At the cross, a placard written in three languages (Hebrew, Latin, and Greek) was nailed above the Lord, naming him as “King of the Jews.”
There was a divine reason for the Latin inclusion on the sign placed above the Lord. It read: “Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum,” or “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Today, the abbreviation “INRI” is still written above crosses as a reminder.
Latin was the tongue of the immense Roman Empire, which ruled over the Holy Land. It was used in the areas of administration, legislation, and for military matters.
After persecution in Jerusalem, the early church spread westward, even into Rome, where Latin was spoken. By the third century, it was the dominant tongue. In the fourth century, St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, now known as the Vulgate from the early Koine Greek New Testament. The title, “Vulgate,” is similar to the English word, “vulgar,” referring to Latin as the common language of the people. God’s hand was at work, bringing his word to his people.
The Vulgate influenced translations of the Bible into the Romance languages, daughter languages of Latin, like French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Though Rome fell, Latin remained in use for church liturgy, scholarship and communication among the clergy. It is still the official language of the Roman Catholic Church today. At the Roman Catholic headquarters, in Vatican City, Latin is continues to be utilized for mass.
For 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has maintained the Latin vernacular. This is important, simply because the placard above the Lord was written in Latin. The Roman Catholic Church has continued to honor the Lord.
Their work has affected billions of people. Today, their descendants are 1.39 billion baptized individuals (2024).
Embroidered above in the artwork, “I AM,” are the words, “Iesus ego sum,” or “Jesus I AM” from John 18:5 in the Vulgate.
Listen to the “Pater Noster” or the “Our Father” prayer in Latin. Many of the first believers heard and memorized these words as the Gospel moved across Europe.