Alternative execution methods for Jesus?

Old traditions show that Peter died with an inverted cross, by order of the Emperor.

In fact as the Book of John says, Jesus told him when he grew old, someone else will stretch their arms, cloth and carry him to a place he will not wish.

Also, I read he didn't died crucified, but a log, or stick.

Or more simple, make the cross a T.
 
Did the Romans ever do flaying, like the Boltons in Game of Thrones? Perhaps then the symbol of Chritianity may be the "flayed man" :eek:.

That creates a wondeful image of Chistianity evolving in a manner similar to the cult of Xipe Totec in Central Mexican religion, where the priests flayed sacrificial victims and wore their skins. Of course as the Religion of the Flayed Savior evolved, actual humans would no longer be sacrified and flayed, but the central element of Holy Communion might involve, not only "eating" Christ's body and "drinking" his blood, but communicants would also take turns removing and wearing "the skin" of christ (some sort of robe maybe).
 
What are some alternate executions that Jesus could have been executed with, and what would it's effects have been on Christianity? I'd prefer other Roman techniques but you can use other ones for it.

If he had been executed by other Jews, maybe stoning?
 

jahenders

Banned
I think stoning would have been the most likely. Then, as others have noted, having a small rock on a chain might not have caught on as a convenient/meaningful symbol. In some ways, the Chi Ro, fish, or lamb might be better philosophically in that it doesn't focus on his (means of) death.
 
Stoning implies a Jesus of Nazareth who is executed for a different crime. One which the earliest surviving accounts don't seem to suggest he was remotely guilty of in the context of the time. Jesus' execution on the cross, and the account that he was charged with claiming that he was "The King of the Jews" indicates he was executed for a crime against the Roman authorities-not against the Temple/Religious Authorities-though if the accounts we have are anything to go on-said authorities probably wouldn't have much cared for him to the extent they would have been aware of him. As I understand it crucifixion was the default form of punishment in those kinds of cases in the Ancient Roman world. I'm not sure there would have been another option assuming that he is killed by the Romans.

However, if we accept the tradition that Jesus of Nazareth was tortured prior to his actual execution-which seems likely given what I know of how the Romans operated, there's perhaps some possibility he could have been killed accidentally prior to being crucified.

The other option would be to have him to somehow escape from Jerusalem, only to be killed by order of Herod Antipas at some point when he returns to Galilee if I have the jurisdictional issues correct. Antipas' government might choose some other method for ending Jesus' career. After all, there's some indication that Jesus was associated with John the Baptist and Antipas had been the one who had John killed-he could do the same with Jesus.
 
Oh course he wouldn't fight, he'd probably just lay down his arms and ask to be killed. I'm not stupid, I'm just pointing out that that'd be quite an awesome way for Jesus to go.

Well, that would be the point of the Messiah. I didn't think you were stupid, just young. That is why I restrained myself. To use words like cool in connection with Christ's death is going to rub some people up the wrong way. It did with me and I'm a left-wing Anglican. Anyway, no hard feelings.
 
Didn't the Romans practice strangulation, or was that reserved for VIPs?

I don't know how the Jews of that period practiced stoning. Presumably the victim was tied down. Recently ISIS has been putting people to death by tying several people each to T shaped crosses and stoning them all at once. Perhaps this practice has ancient origins. So it's possible some sort of cross could still be relevant Christian symbolism.
 

jahenders

Banned
Yeah, strangulation could be a possibility, though not common for cases like Christ's. If that was it, I guess the symbol could just be a leather choker (no pun intended) around their neck.

Another possibility might be poison, though again not common for such cases. Then, the only death-method related symbol I can think of might be tiny vial/bottle worn around the neck.

Regardless of method of death, it seems that (other than the cross), there's a good chance the Chi Rho, Fish, etc would likely have become the main symbol. As it was, Chi Rho was pretty common. A form of that, for instance, is what the Emperor Constantine had painted on his shield when accepting Christ.

Didn't the Romans practice strangulation, or was that reserved for VIPs?

I don't know how the Jews of that period practiced stoning. Presumably the victim was tied down. Recently ISIS has been putting people to death by tying several people each to T shaped crosses and stoning them all at once. Perhaps this practice has ancient origins. So it's possible some sort of cross could still be relevant Christian symbolism.
 
Regarding symbols, first Christians preferred the fish symbol over the cross, so if not crucified, the symbol of the fish would have replaced it.
 
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