Details of the Whipping & Crucifixion

For many this week is no different than the other 51 weeks. However, as believers I think it should be different as we remember our Savior's sacrifice for our sin.

I decided to share more of Lee Strobel's interview with Dr. Metherell to help us grasp the last hours of Jesus' life:

Lee Strobel asked, “What was the flogging like?” The doctor replied, “Roman floggings were
known to be terribly brutal. They usually consisted of 39 lashes but frequently were a lot more than that, depending on the mood of the soldier applying the blows. The soldier would use a whip of braided leather thongs with metal balls woven into them. When the whip would strike the flesh, these balls would cause deep bruises or contusions, which would break open with
further blows. The whip also had pieces of sharp bone as well, which would cut the flesh severely. The back would be so shredded that part of the spine was sometimes exposed by the deep, deep cuts. The whipping would have gone all the way from the shoulders down to the back and extending to the legs. We know that many people would die from this kind of beating even before they could be crucified. Lee Strobel asked Dr. Metherell, “What happened when Jesus arrived at the crucifixion site?” Jesus would have been laid down, and his hands would have been nailed in the outstretched position to the horizontal beam. The Romans used spikes that were five to seven inches long and tapered to a sharp point. They were driven through the wrists,” Metherell said, pointing about an inch or so below his left palm. “Hold it” Strobel
interrupted. “I thought the nails pierced his palms.” “Through the wrists”
the doctor repeated. “This was a solid position that would lock the hand; if the nails had been driven through the palms, his weight would have caused the skin to tear and he would have fallen off the cross. The wrist was considered part of the hand in the language of the day.
And it’s important to understand that the nail would go through the place where the median nerve runs. This the largest nerve going out to the hand was crushed by the nail that was being
pounded in.” Strobel asked, “What sort of pain would that have produced.” “The
pain was absolutely unbearable, in fact, it was literary beyond word to describe; they had to invent a new word: excruciating. Literary, excruciating means ‘out of the cross.’ Think of that: they needed to create a new word, because there was nothing in the language that could describe the intense anguish caused during the crucifixion.” At this point Jesus was hoisted as the crossbar was attached to the vertical stake, and then nail were driven through Jesus’ feet. Again, the nerves in his feet would have beencrushed.” [Then] his arms would have immediately been stretched, probably about six inches in length, and both shoulders would have become dislocated---you can determine this with simple mathematical equations. Once a person is
hanging in the vertical position crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation. The reason is that the stresses on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest into the inhaled position; basically, in order to exhale, Jesus would push up on his feet so the
tension on the muscles would be eased for a moment. In doing so, the nail would tear through the foot, eventually locking up against the tarsal bones. After managing to exhale, Jesus would then able to relax down and take another breath in…. [continuing the process] until
complete exhaustion would take over, at which time Jesus wouldn’t have be able to push up and breathe anymore. As the person slows down his breathing, he goes into respiratory acidosis which eventually leads to an irregular heartbeat. In fact, with his heart beating erratically, Jesus would have known that he was at the moment of death, which is when he was able to say, “Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

It was finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen