Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Daniel Ellenwood
One thing is for certain, the large iron steaks like railroad ties were not used on Christ as shown in so many movies! Nails that big would have broken his bones, if you've ever seen a skeleton. They would have had to have been large carpenter nails to slide between the skeletal bones in his hands. Scripture says in John 19:36 ".. that none of his bones would be broken!" As far as the cross, If it were a single pole then he would have been crucified on a pole, when one beam or board crosses another, then that would be a cross.
Danny Hickman
The Bible says He was crucified on a tree.
"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree." (Acts 5:30 NKJV) and also Acts 10:39 ..."whom they killed by hanging on a tree." Paul wrote that Christ had become a curse for us because "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). Peter wrote that Jesus "bore our sins in His own body on the tree..." (1 Peter 2:24).
The way it's depicted in modern "lore," it was a place dedicated to public executions. It was 'the crucifixion field,' or something like that. The beams with which the Cross is constructed look as though they were manufactured at a timber mill.
I believe Jesus was nailed to a tree. It might be, that He carried the beam that served as the cross member to which His hands would be attached, and He and that cross member were nailed to a tree that was already standing. However it was, the scriptures say it was a tree. There is no scripture that says it was a pole. What we are shown in modern lore is that it was a cross beam nailed to a pole, and it's called "The Cross." But the Bible states in numerous places that it was a tree, and nowhere that it was a pole.
Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived (Numbers 21:9). (stayed alive, continuing living in sinful nature)
This pole of Numbers 21 is a likeness of the Cross. The difference is, the Cross was an instrument of death. Sin died!!