Garcia comment on Acts 2:23,

“The assumption that nailing was the primary method of crucifixion has unduly influenced the translation of several passages. Peter’s speech after Pentecost references Jesus crucifixion: “This man [Jesus], delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of Go, you fastened [προσπήγνυμι] to a cross” (Acts 2:23, emphasis added). This is the only time the verb προσπήγνυμι (“to fasten” or “affix”; BDAG, 725) is used in the New Testament, and it is an unusual terminology. It should be translated “to affix” or “to fasten to” (Fitzmyer 1998,255), but without the implication of nails. Yet several English translations still render this verb “to nail” (see TNIV, NIV, NASB, NET, NCV).” [15] 

Notice, he makes it clear that Acts 2:23 means hanging “without the implication of nails.” Here we have evidence that the NT cannot agree on how Jesus was “killed”.

Ironically, the neophyte provides the refutation to his very own objection, since this is what he wrote in the previous paragraph:

As you see the picture it is quite clear that Acts 5:30 and the 4 Gospels account of the Crucifixion contradict each other. As I have demonstrated, the way Jesus was crucified in no way could mean that he was “hanging suspended.” The above picture shows that the person who is nailed is FIXED. For it to be Hanging [sic] it has to have some part left without any support. (Bold and italicized emphasis ours)

Even the taqiyyist can see that Jesus was affixed to the cross by being nailed to it. Therefore, there is nothing in the Greek word prospegnymi used in Acts 2:23 that rules out Jesus being affixed to the cross by nails. After all, just because it may not imply it does not mean that the Greek term conclusively disproves that the Roman soldiers used nails to affix or fasten Christ to the cross.

Such shameless distortion of the Holy Scriptures is an indication of the spiritual influence which is guiding this particular Muslim polemicist, being the same influence which inspired his prophet:

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44

So much for the New Testament contradicting itself.

All Scriptural references taken from the Authorized King James Version (AV) of the Holy Bible.

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Where was Jesus put on when He was Crucified? http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/stauros.htm

 

 

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