▁derived ▁scripts , ▁the ▁cross ▁symbol ▁represented ▁the ▁ph on eme ▁/ t /, ▁i . e . ▁the ▁letter ▁t aw , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁historical ▁prede cess or ▁of ▁Latin ▁T . ▁The ▁letter ▁name ▁t aw ▁means ▁" mark ", ▁pres umably ▁continu ing ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁hier og lyph ▁ ▁" two ▁crossed ▁st icks " ▁( G ard iner ▁Z 9 ). ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁W . ▁E . ▁V ine ' s ▁Ex pository ▁Dictionary ▁of ▁New ▁Testament ▁W ords , ▁wor sh ipp ers ▁of ▁Tam mu z ▁in ▁Chal de a ▁and ▁there about s ▁used ▁the ▁cross ▁as ▁symbol ▁of ▁that ▁god . See ▁also ▁Abr am ▁Herbert ▁Lewis , ▁P agan ism ▁surv iving ▁in ▁Christian ity , ▁G . P . ▁Put nam ' s ▁sons , ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁pp ▁ 2 3 7 , ▁ 2 3 8 . ▁ ▁Christian ▁cross ▁ ▁The ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁cross ▁( c ru x , ▁st au ros ▁" st ake , ▁g ib bet "), ▁as ▁represented ▁by ▁the ▁letter ▁T , ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁" se al " ▁or ▁symbol ▁of ▁Early ▁Christian ity ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁century . ▁ ▁Clement ▁of ▁Alexand ria ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 3 rd ▁century ▁calls ▁it ▁ ▁(" the ▁Lord ' s ▁sign ") ▁ ▁he ▁repe ats ▁the ▁idea , ▁current ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁Ep ist le ▁of ▁Bar nab as , ▁that