The Jehovah’s Witnesses say Jesus died on a “torture stake.” If Jesus had died by being impaled (hung on a tree) without any broken bones, would it have made a difference to our salvation?
First, Jesus didn't have any broken bones. (Where does the Bible say his bones were broken?) As for impaling – the position of the Jehovah’s Witnesses – it’s hard to see how a different form of execution would nullify the power of Jesus’s blood.
However, all the archaeological and literary and biblical evidence suggest he was crucified on a cross. So do the material remains of crucified persons—feet nailed (through the ankles) to the upright.
The witnesses are partially correct. In classical Greek, stauros means an upright pole. A crosspiece was often attached to the top of the pole. We can be certain of this from the ancient depictions of crucifixion, for example the 2nd century Alexamenos Graffito.
