The Trilingual Inscription on the Cross
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(John 19:19-22)—Pilate wrote a title and placed it on Jesus’ cross: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” John says that it was written in Hebrew (that is, the local Jewish language, probably Aramaic), Latin, and Greek. Latin represented Roman authority, Greek was widely understood across the eastern Mediterranean, and the Semitic language addressed the local population. The chief priests objected, asking Pilate to write that Jesus merely claimed to be king, but he answered, “What I have written I have written.” The source’s suggestion that Pilate devised the wording chiefly to humiliate Jewish authorities is possible but not explicitly stated by the Evangelist. The Church reads the public and multilingual title as an unwitting proclamation of Christ’s kingship.