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While most everyone knows of the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross at Calvary outside the walls of
Jerusalem, few understand the pain and horror of that experience. In 1986, the Journal of the American
Medical Association carried an article entitled, "On The Physical Death of Jesus," written by William
Edwards, Wesley Gabel and Floyd Hosmer. The article described the excruciating physical ordeal that was
known as crucifixion.
The word "excruciating" is entirely appropriate in this context. Our English word "excruciating" is from a combination of two Latin words — "ex" meaning, "from," or "out of" and "cruciatus" which means "cross." That's precisely the kind of death Jesus died for the sins of the world — a death experienced in the physical flower of His life that was agonizing. And He took your place and mine on that cross. Physically, Jesus was in the prime of His manhood. At about the age of 33, he had traveled across the land of Palestine by walking, and was doubtless in fine physical condition. But his quick death on the cross surprised even the Roman Governor Pilate who had ordered His death, according to Mark 15:43-45. Jesus' physical condition was probably affected by the great stress He underwent between 9 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Friday. During the night He had been abandoned by His closest friends, Peter had denied Him and He had suffered a beating after His first Jewish trial. The authors also say that, "in the setting of a traumatic and sleepless night, He had been forced to walk two and a half miles to and from the sites of his various trials." These factors, they say, "may have rendered Jesus particularly vulnerable to the hemodynamic effects of the scourging." And that's another important consideration in Jesus' death — His scourging. According to the article's authors, "Flogging was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution, and only women and Roman Senators, or soldiers (except in the case of desertion) were exempt." The scourging, or flogging, was a torturous preliminary to crucifixion. The victim was stripped of his clothing and his hands were tied to an upright post. His back, buttocks and legs were then flogged either by two soldiers — one on either side of the man — or by one soldier who alternated sides. The instrument used in the scourging was a short whip, called a flagrum or flagellum, which had several single or braided leather thongs of different lengths, with small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones tied into the braids at intervals. The severity of the scourging often depended on the disposition of the soldiers, and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. After the beating, the soldiers often cruelly taunted their victim. As the soldiers repeatedly struck the victim's back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into His skin and subcutaneous tissues. As the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. The pain and blood loss from this beating usually set the stage for circulatory shock and the extent of blood loss may very well have determined just how long the victim would live on the cross. According to Matthew 27:24-26, Jesus was severely whipped in the Praetorium and although the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John do not describe the details of the beating, it is implied in First Peter 2:24, and a study of the Greek words describing it indicate it was particularly harsh. Then the Roman soldiers, amused that this weakened man had claimed to be a king, mocked Him by placing a robe on His shoulders, a crown of thorns on His head, and a wooden staff as a scepter in His right hand. Then they spat on Him and struck Him on the head with the wooden staff. Then when they tore the robe from Jesus' back, they probably reopened the scourging wounds. His severe scourging, combined with a great blood loss probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state, according to the physician's article. The physical and mental abuse He suffered at the hands of both Jews and Romans, combined with His lack of food, water, and sleep also contributed to His weakened state. So, even before His actual crucifixion, Jesus' physical condition was serious and possibly critical, according to the medical authorities. What a horrible ordeal Jesus suffered for our sins! And it was all done with the foreknowledge of God, according to Acts 2:23. God gave His Son and His Son gave His life to redeem us from sin. But that precious blood, shed in His death, must be applied to the soul through gospel obedience. Jesus died for you and me, the guiltless for the guilty, and now invites all men to receive life through His death. The benefits of His blood is applied to our souls when we believe He was who he claimed to be — the Christ, the Son of God — repent of our sins, confess our belief in him with our mouths, and submit to Him in baptism into His death (Rom. 6:3-5). [ On The Physical Death Of Jesus, No. 2 ] |