[biannaruh]

But, seriously, all he's saying is that prior to Christ's crucifixion, the word "stauron" was more broad than just "cruciform hanging execution". It certainly doesn't precude it, however. It's interesting to note that after Christ, the word became more specific, referring to exactly what we think it means now. Gosh, could that be because Christ was executed exactly the way we think he did? And the Christian Tradition affected linguistics in the most logical and predictable way possible? Then what of the Old Testament prefigurations and prophecies of the Cross? The bronze serpent in the shape of a T? Moses stretching out his arms during which the Red Sea remained parted, allowing the Israelites to escape Pharaoh's army? Some liturgical selections from Matins of the Third Sunday of Great Lent, which also address the method by which Christ was fixed to the cross:

The godly Moses prefigured Your Cross of old, when he led Israel through the Red Sea, cutting the water with his rod, Your Cross; and he sang You a song of departure, Christ our God.

As with our hands we now embrace Your Cross, which Moses of old prefigured with his outstretched arms, the invisible Amalek we put to flight, Christ our Master, through whom we shall be saved.

What shall we offer You, O Christ? For You have given us Your Precious Cross to venerate, on which Your all-holy Blood was poured out, and to which Your flesh was fixed by nails. As with love we kiss it we give You thanks.

The wood which the Prophet of lamentation saw cast into Your bread, — your Cross, compassionate Lord — we greet and we sing in praise of Your bonds and tomb, of the lance and nails.

Jonah in the belly of the whale foreshadowed by his outstretched hands the figure of the divine Cross; and he leapt out from the monster, saved by Your power, O Word.

Today, you peoples, as we dance and sing to the harp, let us greatly rejoice at the veneration of the Cross, glorifying Christ who was nailed upon it, the God of our fathers, alone blessed and greatly glorified.

He who delivered the Youths from the flames took flesh and came upon the earth. Nailed to the Cross, He granted us salvation, the God of our fathers, alone blessed and greatly glorified.

Of old Jacob prefigured Your Cross, O Christ, when he venerated the top of Joseph’s holy staff, foreseeing this dread sceptre of Your Kingdom, which now we worship in faith to the ages.

Daniel, great among the prophets, was once cast into the lions’ den; but, stretching out his hands in the form of the Cross, unharmed he was saved from being devoured by them, as he blessed Christ our God to the ages.

And, a couple from the feast of September 14:

Prefiguring Your Cross, O Christ, in giving his blessing to his grandsons, the Patriarch Jacob crossed his hands over their heads. And raising it aloft today, O Saviour, we cry out: Grant victory to all Orthodox Christians over their adversaries, as You gave the victory to Constantine.

Of old, Joshua, the son of Nun, mystically prefigured the image of the Cross when he stretched forth his arms in the form of the Cross, O my Saviour; and the sun stood still until he had cast down all the enemy opposed to You, O God. And now You have raised with You the whole world, which saw You set upon the Cross, destroying the might of death.

From memory, other liturgical sources such as the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete and the Holy Week services similarly link OT scripture with the form of the cross, and the manner in which Christ was fixed to the cross. The OT material alone is proof enough that Christ could not have been impaled, nor have been fixed to a pole (as the Jehovah's Witnesses believe), or on an implement or object which did not have a vertical component intersected by a horizontal component, on which His arms were extended.