Lexical Summary prospégnumi: To fasten, to fix, to crucify Original Word: προσπήγνυμι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance crucify. From pros and pegnumi; to fasten to, i.e. (specially), to impale (on a cross) -- crucify. see GREEK pros see GREEK pegnumi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pros and pégnumi Definition to fasten to (spec. to a cross) NASB Translation nailed to a cross (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4362: προσπηγγνυμιπροσπηγγνυμι: 1 aorist participle προσπηξας; to fasten to (see πρός, IV. 4): Acts 2:23 (here absolutely, of crucifixion). (Dio Cassius, others.) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Imagery Strong’s Greek 4362 depicts the violent act of fastening a victim to wood with nails or spikes. The single New Testament use concentrates all the word’s force on the Crucifixion, conveying deliberate, physical attachment to the cross and the irrevocable sentence of death that follows. New Testament Setting (Acts 2:23) Acts 2:23 reads: “He was delivered over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, nailed Him to a cross and killed Him.” Peter’s Pentecost sermon couples divine sovereignty (“God’s set plan”) with human accountability (“you… nailed Him”). The verb therefore spotlights both heaven’s purpose and earth’s guilt, making the cross the focal point where the two intersect. Historical Background of Crucifixion Crucifixion was Rome’s most degrading public execution, reserved for rebels and slaves. Victims were stripped, paraded, and affixed to stakes or crosses outside city gates (Matthew 27:33; John 19:20). The Greek term captures the final stage of that process—the irreversible fastening that sealed a criminal’s fate and advertised imperial power. Peter’s use underscores that Jesus endured Rome’s ultimate shame, yet in fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53:5). Old Testament Foreshadowing Mosaic law declared, “Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:23). By employing a verb that stresses hanging and nailing to wood, Acts 2:23 recalls that curse and prepares the way for Paul’s explanation: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Psalm 22:16 also foretells pierced hands and feet, tying the singular Greek verb of Acts to a broader biblical portrait of Messiah’s suffering. Theological Significance 1. Atonement: The fastening described by 4362 signals substitution. Jesus is immovably fixed where sinners deserve to be, so that His death satisfies divine justice (Romans 3:25). Christological Focus The unique occurrence of 4362 magnifies the uniqueness of Christ’s death. No other figure in Scripture is said to be “nailed” with this verb; the exclusivity mirrors the once-for-all nature of His sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10). The word thus serves as a linguistic marker that the crucifixion of Jesus stands apart from every other execution in history. Implications for Preaching and Ministry • Evangelistic Urgency: Peter’s audience was “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) precisely because the verb drove home personal responsibility. Present-day proclamation should likewise confront hearers with their role in Christ’s death while offering the promised forgiveness (Acts 2:38). Conclusion Although Strong’s 4362 appears only once, it anchors the New Testament’s portrayal of Calvary. The verb’s vivid imagery, historical resonance, and theological depth converge to exalt the crucified and risen Lord, calling every generation to repentance, faith, and unwavering devotion. Forms and Transliterations προσπηξαντες προσπήξαντες prospexantes prospēxantes prospḗxantesLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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