1. BIBLE AND JEHOVAH WITNESSES Illustrations and text: Allan Lepik
Estonia

2. One, three or Trinity
Jehovah witnesses say: ”It is clear truth that teaching about the Trinity is one of the Devil’s attempts to stop godly people from learning the truth about Jehovah.”
They add that the word “trinity” is not in the Bible and the theory about the Trinity is against all logic, it’s from the Devil.
  Deut.6:4 is one of the verses that JWs may think they can use to disprove the truth about the Trinity: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” JWs deny also that Jesus is God. They deny that the Holy Spirit is a person
Father Son
Holy Spirit

3. The word ”Trinity” is really not in the Bible
The word ”Trinity” is really not in the Bible. There are other words that are not in the Bible but we use them to describe some spiritual phenomenon.
But because Trinity as a phenomenon is in the Bible it has a biblical source.
Being “against logic” is not enough to deny teaching about the Trinity.
The Bible says: “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1.Cor.2:10).
“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1.Cor.2:14).
Father
Son
Holy Spirit

4. It is the biggest self­ deception to imagine that the limited and dulled human mind could analyse the entity and depth of the unlimited God. Only Holy Spirit can do that and only He can enlighten the truth of God’s Word.
It’s good to remind us that even the Old Testament talks about the Son of God and the Holy Spirit, Three in One and One in Three. It is not heathenish but divine and biblical (see also Gen.11:57; Isaiah 6:7-­8).
Jesus said about Himself: ”the Father and I are one,” (John 10:30)
JW’s say that this means only that Jesus and Father were of one mind. Of course Jesus and Father are of one mind but they are something much more! Jesus is One with the Father.
This means Trinity.

5. Is Jesus God or “Some God”
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. John wrote: “Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also”. (1John 2:23).
The tragedy of JWs is that when they do not recognise Jesus as God and God’s Son then they cannot have the Father!
JWs do not say that they deny Jesus. They even say that they believe in Him as God’s Son. Actually they only admit that Jesus was a human being and an ambassador of God but they deny His divinity.

6. Holy Spirit, third person of the Godhead or
a working power!
Father
Jesus
Faith
Jesus said to him: ”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. John wrote also: Hereby you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God (1John 4:2).
JWs compare the Holy Spirit with water, radio waves and electricity to emphasise that the Holy Spirit is not a person.
They do not say that God is not a person.

7. Holy Spirit is a person
In the Bible it is said that: “... many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ” (Rom.6:3), even Christ is a person.
In the Bible it is also said: “And to know the love of Christ, which passes all knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph.3:19).
The Bible says to us that like the Father and the Son are everlasting persons so is the Holy Spirit.

8. “It is finished!” Right or wrong –
JW teaching of redemption and salvation?
JWs say that they believe in Christ and talk about the “ransom” that Jesus paid. But redemption does not mean the same to them as to Christians. According to JW theory, Jesus’ redemption means that both the righteous and the wicked can resurrect to a thousand year kingdom of peace.
The thousand year kingdom of peace is to them a thousand year “judgement day”, for JWs resurrection is a thousand year judgement day where they have to attain perfection and purity.

9. Ransom was and is enough to make right a sinner who is repenting
Ransom was and is enough to make right a sinner who is repenting. The Bible says: “...by grace you have been saved...” (Eph.2:5). Those who take this salvation and grace are eligible for God and ... By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). This is the truth here and now, the Bible promises: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
God knew that the fallen descendants of Adam cannot achieve total purity without sin. It is not possible in a thousand nor in ten thousand years. There was just one who could comply with the law, lived a pure and sinless life. It is Jesus – Son of God who became a man. The Bible says: “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal.4:4­5 vt. Hebrews 9:12).

10. How many can be
born again?
Jesus said these words in relation to born again questions. Jesus meant what He
said – everyone who believes in the crucified and risen Christ has eternal life, they are born again. Jesus never limited this number to 144,000 “special persons.” John 1:12 tells us the same: ”But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” This is for everyone who wants to receive Jesus
and to believe in His name.
JWs teach that only 144,000 people can be born again.

11. Who can go to heaven,
God’s Kingdom?
They have taken away the key of
knowledge and stopped people from going in.
The Bible says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
It seems that those word are exactly about Watchtower believers. Jesus said also: “Woe unto you, lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered” (Luke 11:52). Watchtower belief has shut heaven’s door to millions with its non­biblical teaching .

12. Visible or invisible
coming of Jesus
In the Bible it talks about two comings of Jesus that have not come yet. The next one should be Jesus’ coming to His people. Jesus promised: “And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also”. (John 14:3).
JW explain that this promise is only for those 144,000. The rest have to focus on possible rescue from the Armageddon bloodbath and getting enough favours to achieve eternal life on earth. But this target is too hard to get.
This coming of Jesus is invisible and surprising. Then it is going to happen what Jesus talked about: “...the one shall be taken, and the other left...” (Mat.24:37-41; see also 1Thess.4:16-18).

13. The Bible says that after the tribulation time, before Armageddon’s end, Jesus then comes again with His saints visibly. (Jude 14-15). “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him...” (Rev.1:7).
The message of the Bible is clear – Jesus comes back and everybody can see Him. Unbelievers will cry out. Why? Because Jesus comes back as judge. The time of grace has finished.

14. Which one is right – only soul or spirit, soul and body together?
When we look in the Bible we see people as a whole creature, living beings, anointed souls. At the same time the Bible says that there is an inner nature. Humans are spirit, soul and body. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit
and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thess.5:23).
God created humans after His own likeness. There is a huge difference between creating humans and animals.
Spirit Soul Body
Soul
JWs talk about the human soul or spirit with
a different meaning than Christians do: “God didn’t create a human who has a soul. A human is a soul.“ They explain that a human’s soul is only a so called living force that is kept alive with breathing. For people at death it happens the same thing as for animals. There is no inner nature, soul or spirit.

15. Does the spirit go up or stay?
shall not rise: therefore have You visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.” JWs refer to scripture according to which flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom. (1Cor.15:50). When they talk about Jesus’ resurrection they do not mean it as: “was killed as human, was risen up as spirit.”
Instead they take just some part of a whole scripture again: ”...being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” But let’s read on: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison...” (1Peter 3:18-19).
According to JW teaching a human goes to nothingness after death. They talk about resurrection but with different meaning than Christians do. They say that this resurrection is not for everybody. They try to prove it with Isaiah 26:14: “They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they

16. JWs teach that Jesus died and went to nowhere
JWs teach that Jesus died and went to nowhere. Christians believe in the resurrection of the body but for JWs resurrection is just recreating. The Bible says that in the resurrection there is going to take place the body’s resurrection also. According to the Bible the body goes through a miraculous changing but it will not be ruined. Paul says that: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed ... Death is swallowed up in victory...” (1Cor.15:51-54). For Christians Jesus’ bodily resurrection is clear.

17. God is love The Bible says that God is love. Is God love?
The JW attitude to this comes from their feelings not from the Bible: “Does it make any sense that God would have made this kind of a fiery hell for those who do not serve Him?” There is a lot of room in JW teaching that is in need for love.
The Bible says
that God is love.

18. What is hell?
JWs teach that those who deny God will be just be completely burned up but they forgot that fire cannot burn eternal things.
For damnation is a place where burning will be experienced and will continue forever.

19. Damnation is created for the devil and his angels (Mathew 25:41)
Damnation is created for the devil and his angels (Mathew 25:41). But humans have become slaves of sin and the devil. Jesus says: ”...Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34). God is love and He gave His only Son for „that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life...” God loves the sinner but He hates sin. He cannot approve of sin’s nature. Sin will get final punishment. (Romans 1:18)
This freedom means deliverance from sin, death and the devil’s power. For those who are in Christ there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). The rich man was in a room and was suffering. Lazarus was in comfort and there was a chasm between them. (Luke 16:19-31).
 JWs do not want to believe that part of the Jesus’ story because it does not fit with their teaching.

20. celebrate feasts and holidays?
Is it appropriate to
celebrate feasts and holidays?
The Watchtower is keeping JWs under very strict control and does not allow them to participate in celebrating holidays (Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day etc.), birthdays, blood transfusion, elections, hoist the flag or join military service.
The Bible says that what God has made pure do not think it is forbidden.

21. Does hell exist?
There is not a hell
Is there a hell
Jehovah Witnesses believe that death finishes all kinds of existence and consciousness. Hell means a grave and those who are condemned by God will be destroyed and will stop existing.
Those who have spurned the eternal life that God is offering they have to suffer under eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:41; Rev.14:10,11)

22. Keep away from false prophets!
We don’t know
when is the In
This is characteristic of the prophecies of the Watchtower Association about the years 1917, 1920, and 1975.
The Bible warns us against false prophets who come and say that they speak in the name of God (Matthew 7:15; 1John 4:1). Deut.18:21-­22 says that everybody who foretells something that does not come to pass must be called a false prophet.

23. Was Jesus nailed to a cross or a post?
on a post
on a cross
JWs believe that
Jesus died at
Golgotha hung on a post
We believe that Jesus died at Golgotha on a cross for your and my sins.

24. Who is the King of Honour in heaven?
Jesus is the angel Michael
Jesus is really the eternal king
JWs teach that Jesus is a created being who existed as the archangel Michael before becoming a perfect human. They believe that after Jesus was buried, God changed His body to be non- existent. He is now known in heaven as Michael again.
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is God come in bodily form and is creator of all things. After death Jesus rose from the grave physically, was revealed to and was recognised by more than people. (Luke 24:39; John 2:19­21; 1Cor.15:6,14 ).

25. Facts about JW’s false teaching “Ruling authorities” Rom. 13:1
1916 — “ruling authorities” means government.
1943 — “ruling authorities” means Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.
1964 — “ruling authorities” means authorities, government.
“Resurrection of men of Sodom.” ­ They will be resurrected ­ They will not be resurrected.
1965 ­ They will be resurrected.
1988 ­ They will not be resurrected.
Word “Lord” in Romans 10:12­-16
1903 — “Lord” means Jesus — “Lord” means Jehovah — “Lord” means Jesus
1980 — “Lord” means Jehovah
No, no,
no, no!

26. The leaders of
JW teaching

27. The leaders of
JW teaching

30. How do we receive uninvited guests? In Jehovah Witness teachings.
"When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town! Luke 10:5-12

31. How do we receive uninvited guests? In Christian teachings.
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2John 9-11
Everybody can see that these two scriptures Luke 10:5-12 and 2John 9-11 are talking about different things. Do we receive uninvited religious teachers to our house?
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1John 4:2-3

32. Why do JWs abstain from blood transfusions?
They have two reasons for that:
First, they follow word by word from Deuteronomy 12:23: “But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat” Here it says about eating blood but JWs expand it to mean blood transfusions. The second reason is the danger of catching infection of AIDS or some other virus that infects by blood. There is nothing in the Bible about blood transfusion. It is allowed! God has created humans so valuable! People cannot serve other gods, sacrifice blood nor drink blood. But JWs do not think of a human’s value to save them through blood transfusion. Doctors are used by God and they are examining blood to find AIDS, infectious diseases etc.

33. Why do JWs abstain from blood transfusions?
But when a doctor cannot save a human’s life
then pray and believe in God that He will help.
Jesus said that sick people need a doctor not
the healthy. We can understand an adult JW’s conviction about blood transfusion but if there
is a situation where a JW does not allow to make one for his own child – it is a much more complicated and serious situation.

34. We may see some facts about Russell
 We may see some facts about Russell. There was a court case against Russell where a baptist pastor Ross with his lawyer Staunton accused him of deceiving people.
Staunton: Do you know the Greek alphabet?
Russell: But of course!
Staunton: Could you tell me correct names of all the letters
When I show you them?
Russell: Yes, some of them.
Staunton: Could you name these letters on page 447 here?
Russell: Yes, but I do not know if I can ...
Staunton: You do not know these letters? But have a look once more, if you know them ...
Russell: Well ... I think ... (conversation stopped here)
Staunton: Do you know anything about Greek?
Russell: No

35. Facts about the “Watchtower” magazine
Since 1985 a group of scholars have gathered together the so called “Jesus’ seminar” to ascertain the authenticity of Jesus’ words. Did He really say what the Bible says? They used coloured beads for each type of Jesus’ saying.
A red bead meant that the sentence was definitely said by Jesus. A pink bead meant that it might have been said by Jesus. A grey bead meant that it is doubtful that Jesus said that and a black bead meant a fabrication.
They said at the seminar that possibly Jesus has not said about 82% of the words that are ascribed to Him. Only one citation in Mark was acknowledged as trustworthy. They say that the Gospel of Luke is so full of propaganda that it is even impossible to ascertain the original text. All of John’s gospel (except three lines) received black beads and some of John received grey beads.

36. Facts about the “Watchtower” magazine
 We are warning you do not believe what the
“Watchtower” says about the four gospels. The
Bible says that we cannot leave out Jesus’ words
in the gospels. In Revelation is says: “I warn
every one who hears the words of the prophecy
of this book: If anyone adds anything to them,
God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Rev. 22:18-19.

37. JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES – what is good in them?
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES – what is good in them?
There is something good in every person and every religion has something attractive that fulfills the needs of people. Otherwise that religion wouldn’t have any followers. Every religion fulfills some need.
JWs are mainly sincere, faithful and sacrifice for their beliefs. They make offerings and do not cheat with money. Their annoying and tireless home visitations is explainable in that that they are trying to earn for themselves with their favourable works a new place in the JW world. Visiting homes, preaching, sharing and selling magazines, helping people with a goal to recruit and convince them that everything else is not important compared to building Jehovah’s kingdom.

38. to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
Many have joined JWs because JWs have contacted the lonely, sad and neglected. The have helped them with money, support and have been there even when a person’s family has forgotten them – these are very big things! In their gratitude people go with their trust even if they do not have any faith themselves.
Usually people have interest about the Bible but when reading it themselves they have not understood it. Now the JWs are people who want to sit down with them and explain the Bible to them.

39. to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
JWs even help people practically in housekeeping. They go do the shopping for them. It is clear that people are grateful for this kind of kindness and they think: ”I may listen to what they say, it does not cost me much!” Especially when they see that JWs do not expect anything from them. It seems that they are doing it generously without expecting any reward. There are Christian principles and love in their behaviour. Many of them have never met a true Christian – so to them JWs are the most perfect that could be in a human or what a true Christian could be like.

40. to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
We must say that usually Christians are not so eager. Someone said once that
false religions are the unpaid debts of the church. JWs are a big challenge
for Christians. Christians have so much to learn from these who are not Christians by their belief but are more Christian by their behaviour. What is their large success about? They are working night and day. They believe sincerely and reach out personally to many people. They have to visit 50 homes before they find some who will receive them.
They have to visit a person about 20 times before she/he surrenders to their influence. This is a lot of work to get one person but the JWs are ready for this. The JW comes in a beautiful package ­ charming, attractive, innocent for the ignorant but it is a lie.

41. JEHOVAH WITNESSES – what is wrong with them?
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
JEHOVAH WITNESSES – what is wrong with them?
There are so many things wrong with them but these are not written on their outside package. Their poison is like arsenic – a drop by drop misunderstanding about life and Jesus. Like slowly boiling a frog in water — it doesn’t know till its too late – a person does not understand what is really happening...how he is estranged from his family, how explanations that are given in the meetings of JW make problems and divisions between family and JW even bigger. A family’s anger grows because the JWs say it is the right one and anybody else is from the devil. This kind of attitude ruins everything and the person will lose his family and friends.

42. JEHOVAH WITNESSES – what is wrong with them?
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father, but by me” John 14:6
...Jehovah’s Witnesses ... Who are they?
JEHOVAH WITNESSES – what is wrong with them?
Now he is socially and psychologically in this constrictive organisation – a fly in a spider’s web – cannot get out!
A person in JWs is not able to communicate without repeating their teaching that comes as though they are a tape recording. A person becomes an automation. Relationships depend only on the fact whether the others are either “in” or “out.”

43. JEHOVAH WITNESSES — CHRISTIAN OR FALSE?
Why JWs are considered as a false Christian religion?
Why do others have to reveal their real teaching?
Why are they hiding the truth and basic arguments until a person is already captured by them, has given away his own thinking and given up his family?
Why are they so successful in gathering many people when people are actually tired of their intruding? Most people do not believe very easily a person who thinks that only he is the right one and even more this one who has spread their faith for only about 70 years (the name Jehovah’s Witnesses was given in 1931 in Ohio, USA. The original organization “Watchtower of Sion” was established by “pastor” Charles Taze Russell in 1897).

44. JEHOVAH WITNESSES — CHRISTIAN OR FALSE?
Why JWs are considered as a false Christian religion?
What is harmful in their teaching for members of the JW organisation and society?
What to do with people who believe so deeply that with them truth has come into the world so that they have to push it onto others? Did Jesus do it that way? Or did he leave a free choice for people?
Where are JW’s basic arguments wrong compared to biblical Christianity?

45. They do not allow their members to attend any other church
They do not allow their members to attend any other church. If they do then they will be thrown out of JW. See these drawings about JW life!
The Bible shows us that if anyone would like to seek for truth and to follow Jesus with all their heart then they will be thrown out from a church of false religion!
Johannes 9:35-41.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him. Jesus said, "For judgment I have come Into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. .

51. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
An argument that Jesus died on a post is based on the Greek
words stauros and xylon and the Latin word crux that meant
originally a straight post. They were used for a cross a bit later.
Historical excavations prove the traditional cross. One finding
is from the year 200 AD, a drawing on Roman Palestine walls. There
is a crucified donkey; it ridicules a Christian prisoner. Romans
found it very derisory that Christians worshipped Jesus whom they
had crucified.

52. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
In July 1968 graves were discovered north of Jerusalem. Those graves were
from about the first century BC to first century AD. A Greek archaeologist
Vasilius Tzaferis was assigned by the Department of Israel Heritage Protection
to research those graves. One of the most important finds was a crucified man
who was the son of Yehohanan Chaggoli and was crucified at about age
Tzaferis wrote an article for the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR) in January/February Some of his comments about crucifixion in Jesus’ days were: “At the end of the first century AD the Romans used crucifixion as a legal punishment for non-Romans who had committed certain crimes. Originally it
was used not as an execution but as a punishment. Only slaves who were
guilty of certain crimes were executed by crucifixion. Over the slaves’ neck was
put a wooden beam that was called a fruca or patibulum and the slave’s hands
were tied to it. When the procession got to the place of execution a vertical
post was put into the ground. Sometimes a criminal was just roped to the cross.
In that instance the patibulum to which the criminal’s hands were tied was just attached to the vertical post with ropes.

53. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
When a criminal was nailed up on a cross he was laid shoulders down on the patibulum. His hands were stretched out and nailed to the patibulum. Then the patibulum was lifted up and roped to the vertical post.
The victim’s legs were nailed to the vertical post. To lengthen the agony the Romans invented two devices that kept a person on a cross alive for a long time. One was a little seat about the centre of the vertical post. This held the victim’s body up a bit and it explains the Roman saying “sit on the cross.” Iranaeus and Justin Martyr the church fathers describe that on Jesus’ cross there were five not four ends, the fifth one was probably that seat.”
In the November/December issue the next article was published in BAR about the archaeological find:
“According to Roman literary sources a crucified person never carried a whole cross as illustrations about Jesus’ journey to Golgotha show us. Instead only a horizontal post was carried. A vertical post was at the execution place
ready where it was used for earlier and later executions also.

54. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
As a Jewish historian Josephus noted that wood in the first century AD was so rare that Romans had to travel about 10 miles from
Jerusalem to find material for their execution machine.
In addition to these findings there are some earlier findings. A burial place or cave was found in 1873 by French scientist Charles Clemant—Ganneau on the Mount of Olives. In this
cave were about 30 quadrangular stone coffins in which were skeletons. On one coffin was written the name “Judah” with the sign of a cross. On three coffins was the name “Jesus”, two of those had the sign of the cross.
It is improbable that to this area would have been buried Christians after 135 AD because the Romans did not allow Jews to go to the Aelia Capitolasse anymore after the second insurgency of the Jews. (Ancient Times, issue 3, no 1, July page 3).

55. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
In 1939 in Herolaneum, a neighbouring city of Pompeii (that was destroyed by volcano in 78 AD), there was found a house where there was a wooden cross on the wall. From “Buried History”, (issue 10, no.1, March, page 15): “Under this cross was a step and something that looked like a locker. It was thought to be an altar but it could have been also used for praying. If this is correct we have an example of early home church.
In 1945 a family grave was discovered by Hebrew University Heritage Protection professor E.L.Sukenik. He had discovered: “Two of the
coffins have the name “Jesus” written on them…they have also two
signs of a cross drawn…Prof. Sukenik says that those names and
drawings are connected. They express sorrow about Jesus’
crucifixion and are written about that time…
Prof. Sukenik emphasizes that the cross may picture “crucifixion figuratively, it is equal to the cry: He is crucified!” The grave was dated to the first century AD but not later than the midsection of the first century AD.

56. ? Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post??
It means that those drawings on the coffins were made about twenty years after Jesus’ crucifixion.” (Ancient Times, Issue 3, no 1, July, page 35. See also publ.5, 1961, March, page 13).
In the magazine Bible Review, April issue, 1989 was an
interesting article “Two questions about crucifixion.”
It was divided into two sections with subtitles: “Did the
victim die because of asphyxiation?” and “Could nails
beaten into the palms carry the whole body?”
In this article the author criticises an earlier crucifixion theory that was formulated by A.A.Lebec in 1925 and was published by Dr. Pierre Barbet in 1953: (1) Jesus died because of asphyxiation, He couldn’t raise his chest to breathe and (2) nails that were beaten through His palms were actually beaten through His wrists (because a hand cannot hold the whole body). The proofs do not support Barbet’s theory.

57. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
Medical research of Columbia University and the Surgeons’ College professor Frederick T. Zugibe demonstrates:
(1) Jesus did not die because of asphyxiation but more likely because of shock and trauma. A man who is hung with hands up would suffocate in a few minutes but the one whose hands are stretched under degrees can live for hours.
(2) There are two places on both palms that could hold the whole body – this makes the “theory of wrists” unnecessary.
A year later Lebes and
Barbet concluded that
a person with their
hands tied up would
die in a few minutes because of asphyxiation, the reason would be the inability of the lungs to expand and contract in this position.

58. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
Austrian radiologist Hermann Moedder experimented with his medical students hanging them up by their hands. After a few minutes students changed to pale-faced, their vital capacity decreased from 5.2 litres to 1.5 litres, blood pressure decreased and pulse accelerated. Moedder concluded that the inability to breathe comes in about six minutes if they are not allowed to rest in the meantime.
The same would have been with Christ. If He would have been crucified as it is illustrated in the JW’s Watchtower magazine – hands overhead – then He would have been dead in a few minutes. Zugibe discovered that if his students were hung with hands stretched about degrees they could breathe for hours.

59. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
Since Luke 23:44 and Matthew 27:45-46 show that Christ was on the cross for about three hours then this evidence is proof that He was executed on a cross. So if Jesus did not die because of asphyxiation what killed Him?
Firstly, Jesus lost much blood through
perspiration that was a result of extreme
tension. After being arrested He was beaten with a whip that had metal balls and pieces of bone. When the pieces of bone penetrated the skin they traumatized nerves, muscles and skin. Exhaustion with shivers, sweat and cramps followed. The body loses most of its fluids. Already before crucifixion Jesus was in shock because of whipping, and the crown of thorns and beating injuring His head nerves. Finally, He was nailed to the cross with three big metal nails that penetrated through His hands and feet.

60. Did Jesus die on the cross or on a post?
This injured nerves and caused a dearth of fluids that caused terrible pain which resulted in shock. In the next three hours every little move caused horrific pain. Death came with extreme shock through exhaustion, pain and loss of blood.

61. How does the Bible picture the cross?
In reading a survey of the gospels it is
not difficult to notice that the
description of Jesus’ crucifixion is the same as the method proved by archaeological findings described in the previous paragraph. Even though the Jews regarded the cross as a shameful thing, the apostle Paul boasted of Christ’s cross. In his letter to the Galatians 6:14 he says: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The Greek word that is translated as “boast” is kauchomai and it means to boast about something or worship something. Paul boasted about the symbol of the cross, it was a symbol of victory not of defeat. 1Cor.1:17,18 says that Christ has sent him to proclaim the message of the cross and people will stand or fall depending on how they receive that message. Then he says that some are ashamed of the cross (because of its shameful meaning for them) and others think it’s foolishness (verse 21-23).

62. How does the Bible picture the cross?
But for Christians, the cross means God’s power and wisdom. He says so because God has chosen weak, foolish
and despised things in this world, that
God’s children could worship what others despise.
Paul writes to the Corinthians that he has decided to use the message of Christ’s cross as the main point in his preaching (1Cor.2:2), even leaving out many scientific explanations. Why?
So that God could separate those who receive this message with wrong motives. He does not want to draw people giving them material or intellectual hope but He wants to reach those who understand that this world is under sin and who appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice.
Paul talks about the “enemies of the cross” (Phil 3:18). He says that the old person and the Law “are crucified” (Col 2:4). He talks about the “crucifixion of the old body” (Gal.2:20;5:24). Paul presents the cross as the symbol of victory not defeat. He is boasting of the cross!