Theology Life of Christ Practice Test 2026 - Free Life of Christ Practice Questions and Study Guide

The inscription over Jesus’ cross records the charge against him in a concise, multi-language form. According to the Gospel account, Pilate had it written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew as “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum,” which in English is rendered as “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” That is also the origin of the abbreviation INRI, standing for the Latin words Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.

This makes the choice with Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews the best fit. It preserves the exact phrasing of the Latin inscription (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum) and the definite article before “King,” matching how the title is presented in traditional translations. The wording with Israel instead of Jews, or with Nazarian/ Nazarenus rendered differently, shifts away from the historical inscription. The version that uses Nazareth rather than Nazarenus is close in meaning but the canonical inscription most widely attested and used in art and liturgy is the phrasing that includes “the King of the Jews.”