The Passion 15

The Crucifixion of Jesus – Part 1

 

Crucifixion was invented by the Persians between 300-400 B.C. It is quite possibly the most painful death ever invented by humankind. The English language derives the word “excruciating” from crucifixion, acknowledging it as a form of slow, painful suffering. Its punishment was reserved for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the vilest of criminals. Victims were nailed to a cross; however, Jesus’ cross was probably not the Latin cross, but rather a Tau cross (T). The vertical piece (the stipes) remains in the ground permanently. The accused carries only the horizontal piece (the patibulum) up the hill. Atop the patibulum lies a sign (the titulus), indicating that a formal trial occurred for a violation of the law. In Jesus’ case, this reads “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38).

The accused needed to be nailed to the patibulum while lying down, so Jesus is thrown to the ground, reopening His wounds, grinding in dirt, and causing bleeding. They nailed His “hands” to the patibulum. The Greek meaning of “hands”includes the wrist. It is more likely that the nails went through Jesus’ wrists. If the nails were driven into the hand, the weight of the arms would cause the nail to rip through the soft flesh. Therefore, the upper body would not be held to the cross. If placed in the wrist, the bones in the lower portion of the hand support the weight of the arms and the body remains nailed to the cross. The huge nail (seven to nine inches long) damages or severs the major nerve to the hand (the median nerve) upon impact. This causes continuous agonizing pain up both of Jesus’ arms.

Once the victim is secured, the guards lift the patibulum and place it on the stipes already in the ground. As it is lifted, Jesus’ full weight pulls down on His nailed wrists and His shoulders and elbows dislocate (Psalm 22:14). In this position, Jesus’ arms stretch to a minimum of six inches longer than their original length.

It is highly likely that Jesus’ feet were nailed through the tops as often pictured. In this position (with the knees flexed at approximately 90 degrees), the weight of the body pushes down on the nails and the ankles support the weight. The nails would not rip through the soft tissue as would have occurred with the hands. Again, the nail would cause severe nerve damage (it severs the dorsal pedal artery of the foot) and acute pain.

Normally, to breathe in, the diaphragm (the large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) must move down. This enlarges the chest cavity, and air automatically moves into the lungs (inhalation). To exhale, the diaphragm rises up, which compresses the air in the lungs and forces the air out (exhalation). As Jesus hangs on the cross, the weight of His body pulls down on the diaphragm and the air moves into His lungs and remains there. Jesus must push up on His nailed feet (causing more pain) to exhale.

In order to speak, air must pass over the vocal cords during exhalation. The Gospels note that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. It is amazing that despite His pain, He pushes up to say, “Forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

The scientific description of Christ’s crucifixion will conclude with Part 2 in my next post. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source:  https://www.apu.edu/articles/the-science-of-the-crucifixion/

Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-41, Luke 23:27-49, John 19:17-37

The Passion 14

Via Dolorosa

 

                  Via Dolorosa means “The Way of Sorrows”. It is the path Jesus took to Golgotha, the place where the crucifixion took place. After the severe beating Jesus took and the massive blood loss, He was then expected to carry His own cross to the crucifixion site. 

“The cross Jesus carried was likely made of two parts: the patibulum (horizontal beam) and the stipes (vertical beam). It is believed that Jesus carried the patibulum, which could weigh between 75-125 pounds.  This immense weight, combined with Jesus’s weakened state, exemplified the physical burden he bore. Christ carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem, while already exhausted, highlights his immense sacrifice. Our understanding of this weight gives us a more tangible sense of the physical suffering he endured.” ^[1]

After Jesus had walked a short distance with the cross beam, He collapsed. This is where Simon of Cyrene enters the story. The route stretched through the heart of Jerusalem, starting from the site where he was condemned to the crucifixion site, which has been calculated to be slightly less than ½ a mile. 

What do we know about Simon from Cyrene? We know that “Cyrene was an African city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the region what we call today Libya. And we also know that at that point in time, in Cyrene, there was a very large Jewish community. And therefore, we can logically assume that Simon of Cyrene was a Jewish pilgrim who made the 1,500-mile journey from Cyrene to the city of Jerusalem in order to participate in all of the celebrations of the Passover. That was always a goal for any Jewish person living outside the region of the holy land, to be able to be a pilgrim to journey to the holy city of Jerusalem and there, to join in the great celebrations around the Passover.” ^[2]

Evangelical scholars and Bible teachers believe that Simon of Cyrene, by divine appointment, was brought to that precise spot at that precise instant because he could render help to God’s own son Jesus. It was no accident. Now, followers of Christ tend to forget that the hidden hands of God are always at work in our lives, interweaving circumstances, orchestrating events in order to produce some divinely desired result in our lives. God is always working in us and with us and through us. When we encounter those incidents in life that we can’t explain, we just simply write them off. But you see, the reality is that if we saw everything from God’s perspective, if we had all the facts as God has them, then we would understand that there are no accidents, or coincidences. There is only providence, God’s providence. God is in charge. God is in control. He is in control of your life and mine.  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] https://jesuschristsavior.net/how-far-did-jesus-carry-the-cross/#google_vignette

^[2] https://thewordmadefresh.org/sermons/faces-and-places-around-the-cross-simon-of-cyrene/

The Passion 13

Pilate’s Dilemma

            After the flogging had taken place, and the mocking by the soldiers, Jesus was led back to Pilate. Pilate said to the priests and Temple guards that though they thought Jesus was seeking to lead a revolt against the Roman government, he had spoken with the Him and found no guilt in Him. The Jewish leaders found this completely unacceptable and began to raise their voices, shouting that Jesus be crucified. Crucifixion was truly a horrifying way to die. Pilate was perplexed and wondered why they wished to kill this man when he found Jesus not guilty of any crime. Frankly, the Jews cared little what Jesus was found guilty of as long as Pilate cooperated with them to eliminate this man they considered such an immense threat to them.

            John’s gospel is the only one that has the Jewish leaders telling Pilate Jesus said He was the Son of God. Upon hearing this Pilate became frightened, took Jesus back into the Praetorium (his headquarters) and said to Him the following: “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”  Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me at all if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who handed Me over to you is greater [than your own].” ^{(John 19:9-11 Amplified Bible)} After Jesus spoke these words Pilate once again attempted to release Him. It was then that the Jewish leaders shouted that if Pilate released Jesus he was no friend to Caesar.

            Pilate brought Jesus out before them and stated, “Look, here is your King.” The leaders insisted they have no king but Caesar. They wished Jesus to be crucified. How ironic that they pretended to have allegiance to Rome while rejecting their own Messiah. Their own words condemned them for God was supposed to be their only true King. It was apparent by this episode that the Jewish leaders had abandoned any trace of loyalty to their God. The priests had truly lost their reason for existence. Instead of turning people to God, they claimed allegiance to Rome in order to kill their Messiah. To avoid further problems from the Jewish leaders and their people, Pilate acquiesced to their wishes, turning Jesus over to them to be crucified.

            Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

The Passion 12

Jesus Stands Trial Before Herod

            Luke’s gospel was the only one that mentions Herod Antipas. Who was Herod Antipas? Herod Antipas held the position of tetrarch ^[1] over Galilee and Perea, which was appointed by the Roman emperor Augustus to rule over one quarter of his father's kingdom. He ruled from 4 BCE until 39 AD. Antipas was one of the sons of Herod the Great, who was known for his architectural achievements* and for attempting to kill baby Jesus. As a result of that many children were killed, though God had protected His son sending a warning to Mary and Joseph. 

            It just so happens that Herod Antipas, who was a half-Jew, was in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This was the same man who had John the Baptist killed. When Pilate realized that Jesus was from Galilee he gladly sent Him to see Herod, whose jurisdiction, as stated above, was Galilee. Once Herod became aware of Jesus also being in Jerusalem, he “was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about Him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle.” (Luke 23:8) Luke lets us know that Herod asked Jesus a number of questions, to which Jesus had no reply. This disappointed Herod so he and his soldiers began to mock and ridicule Jesus. To add insult to injury, Herod had a royal robe draped over Jesus shoulders. This meeting was before Pilate had Jesus flogged.

            Herod Antipas had two advantages over Pilate: He came from a hereditary part-Jewish monarchy and had held his position much longer than Pilate had. However, Pilate had two advantages over Herod: He was a Roman citizen and an envoy to the Emperor Tiberius. What’s more, Pilate’s position was created to replace Herod’s half-brother, Archelaus, who was considered ineffective at his job. This created an uneasy coexistence between Pilate and Herod Antipas. It was Jesus’ trial that actually brought them together. The trial was what caused Pilate to recognize Herod’s authority over Galilee. Because of that, Herod stopped feeling threatened by the Roman governor. It was because neither man knew what to do about the predicament they both found themselves in their common problem acted as a uniting factor that seemed to erase past animosities.

            Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

^[1] tetrarch, in Greco-Roman antiquity, the ruler of a principality; originally the ruler of one-quarter of a region or province.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/tetrarch-ancient-Greek-official

* He is known for reconstructing & expanding the Jerusalem Temple, building fortresses, and building pagan temples.

The Passion 11

Jesus Mocked & Beaten

 

            Is it fair to chastise the Roman soldiers who mocked and abused Jesus prior to His being crucified? Did they really know any better? Jesus stated while hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NLT) The soldiers, being gentiles, know nothing of the Jewish laws and frankly more than likely couldn’t care less to know them. These men were brutish, tough, hard-nosed military men who may not have been all that bright. They used brute force and looked to take advantage of each situation to inflict pain, so when they were offered the opportunity to first flog Jesus, then escort Him to the crucifixion site, they no doubt seized it relishing the chance to, in their minds, have some fun.

            Matthew & Mark mention the number of soldiers as a “whole regiment”. That’s around 200 soldiers! So, after His flogging* the enormous crowd of brutish men mocked Jesus. He did nothing to retaliate. They made Him a crown of thorns which they beat down around His head. A crown whose thorns were roughly 1” long and dug into Jesus’ scalp. The soldiers then placed a robe on the Lord. The blood from the flogging was fresh and adhered to the cloth, soaking it.

            Understanding the soldiers probable mindset, it was no wonder that they took the opportunity to make fun of the supposed “King of the Jews”. It was only when they had tired of mocking Jesus that they took off the robe** they had placed on Him and redressed Him. Then they led the Lord away to be crucified. The blood that poured from Jesus’ body obviously made Him weak. The pain Him endured was indescribable. That pain, plus the tremendous weight of the sins of mankind made this time for Him nearly unbearable.  Yet He willingly obeyed His Father’s will, knowing it was necessary to fulfill God’s plan of salvation for man.

            Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

*3 of the 4 gospel accounts say that the whip had lead tips. Historians tell of a scourge that was commonly used to whip criminals with. The scourge had broken pieces of metal, and jagged stones affixed to each of the three straps making up the scourge. 

**Having the robe ripped off Jesus body after the blood had a chance to congeal (solidify; coagulate) meant His cuts and sores would be ripped open all over again, inflicting MORE pain.