Easter: The Crucifixion
Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
Many fear we have heard said, “Christ dies for our sins,” to a point we begin to form an attitude about the crucifixion of Christ that trivializes His suffering. Small children hear that statement and receive Christ and not begin to fathom the magnitude of the process. Small children do not need to hear the details of crucifixion but at some point in life, Christians must hear of this extreme and ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for mankind.
His suffering was beyond comprehension. When I was taken to the hospital in 2001 with three fingers cut off, I was immediately given pain killers. Jesus had no pain killers. Suffering was the goal of the Roman soldiers. In today’s world we are not allowed to feel pain. I’m fully aware some reading this will disagree, but compared to crucifixion, we are mostly protected from pain.
The New Testament does not give us much information about the crucifixion of our Lord. We are told in Matthew 27: 35, “And they crucified Him.” Several of the Old Testament writers described His suffering or that He was to be crucified (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53).
Pilate first had Him flogged or scourged. Flogging by the Romans was much more severe than by the Jews. Roman scourging was so severe, the law did not allow Roman citizens to suffer such a punishment. A whip was used called “a cat of nine tails.” Strips of leather, usually about three feet long were tied to a handle. Pieces of sharp rock or bone were attached to the ends. The whip was also called a flagellum or flagrum. The whip master was highly skilled in administering the flogging.
The victim was tied to a post or tree. The beating was given from the shoulders to the lower legs. The whip was slung with as much power as the whip master had; with the intention of burying the pieces on the ends deep into the victim’s flesh. It was then ripped out with great power. Tremendous wounds were inflicted. Cuts were made into veins and arteries and even into organs. Victims have been known to have been disemboweled.
Many victims of scourging died before the cross from shock or blood loss. Jewish (Old Testament) law called for forty lashes less one (Deuteronomy 25:3).
Crucifixion was a method of execution used by the Romans for over 600 years. Finally in 336 AD, Emperor Constantine abolished crucifixion calling it cruel and unusual punishment. I can’t imagine it taking 600 years to make that determination.
At one time, the Romans had 6,000 Jews nailed to crosses on the road between Jerusalem and Damascus. A statement that a Jew might make sounding the least bit like insurrection might result in him being nailed to a cross. The Romans lived in constant suspicion of a revolt by the Jews and crucifixion was their way of dealing with that fear.
In the Far East, crucifixion was used for about 3000 years before Christ. The Chinese and Mongols are believed to have invented crucifixion and impaling as a death method. Impaling is thrusting a spear or sharpened pole through the groin of the victim, through his body and out somewhere in the shoulder area. The pole was then placed in the ground and the victim would flail around on the spear until death. Sometimes they would cover the victim with oil and set him on fire to ward off insects at their parties.
The Nazi’s are believed to have crucified Allied soldiers during World War II and ISIS is reported to have crucified people in recent years.
After Jesus’ flogging He was forced to carry His cross on the Via Dolorosa. I walked up that street when in Jerusalem. It is what we might call an alley. In places it is very steep and the large stones make walking difficult.
When Jesus arrived at Calvary, His body was literally thrown down on the cross. A Roman soldier slammed His forearm on to the cross beam and held it in place with his knee. The nail was the size of ones little finger and probably about eight to nine inches long. It had most likely been used before. Then the nail was driven through His wrist and ropes placed around His arms to hold Him on the cross until it was raised vertically; the other arm was then nailed. The Roman soldier knew there was something in a wrist, that if he could hit it, terrible pain would be experienced. We now know a large nerve runs through the wrist. Jesus feet were pulled to the sides of the cross and nails driven through His heel bones.
Then the cross was raised and dropped into a hole. Can we even begin to imagine the shock on His body when that upright post of the cross hit the bottom of that hole?
For six hours, our Jesus hung on the cross, from the 3rd hour until the 9th hour (9 am until 3 pm). Finally He gave up the ghost but before He cried out, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken Me?” That was when the sins of the entire world were upon Him.
There is no gratitude, no works, no words; nothing we can do to express the worth of what He did for all mankind. Matthew 22: 37 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Worship Him, Revere Him, Honor Him and Glorify Him.
And never, ever trivialize the crucifixion. Never ever forget or take for granted what He did. Jesus is God (John 1: 1-3) and HE IS ALIVE!
The sweetest words in the Bible: Matthew 28: 6 “He is not here for He is risen.”