The Physical Death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Dr. Mark I. Kaldas

PURPOSE Examine the physical pains that our Lord endured on our behalf: Medically Scientifically Historical Review: The practice of crucifixion The chronological events leading up the crucifixion of Christ Animate All

SOURCES The Divine Gospels Church fathers Non-church fathers and historians The Shroud of Turin Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) William D Edwards, MD, et. al. Nothing

Challenge Questions 1) Why was crucifixion used? (why not decapitation?) Slow death with maximal pain and suffering 2) What is the usual cause of death due to being crucified? Respiratory distress = asphyxiation 3) What range of time could someone hang on the cross for? 3 hours to 4 days (96 hours) 4) Who was crucifixion usually reserved for? Slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, vile criminals, sometimes desertion of soldiers

What was Christ’s Physical Condition? Is there anything explicit in the bible? No What we do know: He was a carpenter He traveled by foot a great deal Travel leading to crucifixion . . . How far did He travel (foot) in the days leading to His death?

What is Hematohidrosis? Map of Jerusalem What is Hematohidrosis? Passover - Southwest Jerusalem  Northwest Jerusalem (Passover meal) to (Mount of Olives) Prayer -- Within Northwest (Mount of Olives  Garden of Gethsemane) Arrest -- Northwest Jerusalem  Southwest Jerusalem (Garden of Gethsemane  Caiaphas residence) Pilot trial – Southwest Jerusalem  Center (Caiaphas residence  Temple) Herod Trial within Center (Temple  Herod) 2nd Pilot - within Center (Herod  Pilot) Scourging within Center (Pilot  Fortress of Antonia) Parade within Center > 2.5 mi in ~36 Hrs Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

SCOURGING Purpose . . . Legal preliminary to every Roman execution (39 times [Roman law]) Short whip used (flagrum/flagellum) braided leather thongs small iron balls sharp sheep bone Soldiers repeatedly struck the back at full force Iron balls and sheep bone would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissue Deep cuts in the skin would lead to deep tears in the skeletal muscle of the back Pain and blood loss would set the stage for hypovolemic shock Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

SCOURGING The prisoner tied to upright post One or two men (lictors) would alternate 1Peter 2:24 Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed. Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

SCOURGING OF JESUS Additional physical punishments Crown of thorns Struck on the head Spat on Him Tore the robe off of His back Tearing open wounds Severe blood loss Romans pulled out Christ’s beard Isaiah 50:6: "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”

SCOURGING OF JESUS Isaiah 52:14: "..... Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” Medically, our Lord’s condition was likely serious to critical And what did they do then?

CRUCIFIXION PRACTICES Horizontal crossbar (patibulum) Weighing 75 – 125 lbs 5 – 6 ft long Carried from flogging site to crucifixion site (~650 yards) Usually naked After scourging by Romans, Jesus was led with the two thieves to be crucified Walked down path now called Via Dolorosa (i.e., “way of suffering”) to Golgotha (~650 yards) Christ likely fell several times carrying the heavy patibulum down the steps from the Fortress of Antonia Weakened severely by the flogging and likely circulatory shock, Jesus was too weak to carry His own patibulum Simon of Cyrene summoned to carry it for Him to Golgotha Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

CRUCIFIXION PRACTICES Prisoner thrown to ground Drink of myrrh and wine Served as anesthetic Christ refused Wrists nailed to patibulum Hands = wrists Tapered iron spikes Patibulum and prisoner lifted onto the stipes Victim’s belongings divided up among soldiers 3 – 4 hr to 9 day survival Death hastened by crucifracture To confirm death, spear to heart Upright post (stipes) Permanently in the ground Crude seat attached to stipes as to not have a clouded mind during His crucifixion (Edersheim, et al.) Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS Psalm 22:14-15: "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.” Shoulder dislocated as patibulum is violently hoisted onto stipes Dehydration due to severe hypovolemia (loss of blood)

CRUCIFIXION PRACTICES Invented by the Persians Perfected by the Romans Used as a form of torture and Capital Punishment Designed to produce a slow death with maximal pain and suffering It was the most disgraceful and cruelest method of execution Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

MEDICAL ASPECTS OF CRUCIFIXION Fixation of the arms: Nail would crush or sever the sensorimotor nerves in the hand Produce excruciating bolts of fiery pain Paralysis of portion of hand Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

MEDICAL ASPECTS OF CRUCIFIXION Fixation of the feet: Feet were nailed to stipes (90o flexion) Between 2nd and 3rd toes Severance of nerves and arteries in the foot Pain Additional blood loss Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

So what is the usual cause of death? Respiratory Distress or Asphyxia

MEDICAL ASPECTS OF CRUCIFIXION Respiration Severe interference with normal respiration (exhale)… (speech) Each breath, victim must push up on nailed feet Pain Reopen wounds Eventually, exhaustion asphyxia Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

Have you ever thought? Challenge Questions Jesus spoke 7 times in short sentences Difficult to breathe, more difficult to speak Challenge Questions What is the term for breaking of bones while on the cross? Crucifracture Friday, approximately 3 pm, our Lord cried with a loud voice and bowed His head and departed Crucifractured thieves’ legs to hasten death; Jesus already passed so prophecy of “not a bone of His shall be broken,” fulfilled Spear to heart to confirm death 2) Why was this done? (medically) Hasten death 3) What does the word excruciating mean? (language root) Latin – excruciatus – meaning “out of the cross”

SPEAR TO HEART Struck with 6 ft infantry spear “…produced a sudden flow of blood and water” Medically unclear Possibly RBCs (blood) and then plasma (water) Blood from inside heart and fluid around lungs or heart Is this order accurate?!?!? Scientific John 19:34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. Greek order . . . Edwards, WD, Gabel, WJ, Hosmer, FE: On The Physical Death Jesus Christ. JAMA 1986; 255(11):1455-63.

Medical Conclusion Jesus Christ endured the most painful and gruesome death at the hand of mankind

THE GREATEST EVENT Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ endured the most painful and gruesome death at the hand of mankind so that He may save us, His creation, and that we may have life everlasting. What’s more different about Christ’s sufferings is not His passion, but His glorious Resurrection. Glory be to God Forever, Amen