Footnote

a The idea seems to have come from the writings of the Spanish bishop Isidore of Seville (560-636 C.E.), who argued: “There are three sacred languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and they are supreme through all the world. For it was in these three languages that the charge against the Lord was written above the cross by Pilate.” Of course, the decision to post the charge in those three languages was made by the pagan Romans. The decision was not directed by God.