Painting the Crucifixion
The text of the inscription about Jesus’ “crime” was placed on a sign to be nailed above his head. A painting by Fra Angelico (1434) suggests an interesting speculation about this inscription. Fra Angelico had a lifelong fascination with the written word. The accuracy of his Greek, Latin, and Hebrew inscriptions reveals his participation in the linguistic studies that flourished in Florence and Rome in the first half of the fifteenth century. In his crucifixion painting, he reconstructed what might have been the original Hebrew written on that sign.
Pilate’s Hidden Message?
The inscription in the painting reads in Hebrew: ישוע הנצרי ומלך היהודים. The phrase translates as, “Jesus the Nazarite and the King of the Jews.” Fra Angelico added “and” because grammatically it was very possibly (if not probably) the way the original text appeared.
So, how did Pilate return the favor to the Temple rulers who coerced him into condemning Jesus to die? He did so by writing the statement of Jesus’ guilt in Hebrew in such a way that it actually portrayed Jesus as YHWH (יהוה) Himself!
The Hebrew “King of the Jews”
But how? Here is the sentence “Jesus of Nazareth and the King of the Jews” in Hebrew. Remember, Hebrew is read from right to left. I’ve highlighted the first letter of each word.
ישוע הנצרי ומלך היהודים
The acrostic formed by taking the first letter of each word of the sentence “Jesus of Nazareth and (“ו”) the King of the Jews” is “יהוה” (YHWH) – the covenant name of Israel’s God! This could have been why the Temple leaders were so unhappy with how Pilate versed his charge. Want to learn more about the ancient Jewish world and its languages? Join Israel Bible Center– you'll never regret making your first step on this amazing journey with us!
