“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” – John 8:32
NOTE: This is taken from a Biblical account of Christ’s death from the scourging and crucifixion. It is based on the gospel accounts, and historical and medical knowledge. Christ’s voluntary death for our sins in this very cruel way is central to our understanding of His love for us! Some say Jesus was murdered but that is far from the truth! He gave His life willingly that Scripture may be fulfilled! A Crucifixion is the torture and execution of a person by fixation to a cross. This was a relatively common form of execution for criminals in the time of Christ. Most historical evidence suggests that it was the “T” shaped cross used to crucify Christ.
The Precious Blood Of Our Passover Lamb: He Paid It All
The physical passion of Christ began at Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. Jesus and His disciples entered into a place called Gethsemane; his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Jesus prayed saying, “… O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt,” (Matthew 26:39). “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him,” (Luke 22:43). There were 12 legions of Angels to help Jesus, but Jesus knew He was to fulfill Scripture saying, “But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matthew 26:54). Christ prayed in anguish, His sweat became as drops of blood. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground,” (Luke 22:44). This is a very rare, but documented process called Hematidrosis or bloody sweat. It is caused by great emotional stress breaking the tiny capillaries in the sweat glands. This causes blood to mix with the normal sweat. This process alone can cause weakness and a state of shock.
Although Jesus’ betrayal and arrest are important portions of the passion story, the next event in the account which is significant from a medical perspective is His trial before the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas, the High Priest. Here the first physical trauma was inflicted. A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiaphas. The palace guards then blindfolded Him, mockingly taunted Him to identify them as each passed by, spat on Him, and struck Him in the face.
Before Pilate
In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and worn out from a sleepless night, Jesus was taken across Jerusalem to the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. We are familiar with Pilate’s action in attempting to shift responsibility to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Judea. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate. It was then, in response to the outcry of the mob, that Pilate ordered Barabbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion.
There is much disagreement among authorities on scourging as a prelude to crucifixion. Most Roman writers from this period do not associate the two. Many scholars believe that Pilate originally ordered Jesus scourged as his full punishment and that the death sentence by crucifixion came only in response to the taunts by the mob that Pilate was not properly defending Caesar against this pretender who claimed to be the King of the Jews. “Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go,” (Luke 23:20-22).
It is doubtful whether the Romans made any attempt to follow the Jewish law in the matter of scourging. The Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty lashes. The Pharisees, always making sure that the law was strictly kept insisted that only thirty-nine lashes be given. In case of a miscount, they were sure of remaining within the law. “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one,” (2 Corinthians 11:24). “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed,” (I Peter 2:24). Jesus took those 39 stripes for our healing, each stripe representing the 39 different groups of diseases. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed,” (Isaiah 53:5). Preparations for Jesus’ scourging were carried out at Caesar’s orders. The prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. The Roman legionnaire stepped forward with the flagrum, or flagellum, in his hand. This was a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back and legs. At first the weighted thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continued, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles.
The small balls of lead first produced large deep bruises which were broken open by subsequent blows. Finally, the skin of the back was hanging in long ribbons, and the entire area was an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it was determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner was near death, the beating was finally stopped.
Mockery
The half-fainting Jesus was then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with his own blood. The Roman soldiers saw a great joke in this provincial Jew claiming to be a king. They threw a robe across His shoulders and placed a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still needed a crown to make their travesty complete. Small flexible branches covered with long thorns, commonly used for kindling fires in the charcoal braziers in the courtyard, were plaited into the shape of a crude crown. The crown was pressed into his scalp and again there was copious bleeding as the thorns pierced the very vascular tissue. “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matthew 27:29). After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers took the stick from His hand and struck Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally, they tired of their sadistic sport and tore the robe from His back. The robe had already become adherent to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, caused excruciating pain. The wounds again began to bleed.
Golgotha
In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans apparently returned His garments. “And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him,” (Matthew 27:31).
The heavy patibulum of the cross was tied across His shoulders. The procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves, and the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion began its slow journey along the route which we know today as the Via Dolorosa.
In spite of Jesus’ efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious loss of blood, He stumbled and fell. The rough wood of the beam gouged into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed begone their endurance. The centurion, anxious to proceed with the crucifixion, selected a stalwart North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus followed, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock. The 650-yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha was finally completed. The prisoner was again stripped of His clothing except for a loin cloth which was allowed the Jews. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots,” (Luke 23:34).
Casting lots was the first lottery, they rolled their dice to see who won, (these dice were carved out of human bone, and they put human blood to stain the indents) they thought the spirits would then guide their dice throwing.
The Crucifixion Begins
Jesus was offered wine mixed with hyssop, a mild analgesic, pain-relieving mixture. He refused the drink; He wanted to take the fullness of pain. Simon was ordered to place the patibulum on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward, with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum was then lifted into place at the top of the stipes, and the titulus reading “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS,” was nailed into place.
The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim was now crucified.
On The Cross
As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain. The nails in the wrists were putting pressure on the median nerves, large nerve trunks which traverse the mid-wrist and hand. As He pushed himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet.
At this point, another phenomenon occurred. As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps came the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by the arms, the pectoral muscles, the large muscles of the chest, were paralyzed and the intercoastal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs, were unable to act. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but could not be exhaled. Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.
This was the greatest act of Love the world had ever seen! The Savior of the world hung between Heaven and earth and became the perfect sacrifice…once and for all… for the sins of man!
The sky was darkened, for 3 hours as every filthy act ever done by man was heaped upon the sinless Lamb of God, the veil rent in the midst, destroying the Old Covenant. “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst,” (Luke 23:44, 45).
He shed His precious blood to wash away our sins. The Bible says, “… and without shedding of blood is no remission,” (Hebrews 9:22). He carried the Law with Him to the Cross ending the Old Covenant.
The Two Thieves
Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 reads, “And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
This represents a foreshadowing of Judgement day. The malefactor that was hanging on Jesus left side representing the goats (the ones who don’t believe), and on the right hand of Jesus, they represent the sheep (God’s chosen). “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness,” (Isaiah 41:10).
Jesus Christ’s Last Words
Spasmodically, He was able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences which are recorded.
The first–looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His seamless garment: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34).
The second–to the penitent thief: “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” (Luke 23:43).
The third–looking down at Mary His mother, He said: “Woman, behold thy son!” (John 19:26).
The fourth cry–“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
The fifth cry–“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst,” (John 19:28).
The sixth cry–“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost,” (John 19:30).
The seventh cry–“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost,” (Luke 23:46).
He suffered hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, and searing pain as tissue was torn from His lacerated back from His movement up and down against the rough timers of the cross. Then another agony began: a deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, slowly filled with serum and began to compress the heart.
The prophecy in Psalm 22:14 was being fulfilled: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”
The end was rapidly approaching. The loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level; the compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood to the tissues, and the tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to inhale small gulps of air. Jesus gasped His fifth cry: “I thirst.” Again we read in the prophetic Psalm: 22:15, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” Sponge soaked in posca, the cheap, sour wine which was the staple drink of the Roman Legionnaires, was lifted to Jesus’ lips. His body was now in extremis, and he could feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brought forth His sixth word, possibly little more than a tortured whisper: “It is finished.” When Jesus said, It is finished, He broke Satan’s power and ushered in the New Covenant. The mission of atonement had been completed. Finally, He could allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
Death
We are all familiar with the final details of Jesus’ execution. In order that the Sabbath not be profaned, the Jews asked that the condemned men be dispatched and removed from the crosses. The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crurifracture, the braking of the bones of the legs. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers approached Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary.
Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart. “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water,” (John 19:34). Thus there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and the blood of the interior of the heart. This is rather conclusive post-mortem evidence that Jesus died, not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.
Grave
In Matthew 27:57-60, “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” In Isaiah 53:9, “And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.“
Guarding The Tomb
How do we know that Jesus rose alive from the grave? The Jews remembered that Jesus had predicted His resurrection so they requested and received a Roman Guard Detail from Pilate. Which consisted of: 16 soldiers. 4 soldiers would sleep, while there were 12 awake. They were the very elite of soldiers; they always carried 8 weapons to be used one after another protecting a 6 square foot area. If a soldier was caught sleeping when he should have been awake, the punishment was to be crucified upside down and they would light a fire under the head with their own clothes until you died. As you can see they wouldn’t have fallen asleep. They put the Roman seal on the stone with leather straps, pressed into it was the inscription, “Pontiff Maximus” or “Chief Pontiff.” This seal was to keep Jesus in the grave. This stone weighed between 3-6 tons.
Resurrection
In Matthew 28:1-6 it says: “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” In John 20:6-7, “Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”
Jesus Was Seen By Many
In Matthew 28:7-15, “And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”
The disciples had dispersed after Jesus’ death, they had forgotten in their grief and fear that He would return. Jesus appears to some and then all of them. Luke 24:34-43: “Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.”
Mark 16:14 says: “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
In all Jesus appeared to many people over a period of 40 days after He had risen from the dead. I Corinthians 15:6 -7, “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.”
Jesus said all power is given to me in Heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18-19, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” As Jesus said baptize in the NAME not NAMES! Our God is one God, but he is so powerful, He spands all time, literately dwelling in all three dimensions of time simultaneously that He can present Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost all at the same time, but He is ONE GOD!
In the Old Testament, if you will remember God provided protection for His chosen people who were obedient, to be saved from the angel of death. By sacrificing a perfect lamb and sprinkling its blood on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses; the firstborn would be saved. (Exodus 12:7).
The glory and foundation of the Christian message is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! The Lord conquers the grave as He has promised. Jesus Christ, became the Lamb of God that was sacrificed for us, He became our Passover Lamb!
Most people have been deceived into dropping the true Passover, commemorating the death of our true Savior for our sins, and substituting in its place the pagan Easter*, commemorating the counterfeit “saviour” and mediator of Baal the sun god. I pray that won’t be you! (*For more information, please read “Is Easter in the Bible?”).
These tracts have been prayed over, and you will never be the same after reading this message. Since reading this account of Jesus’ suffering and agony we can never again take lightly what He did for us at Calvary!
Do you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Are you spiritually ready to meet Him today? Do you feel Jesus tugging at your heart? Are you answering His call? Once you acknowledge that you are a sinner, ask the Lord Jesus for His forgiveness and turn away from your old life … Repent … and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins!
~ Truth Comes With Responsibilities~
~Let us be ambassadors for Christ in Spirit and in Truth~
If you have any questions or comments, please share them with us! It’d be a blessing to hear from you!
May the Lord Jesus Christ Bless You with the Truth!
References
- Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible
- The Crucifixion: A Medical View by Dr. C. Truman Davis
- The Death of Jesus http://www.ucmi.org/cim/seminary/chap5.htm
- Crucifixion Audio Tapes by Pastor David J. Meyer http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
