Crucifixion of Jesus

Crucifixion of Jesus. Randall Niles explores the historical record surrounding this Roman form of torture and capital punishment.

Crucifixion typically began with a scourging (or flogging) of the victims back. The Romans used a whip called a flagrum, which consisted of small pieces of bone and metal attached to a number of leather strands. The number of blows given to Jesus is not recorded; however, the number of blows in Jewish law was 39 (one less than the 40 called for in the Torah, to prevent an accidental counting error). During the scourging, the skin was ripped from the back, exposing a bloody mass of tissue and bone. Extreme blood loss occurred, often causing death, or at least unconsciousness. In addition to the flogging, Jesus faced severe beating and torment by the Roman soldiers, including the plucking of His beard and the piercing of His scalp with a crown of thorns.

After the flogging, the victim was often forced to carry his own crossbar, or patibulum, to the execution site. The patibulum could easily weigh 100 pounds. In the case of Jesus, the record shows that he may have carried His patibulum the distance of over two football fields. In a weak and tormented state, its no wonder that Jesus needed a great deal of assistance. Once the victim arrived at the execution site, the patibulum was put on the ground and the victim was forced to lie on it. Spikes about 7 inches long and 3/8 of an inch in diameter were driven into the wrists. The spikes would hit the area of the median nerve, causing shocks of pain up the arms to the shoulders and neck. Already standing at the crucifixion site would be the 7-foot-tall post, called a stipes. In the center of the stipes was a crude wooden seat that offered minimal support for the victim. The patibulum was then lifted on to the stipes, and the victims body was awkwardly turned on the seat so the feet could be nailed to the stipes. At this point, there was tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, resulting in dislocation at the shoulder and elbow joints.

The position of the nailed body held the victims rib cage in a fixed position, which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. Having suffered from the scourging, the beatings, and the walk with the patibulum, Jesus was described as extremely weak and dehydrated. He was probably losing significant amounts of blood. As time passed, the loss of blood and lack of oxygen would cause severe cramps, spasmodic contractions, and probably unconsciousness.

Ultimately, the mechanism of death in crucifixion was suffocation. To breathe, the victim was forced to push up on his feet to allow for inflation of the lungs. As the body weakened and pain in the feet and legs became unbearable, the victim was forced to trade breathing for pain and exhaustion. Eventually, the victim would succumb in this way, becoming utterly exhausted or lapsing into unconsciousness so that he could no longer lift his body off the stipes and inflate his lungs. Due to the shallow breathing, the victims lungs would begin to collapse in areas, probably causing hypoxia. Due to the loss of blood from the scourging, the victim probably formed a respiratory acidosis, resulting in an increased strain on the heart, which beats faster to compensate. Fluid would also build up in the lungs. Under the stress of hypoxia and acidosis, the heart would eventually fail.

The crucifixion accounts of Jesus Christ are in entire agreement with the customs and practices of the Romans in that period. The evidence for Christs horrible and painful death is unquestioned by todays mainstream scholars. The only dispute is the nature and character of the criminal Jesus Christ. Look at the record yourself -- Even with all the pain, Jesus thought of others rather than himself. His first words from the cross were, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). He thought of His mother, who stood by the cross weeping, and asked his beloved disciple John to take care of her. On either side of Jesus were two thieves executed at the same time. When one of them accepted Jesus as Lord, Jesus shared with him, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). Finally, Jesus expressed his complete surrender to the will of God as He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

For more on the Crucifixion of Jesus, please visit http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/crucifixion-of-jesus.htm

Category:

Education

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• Crucifixion
• Jesus
• Christ
• Capital Punishment
• Romans
• Psalm 22
• Isaiah
• 53
• Gospels
• Randall Niles
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[EmperorCaesus]

This is fun to watch.

[AmericanEmpires3000]

Yeshua spoke the language of his people which was Hebrew itd make no sense for a messiah to speak a language by another culture. The question we should ask what was the language that Abraham and Isaac spoke and further down those lines

[standswithawine]

Why does anyone waste their time on this crap?

[saidinmas]

@fattytoads Yeah right, coz Mirza Qadiani the Liar lied to you that Yeshua taught about God in Aramaic to the Kashmiris who could never understand his language there. The lying Qadiani has turned you into among the gullibles of his times. I feel pity for you LOL!!!

[fattytoads]

There are approximately 200 billions stasr in our galaxy alone.There are approximayely 100 billion other galaxies.The probability of other life being 'out there' is much more probable than not.No one knows how or why & probably never ever will.All I know is that all religions on this planet are invented by man to gain power over others.Throughout our world history too many wars too many lives have been lost in the name of religious cause..It is the same today.Let us grow up!

[jadegecko]

@fattytoads Civilized kids, them Romans.

[fattytoads]

@jadegecko yes hand nailing would be possible as the sedile (saddle) supporting the condemed - an animal horn inserted into the anus was probably mandatory in Roman public execution for further humiliation and prolonging life on the scaffold. 

[fattytoads]

@saidinmas Just because one does not speak the language of a country does not stop one from visiting nor living in that country.....I am only going by evidence found..Yeshua did either survive execution and was revived or escaped by substitution or other means..The following was very large so it is feasable that he was saved. I don't know..and neither do you... I was just conveying a new theory.

[ChristShepherd]

@twfljeb I haven't seen you refute anything I wrote with evidence. Your weapon of choice is the insult.

[twfljeb]

@FirasTeinz not simple minded enough to be a muslim .