It's springtime in South Carolina and the flowering dogwoods are in full bloom. Prompted by the beauty of spring and the beginning of the Easter season, a reader wants to know if there is anything to the legend of the dogwood. You'll recall the legend states that the cross on which Jesus was crucified was made from a dogwood tree. Therefore, (the legend goes) God decreed that the dogwood tree would from that day on, would never again grow large enough to make a cross. Thus, today the dogwood is small and twisted. The legend also states that the flower of the dogwood has two long and two short petals making the shape of a cross. In the center of the outer edge of each petal are representations of the nails--brown with rust and stained red with blood. The center of the flower is said to resemble the crown of thorns with bright red, clustered fruit. The mottling of the leaves with red in autumn is also supposed to be a symbol of the Savior's spilled blood on Calvary. The pink dogwood is said to be blushing for shame because of the purpose which it served in the Crucifixion. The weeping dogwood further symbolizes this sorrow.
As you know, there is absolutely no reference in the Bible to the cross being made from a dogwood tree--much less, God decreeing that the tree should become small and twisted. It seems to me that the legend of the dogwood is in the same category as the once popular Christian practice of collecting relics. In The History of the Christian Church, Philip Schaff has a chapter on the worship of relics (see volume 5, pp.275 & 844-). Some of the "discovered" items include: The finger that Thomas thrust into the Saviour's side, a thorn from the crown of thorns, one of John the Baptist's arms, the Holy Grail, the bones of the three kings, Caspar, Melchior and Belthazar (reputed to have been the Magi who brought gifts to the baby Jesus), Noah's beard, a piece of the ark, drops of sweat from Gethsemane, 42 complete bodies of saints, St. Stephen's head, several of the pots which had been used at Cana and a portion of the wine Jesus made, some earth from the field where God made Adam, pieces of the rods of Aaron and Moses, a piece of Mary's belt, some straw from the manger in Bethlehem, the horns of Moses, the stone on which Jacob slept at Bethel, the branch from which Absalom hung, our Lord's foreskin, his navel cord, his coat, tears he shed at the grave of Lazarus, milk from Mary's breasts, the table on which the Last Supper was eaten, Christ's tooth, the holy coat and blood of Christ and of course, the true cross--which was found more than once. It is said that the fragments of the true cross were so numerous that the cross had the ability of multiplying itself indefinitely.
One wonders if sentimental legends and false relics detract from the harsh reality of the crucifixation of Christ and its deeper meaning of His dying on our behalf?
From the Encylopaedia Britannica
"There were various methods of performing the execution. Usually, the condemned man, after being whipped, or "scourged," dragged the crossbeam of his cross to the place of punishment, where the upright shaft was already fixed in the ground. Stripped of his clothing either then or earlier at his scourging, he was bound fast with outstretched arms to the crossbeam or nailed firmly to it through the wrists. The crossbeam was then raised high against the upright shaft and made fast to it about 9 to 12 feet (approximately 3 metres) from the ground. Next, the feet were tightly bound or nailed to the upright shaft. A ledge inserted about halfway up the upright shaft gave some support to the body; evidence for a similar ledge for the feet is rare and late. Over the criminal's head was placed a notice stating his name and his crime. Death, apparently caused by exhaustion or by heart failure, could be hastened by shattering the legs (crurifragium) with an iron club, so that shock and asphyxiation soon ended his life.
Crucifixion was most frequently used to punish political or religious agitators, pirates, slaves, or those who had no civil rights. In 519 BC Darius I, king of Persia, crucified 3,000 political opponents in Babylon; in 88 BC Alexander Jannaeus, the Judaean king and high priest, crucified 800 Pharisaic opponents; and in about AD 32 Pontius Pilate had Jesus of
Nazareth put to death by crucifixion." Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
And finally . . .
Actually, there are about 50 species of dogwood around the world with 17 of them being found in the United States. The hardness of dogwood branches made them useful as arrows. In ancient times, in some places they were known are "Arrow-wood" trees or as "Indian Arrow-wood trees." The lowly name "Dogwood" may have come from England. It is said that at one time, people boiled the bark of these trees and used the solution to treat their dogs for mange.

Blessings in your study of God's Word!

Marvin Hunt

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