One of the key foundations of the historical Jesus is the crucifixion, and this has come out in the conference. One thing I have been thinking about is Livesey and the possible lateness of Paul’s letters, and so perhaps the early Q source presents an original Jesus construct without a salvific cross or resurrection.

Crucifixion in the New Testament is a fusing of Jewish postmortem shaming with Roman execution.

The phrase describing Jesus as “hung on a tree” appears in the New Testament in Acts 5:30, Acts 10:39, and Galatians 3:13. Here are the relevant verses:

Acts 5:30 (ESV): “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.”

Acts 10:39 (ESV): “And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.”

Galatians 3:13 (ESV): “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’—”

The phrase “hung on a tree” is used to refer to Jesus’ crucifixion, drawing a parallel to Deuteronomy 21:22–23 in the Old Testament, where hanging on a tree is associated with being cursed. This terminology emphasizes the nature of Jesus’ death and its theological significance.

Was being hung on a tree a jewish method of execution?

No, being hung on a tree was not a method of execution in Jewish law. According to Deuteronomy 21:22–23, hanging a body on a tree or pole was a post-mortem practice, where the corpse of someone already executed (typically by stoning) was publicly displayed to signify a curse or shame. The body had to be removed by sunset to avoid defiling the land. Jewish law prescribed four primary execution methods—stoning, burning, decapitation, and strangling—but hanging alive was not one of them. Crucifixion, referenced in the New Testament as “hung on a tree” (e.g., Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13), was a Roman practice, not Jewish. There is substitution vs moral influence theology.  Jesus is not the lone crucified subject, but is paired with the release of Barabbas for scapegoat theology.  The one goat was sacrificed humanely, while the scapegoat is released and is brutally dashed over a cliff, getting people to reflect on the consequences of their sins to induce metanoia (a change of mind leading to repentance)

In the New Testament, the imagery of the cross and crucifixion is used figuratively to convey themes of self-denial, sacrifice, suffering, and following Jesus. Below are the key passages where this metaphor appears, particularly the phrase “take up your cross” or similar expressions, along with their contexts:

Matthew 10:38 (ESV):  “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” 

Jesus is instructing His disciples about the cost of discipleship as He sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom. The “cross” here symbolizes the willingness to endure suffering, rejection, or even death for the sake of following Him. It reflects the personal sacrifice required to align with Jesus’ mission.

Matthew 16:24 (ESV):  “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'” 

After Peter confesses Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus explains that He must suffer and die. He then extends this call to His followers, using the cross as a metaphor for self-denial and embracing the hardships of living for Christ, even to the point of losing one’s life (v. 25).

Mark 8:34 (ESV):  “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'” 

Similar to Matthew 16:24, this occurs after Jesus foretells His death and resurrection. The cross represents the burden of suffering and sacrifice that disciples must accept to follow Him faithfully.

Luke 9:23 (ESV):  “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'” 

This parallel to Matthew and Mark emphasizes the ongoing, daily commitment to self-denial and bearing one’s cross. The addition of “daily” underscores that discipleship involves continual sacrifice and perseverance in the face of challenges.

Luke 14:27 (ESV):  “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” 

Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship, stressing that following Him requires prioritizing Him above all else, including family and personal desires. The cross symbolizes the readiness to endure hardship or persecution for His sake.

Beyond the explicit “take up your cross” passages, the New Testament uses crucifixion-related imagery in other figurative ways:

Galatians 2:20 (ESV):  “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” 

Paul uses crucifixion metaphorically to describe the believer’s spiritual identification with Christ’s death, signifying the death of the old self (sinful nature) and the new life in Christ. This reflects a transformative surrender to God’s will.

Galatians 5:24 (ESV):  “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” 

Paul speaks of believers putting to death their sinful desires through their union with Christ’s crucifixion, emphasizing a life led by the Spirit rather than the flesh.

Galatians 6:14 (ESV):  “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” 

The cross is a symbol of Paul’s separation from worldly values and priorities. It represents a break from the world’s influence, achieved through Christ’s redemptive work.

Romans 6:6 (ESV):  “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” 

Paul uses crucifixion imagery to describe the believer’s participation in Christ’s death, which liberates them from the power of sin, enabling a new life of righteousness.

The figurative use of the cross and crucifixion in these passages draws on the brutal reality of crucifixion in the Roman world, where it was a shameful and agonizing form of execution. By invoking this imagery, Jesus and the New Testament writers emphasize:

Self-Denial: Disciples must prioritize Christ above personal comfort, ambitions, or even life itself.

Suffering and Persecution: Following Jesus may involve enduring hardship, rejection, or opposition, akin to carrying a cross to one’s execution.

Spiritual Transformation: Believers are called to die to their sinful nature and worldly attachments, living instead for Christ.

Daily Commitment: The call to take up the cross “daily” (Luke 9:23) highlights the ongoing nature of this sacrifice.

These metaphors would have been striking to first-century audiences familiar with crucifixion’s horror, making the call to discipleship both vivid and sobering. The cross is a powerful symbol of the radical commitment required to follow Jesus, and so the figurative use of crucifixion may have predated an actual story of a crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus’s crucifixion parallels the death of Socrates and Plato’s impaled just man in that society comes to see they wrongfully turned on and executed God’s especially beloved (agapetos) messenger (angelos) Jesus and so realizing this opens societies eyes like Adam’s eye were opened and is a catalyst for repentance.

This is a natural outgrowth of the Q1 saying to love your enemy, and so we have the loving Jesus of Q1 contrasted with the judging Christ of Q2, which Nietzsche seems to have noticed too.