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The Cross was the Romans’ Favorite Tool
The Cross was the Romans’ favorite tool for executing criminals and slaves. It was the worst form of humiliation any one could endure. The Romans viewed it as the most supreme penalty: “the most wretched of deaths.”
The cross was a tool of deterrence -what did that mean? It was always done in public, and included stripping and flogging the offender. Cruelty was a big part of that deterrence, and included a slow death from the accumulative impact of hunger, thirst, exhaustion, exposure and the trauma caused by scourging, to include asphyxiation.
The victim was attached to the cross either by ropes or nails. Prior to the actual act, the prisoner was forced to carry the crosspiece to the place of crucifixion. A placard proclaiming the crime was hung around the criminal.
The Physical Cross of Christ
John 19:17-22 And He bearing His Cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
Jesus was crucified outside of Jerusalem at Golgotha; the Skull, or Calvary. There was a placard nailed on the Cross directly above His head, which read, “Jesus Of Nazareth The King of the Jews.” It said nothing of blasphemy of which He was accused by the Jews. Although Pilate questioned Him about being a King.
Luke 23:3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And He answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
He was crucified between two thieves -criminals. He identified with us, as we were enslaved to sin, which made us criminals in the sight of God. He identified with our weakness and humiliation.
John 19:23-24 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots (Psalm 22:18). These things therefore the soldiers did.
Jesus was flogged and actually stripped twice, when you include the severe beating, He endured before being sentenced to death. We also know that nails were used to attach Him to the Cross. How do we know this, since the accounts in the four Gospels of the Crucifixion itself, don’t mention it specifically?
First, it was spoken prophetically: For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet (Psalm 22:16).
Just a side note for your consideration: there are numerous prophetic utterances concerning Jesus’ death and resurrection, which were written hundreds of years prior to the event. Not to mention those concerning His birth and life while on the earth. Many of which were given by different individuals at different times. These all validate the reliability of the Bible.
Secondly, we see it specifically mentioned in conversation with the disciples after the Resurrection.
John 20:34-25 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross.
This passage of Scripture connects the physical act with the spiritual significance of the Cross.
Another element of crucifixion is that the shoulder and elbow joints of Jesus were dislocated. We know this from Psalm 22:14, I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
The Romans use to place the palms of their victims inward toward the cross; unlike, what many portray in paintings and movies. Placing the palms in this way, works against the joints of the elbows and shoulders. Couple that with the weight of the victim, the shoulders and elbows would pull out of joint, as the victim becomes less able to sustain such a position due to prolonged stress.
John 19:29-37 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken (Psalm 34:20). And again another scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced (Zechariah 12:10)
Compared to other crucifixions, Jesus death came relatively early. If you study the accounts around His death, you’ll find Pilate was surprised by the speed of His death. His death took about six hours -number of mankind. To be clear, there was nothing speedy about Jesus’ death. His suffering went beyond normal crucifixion experiences, which in themselves were horrendous.
One of the ways death often occurred during crucifixion was due to asphyxiation. This simply means the person was unable to breathe in enough oxygen to survive.
Crucifixion victims typically had to pull their weight up with their hands or wrists that were nailed to the crossbeam, along with pushing up with the feet or ankles that had another nail through them, in order to breathe. Obviously, this would cause searing pain, and as a result, they would allow themselves to sink down in order to relieve themselves of that pain. The result would be partial asphyxia. This they would do, until they could no longer hold themselves up. At which point, they would suffocate.
The common method of ending a crucifixion was the breaking the leg-bones, known as crurifracture. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; thus being unable to relieve the tension from the muscles of the chest. As a result, rapid suffocation would occur (Davis, Medical Account of the Crucifixion).
The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary. Even still, a soldier pierced His side with a spear. What was the physical cause of the blood and water from Jesus’ side when the soldier pierced it?
Jesus experienced hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain where tissue was torn from His lacerated back as He moved up and down against the rough timber of the Cross.
He would endure yet another agony: a terrible crushing pain deep in His chest as the pericardium slowly fills with fluid and begins to compress His heart. Remember Psalm 22:14: “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”
We know from John that blood and water immediately came out when Jesus was pierced in the side, which may indicate He died from heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart from excess fluid in the pericardium -not asphyxiation. Maybe, it could be expressed this way: He died from a broken heart!
Another way crucifixion typically ended in death was through hypovolemic shock. The prolonged rapid heartbeat resulting from hypovolemic shock (low blood volume) can cause fluid to gather in the area around the heart. This is called pericardial effusion.
As mention earlier, over time, the ability to push up to breathe would end and oxygen flow would be restricted. This asphyxiation can also cause the buildup of fluid around the heart (McDowell, The Resurrection Factor).
Moreover, fluid may have also come from around the lungs, as the spear would have passed through the pleural cavity, which is the space that lies between the pleura (the two thin membranes that line and surround the lungs). The pleural cavity contains a small amount of liquid known as pleural fluid, which provides lubrication as the lungs expand and contract during respiration.
When increased fluid occupies this space, it is referred to as a pleural effusion and can severely restrict breathing depending on the size. However, Psalm 22:14 points to the heart: “My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels (within Me).” As said before, this points to heart failure, or a broken heart.
The Spiritual Side of the Cross
Galatians 3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Blood of Jesus declares His death as the perfect sacrifice, which was foreshadowed by the Old Testament sacrifices. The Cross of Christ put an end to the curse of the Law.
Ephesians 2:11-16 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, Who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the Cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Through His Cross, Jesus reconciled us to God.
Colossians 1:19-23 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
His Cross removed the middle wall of partition, or dividing wall between Jew and Gentile; hence, making one new man.
Through His death we are made holy and blameless.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
On the Cross He took our sin upon Himself. In Him we are the righteousness of God. His death on the Cross means freedom from sin, for it removed the dominion or power of sin in our lives.
Romans 6:5-7 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
The Cross of Jesus (His death) removed us from under the law of sin and death, and placed under grace.
Romans 6:22-23 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
