[align=left][align=left]Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says:
" The shape of the latter had it's origin in ancient Chaldea, and was used of the symbol of of the god Tammaz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name in that country and adjacent lands, including Egypt.
By the middle of the 3rd cent. A.D. the churches had either departed from, or had travestied, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration of faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in it's most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ"[/CENTER][/CENTER]

5هَؤُلاَءِ \لاِثْنَا عَشَرَ أَرْسَلَهُمْ يَسُوعُ وَأَوْصَاهُمْ قَائِلاً: «إِلَى طَرِيقِ أُمَمٍ لاَ تَمْضُوا وَإِلَى مَدِينَةٍ لِلسَّامِرِيِّينَ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا. 6بَلِ \ذْهَبُوا بِالْحَرِيِّ إِلَى خِرَافِ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ \لضَّالَّةِ. "متى" 10

32فَكُلُّ مَنْ يَعْتَرِفُ بِي قُدَّامَ \لنَّاسِ أَعْتَرِفُ أَنَا أَيْضاً بِهِ قُدَّامَ أَبِي \لَّذِي فِي \لسَّمَاوَاتِ

33وَلَكِنْ مَنْ يُنْكِرُنِي قُدَّامَ \لنَّاسِ أُنْكِرُهُ أَنَا أَيْضاً قُدَّامَ أَبِي \لَّذِي فِي \لسَّمَاوَاتِ.

34«لاَ تَظُنُّوا أَنِّي جِئْتُ لِأُلْقِيَ سَلاَماً عَلَى \لأَرْضِ. مَا جِئْتُ لِأُلْقِيَ سَلاَماً بَلْ سَيْفاً.

35فَإِنِّي جِئْتُ لِأُفَرِّقَ \لإِنْسَانَ ضِدَّ أَبِيهِ وَ\لاِبْنَةَ ضِدَّ أُمِّهَا وَ\لْكَنَّةَ ضِدَّ حَمَاتِهَا.

36وَأَعْدَاءُ \لإِنْسَانِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ.

37مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَباً أَوْ أُمّاً أَكْثَرَ مِنِّي فَلاَ يَسْتَحِقُّنِي وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ \بْناً أَوِ \بْنَةً أَكْثَرَ مِنِّي فَلاَ يَسْتَحِقُّنِي

38وَمَنْ لاَ يَأْخُذُ صَلِيبَهُ وَيَتْبَعُنِي فَلاَ يَسْتَحِقُّنِي.

25فِي ذَلِكَ \لْوَقْتِ قَالَ يَسُوعُ: «أَحْمَدُكَ أَيُّهَا \لآبُ رَبُّ \لسَّمَاءِ وَ\لأَرْضِ لأَنَّكَ أَخْفَيْتَ هَذِهِ عَنِ \لْحُكَمَاءِ وَ\لْفُهَمَاءِ وَأَعْلَنْتَهَا لِلأَطْفَالِ.