KBM The Crucifixion Of Jesus

In our last study we asked the question “why did Jesus have to die on the cross.” Today we are going to take a closer look at the actual crucifixion of Jesus and what our Savior went through for our sins as his creation. From a historical perspective and from what we read about Jesus in the gospel accounts we know that typically before a person was crucified they were subjected to scourging or as some translations call it flogging. This was a beating given to the person by someone with a three-thong whip, fashioned with plaited leather and studded with bone and metal fragments. Jesus then would have been secured with leather ties to a pole or tree stump. He would have been put into a position so that the person flogging Jesus could whip him from his upper back to his lower legs. During this process Jesus’ back and legs would have been flayed open exposing his muscles. Eventually his muscles would give way somewhat from the shredding of the whip and his bones, such as his backbone, ribs, and others could be seen. It was such a brutal process that the Jews never flogged someone more than 39 times because most died when hit 40 times or more. The Romans, however, did not have this restriction and the Romans are the ones that flogged Jesus. The Journal of the Medical Association wrote from a medical perspective on what Jesus would have gone through. Dr. W. Edwards wrote, “The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state. Moreover, hematidosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his general weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.” It’s no wonder Jesus died long before the expected time of someone hung on a cross. Let’s now turn our attention to the crucifixion itself. Using the cross as a form of punishment had been around for a long time. It appears to have originated with the Persians around 522 BC. Later the Greeks used it with Alexander the Great crucifying 2,000 men following Tyre’s destruction. The Jews even used it sparingly in history with Alexander Jannaeus crucifying 800 Pharisees who had revolted against him. But of course the Romans were the most notorious. After the slave revolt of 71 BC, Rome crucified over 6,000 slaves on the Appian Way. After Jesus had been flogged he was required, as was the custom, to carry his cross to the place where he would be crucified.

John 19:17 ESV

17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.

It’s amazing that with all he had been through he carried it as far as he did. I say that because most historians believe it was just the upper part of the cross that was carried but even that weighed about 125 lbs. Obviously, Jesus wasn’t able to make it the entire way and fell under the pain and weight.

Luke 23:26 ESV

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Once at “The Place of a Skull” Jesus would have been laid on the ground with his crossbeam under his upper back. His arms would have been attached with nails into his wrists. The Greek word for “hand” literally means from the hand to the writs. We know it was physically impossible for the nails to stay in the actual hands because there is not enough tissue to support the weight of a person. Next, Jesus would have been lifted up on to the upright beam with the cross beam being then attached. At this point Jesus’ feet would be nailed to the upright beam with as seven inch spike through both feet.

As crazy as it sound most people lived about 36 hours on the cross and died of suffocation. This is why the soldiers were sent to break the legs of Jesus and the thieves so to hasten their death. With broken legs they could not lift themselves up to breath, but Jesus has already died by that point.

John 19:32–33 ESV

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

Our God and Savior suffered a most breathtaking beating and horrendous death at the hands of those he was saving. Jesus, hung upon the cross for a miserable six hours “for my sins and the rest of the worlds.” The next time we think about doing something that would dishonor our God let us remember what Jesus went through for each and everyone of us.