The Sign Above the Cross

The Sign Above the Cross
For many years, I taught Sunday school using an Old Testament and New Testament Bible timeline. My basic format consisted of oral stories and thoughtful questions. After my husband died, I began writing biblical poetry. Year by year, my poems began to form into something similar to past Bible lessons.

First, I tell a story in the form of a poem. Next, More of the Story is provided through historical background information and interesting facts. Finally, The Rest of the Story is completed with Scripture quotations directly from the Bible. This next poem is not included in People in the Gospels. (I wrote it for this blog.) However, it will illustrate my poem creating process.

Pilate wrote an inscription and put it on the cross.
It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
(John 19:19 )

Jesus bore His cross,
Between two other men.
The signs above their heads were true,
But Jesus’ sign had a different view.

Pilate wrote Jesus’ crime,
In clear letters above His head.
JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS,
Were the words the people read.

The chief priests did not like the sign.
They asked Pilate to change it.
But Jesus said He was their KING,
So, Pilate chose to keep it.

“What I have written, I have written.”
Were the words Pilate declared.
The sign was not rewritten.
TRUTH continued to be shared.

More of the Story
The sign above Jesus’ head was a Roman-mandated inscription indicating his crime. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek for everyone to read. The crimes above the heads of the other two men were also written on signs. Their punishment was just. Pilate believed Jesus was innocent and made at least five attempts to release Him, all without success. At His crucifixion, it appears Pilate finally had enough of the Jewish religious leaders’ complaints to alter the sign. After Jesus declared He really was the King of the Jews, Pilate refused to change it.

The Rest of the Story
(John 19:17-22; Luke 23:4, 15, 20, 22; John 19:4, 12-13)