“And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 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. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot saveIf he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour [12 Noon – Jewish time] there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [3:00 PM].. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
In Mark 15:33-39, we read:
“And when the sixth hour [12 Noon] was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour [3:00 PM]. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
In Luke 23:44-49, we read:
“And it was about the sixth hour [12 Noon], and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour [3:00 PM]. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.”
In John 19:16-30, we read:
“Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 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. 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. These things therefore the soldiers did. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved [John], he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
COMMENTARY ON JESUS CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION
The following quote helps to give additional clarity to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ:
[BEGIN QUOTE] - At the site of execution, by law, the victim was given a bitter drink of wine mixed with myrrh (gall) as a mild analgesic. The criminal was then thrown to the ground on his back, with his arms outstretched along the patibulum. The hand could be nailed or tied to the crossbar, but nailing apparently was preferred by the Romans.
The archaeological remains of a crucified body, found in an ossuary near Jerusalem and dating from the time of Christ, indicate that the nails were tapered iron spikes approximately 5 to 7 in (13 to 18 cm) long with a square shaft 3/8 in (1 cm) across. Furthermore, ossuary findings have documented that the nails commonly were driven through the wrists rather than the palms.
After both arms were fixed to the crossbar, the patibulum and the victim, together, were lifted onto the stipes [an upright post]. Next, the feet were fixed to the cross, either by nails or ropes. Ossuary findings suggest that nailing was the preferred Roman practice. When the nailing was completed the titulus was attached to the cross, by nails or cords, just above the victim’s head.
The soldiers and the civilian crowd often taunted and jeered the condemned man, and the soldiers customarily divided up his clothes among themselves. The length of survival generally ranged from three or four hours to three or four days and appears to have been inversely related to the severity of the scourging. However, even if the scourging had been relatively mild, the Roman soldiers could hasten death by breaking the legs below the knees (crurifragium or skelokopia).
Not uncommonly, insects would light upon or burrow into the open wounds or the eyes, ears, and nose of the dying and helpless victim, and birds of prey would tear at these sites.
Moreover, it was customary to leave the corpse on the cross to be devoured by predatory animals. However, by Roman law, the family of the condemned could take the body for burial, after obtaining permission from the Roman judge. Since no one was intended to survive crucifixion, the body was not released to the family until the soldiers were sure that the victim was dead. By custom, one of the Roman guards would pierce the body with a sword or lance. Traditionally, this had been considered a spear wound to the heart through the right side of the chest – a fatal wound probably taught to most Roman soldiers. [END QUOTE]
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY ON THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST
Let us now recap what has happened to Jesus Christ up to the time that the Roman soldiers nailed Him to an old rugged cross:
* He has been through great emotional stress in the Garden of Gethsemane which has caused His skin to become tender and fragile.
* He has been abandoned by His friends.
* He has had a sleepless night.
* He has been forced to travel over 2-1/2 miles between trial sites, and then to Golgatha where He is crucified.
* He has encountered a severe physical beating with fists and has been slapped with the palms of hands.
* He has been mocked and spit upon.
* He has had part of his beard plucked out. * He has had a crown of thorns placed upon His head, and has been struck upon that crown of thorns with a wooden staff again and again.
* He has been forced to carry the heavy cross bar of His cross for some distance before getting help to carry it from Simon of Cyrene.
* At the crucifixion site, Christ’s clothes are again removed, probably reopening the flogging wounds.
* He is offered a drink of wine mixed with bitter myrrh, but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
* He has had His hands and feet nailed to the cross with 5-7” square nails that were probably put through His wrists (also called the hand in those days) Both the nerves in His hand and His feet would have been affected and would have caused Him severe pain.
COMMENTARY ON THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION
The following is a quote from the March 1986 JAMA Medical Journal concerning the medical aspects of Christ’s crucifixion:
[BEGIN QUOTE] - The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion, beyond the excruciating pain, was a marked interference with normal respiration, particularly exhalation. The weight of the body pulling down on the outstretched arms and shoulders would tend to fix the intercostal muscles in an inhalation state and thereby hinder passive exhalation. The onset of muscle cramps or titanic contractions, due to fatigue and hypercarbia, would hinder respiration even further
Adequate exhalation required lifting the body by pushing up on the feet and by flexing the elbows and adducting the shoulders. However, this maneuver would place the entire weight of the body on the tarsals [foot bones] and would produce searing pain.
Further flexion of the elbows would cause rotation of the wrists about the iron nails and cause fiery pain along the damaged median nerves. Lifting of the body would also painfully scrape the scourged back against the rough wooden stipes [wooden post]. Muscle cramps of the outstretched and uplifted arms would add to the discomfort. As a result, each respiratory effort would become agonizing and tiring and lead eventually to asphyxia. [END QUOTE]
ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY ON THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF JESUS CHRIST’S CRUCIFXION
The following is some additional commentary concerning the medical aspects of crucifxion in Jesus Christ time:
[BEGIN QUOTE] - With a knowledge of both anatomy and ancient crucifixion practices, one may reconstruct the probable medical aspects of this form of slow execution. Each wound apparently was intended to produce intense agony, and the contributing causes of death were numerous.
The scourging prior to crucifixion served to weaken the condemned man and, if blood loss was considerable, to produce conditions leading to a severe drop in blood pressure, fainting, and even organ failure.
When the victim was thrown to the ground on his back, in preparation for transfixion of his hands, his scourging wounds most likely would become torn open again and contaminated with dirt. Furthermore, with each respiration, the painful scourging wounds would be scraped against the rough wood of the post. As a result, blood loss from the back probably would continue throughout the crucifixion ordeal.
It has been shown that the dense fibrous tissue connecting the bones together, and bones of the wrist, can support the weight of a body hanging from them, but the palms cannot. Accordingly, the iron spikes probably were driven between the radius, the heavier of the two forearm bones, and the carpals, the eight wrist bones. Another probability for placement of the spikes could be between the row of carpal bones nearest the radius, or through the strong fibrous band-like tissue that covers the carpals, which forms a tunnel for the various fibrous bands connecting the eight carpal bones. The nail driven at this location would crush or sever the rather large median nerve. This nerve provides sensation and movement, particularly to the 2nd and 3rd fingers. Damage to the median nerve results in a contracture or a claw-like deformity of the hand. The damaged nerve would also produce excruciating bolts of fiery pain in both arms.
It is likely that the deep peroneal nerve, extending to the front of the ankle, and branches of the medial and lateral plantar nerves, would have been injured by the nails driven through the feet. Although scourging may have resulted in considerable blood loss, crucifixion per se was a relatively bloodless procedure, since no major arteries, other than perhaps the deep plantar arch, a confluence of arteries in the foot, pass through the favored anatomic sites of transfixion.
The crucial effect of crucifixion, beyond the excruciating pain, was a marked interference with normal respiration, particularly exhalation. The weight of the body, pulling down on the outstretched arms and shoulders, would tend to fix the chest muscles used for breathing in an inhalation state and thereby hinder passive exhalation. Accordingly, exhalation would require using the abdominal muscles rather than the chest muscles, and breathing would be shallow. It is likely that this form of respiration would not suffice and that a high level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream would soon result.
The onset of muscle cramps or tetanic contractions, due to fatigue and the high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, would hinder respiration even further. Adequate exhalation required lifting the body by pushing up on the feet and by flexing the elbows and pulling the shoulders inward. However, this maneuver would place the entire weight of the body on the bones in the feet, and would produce searing pain. Furthermore, flexion, or bending of the elbows would cause rotation of the wrists about the iron nails and cause fiery pain along the damaged median nerves. Lifting of the body would also painfully scrape the scourged back against the rough wooden post. Muscle cramps and loss of feeling in both the outstretched and uplifted arms would add to the discomfort. As a result, each respiratory effort would become agonizing and tiring, further reducing the oxygen levels in the blood, and lead eventually to asphyxia.
The actual cause of death by crucifixion was multifactorial and varied somewhat with each case, but the two most prominent causes probably were shock from inadequate perfusion of critical organs due to blood loss and inadequate oxygen levels in the blood due to inability to breathe properly.
Other possible contributing factors included dehydration, stress-induced arrhythmias of the heart, and congestive heart failure with the rapid accumulation of fluid around the heart and in lungs. Death by crucifixion was, in every sense of the word, excruciating (Latin, excruciatus, or "out of the cross")
In Psalm 22:14, we learn that Jesus Christ’s “bones were out of joint” while He was hanging on the cross. This too must have had an effect on the excruciating pain that Jesus was undergoing while pushing Himself up so that He could exhale His breath. [END QUOTE]
JESUS CHRIST’S LEGS REMAIN UNBROKEN AT HIS CRUCIFIXION
The Roman soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves on crosses next to Jesus so that they would be dead before sunset. Jewish law requiredthat crucified victims be killed and removed from crosses before the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread (a “High Day” Sabbath – John 19:31).
As we have discussed in other places in this book, the day that Jesus Christ was crucified and died was Thursday, Nisan 14, 32 A.D. It was “preparation day”, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb meal would be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs by the Jewish people after the sundown of Nisan 14. So, the Roman soldiers were in a hurry to kill the victims on their crosses before sunset by breaking their legs so that they would die. However, when they came to the Cross of Christ to break His legs they discovered that He was already dead, so the legs of Jesus were left un-broken.
The “un-breaking” of the legs of Christ fulfilled the prophecy given to us in Psalm 34:20, where we read:
"He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."
COMMENTARY ON BREAKING OF THE LEGS AT ROMAN CRUCIFIXIONS
[BEGIN QUOTE] - It was common for Roman soldiers to break the legs of crucified victims in order to hasten death. When the legs of the crucified victims were broken the victims could no longer push themselves up with their legs and feet in order to breathe. They would die of asphyxia. [END QUOTE]
WHAT WAS JESUS FEELING WHILE HANGING ON THE CROSS?
In Psalm 22:14-19, we read:
"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. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet, I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me, They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."
HOW MANY HOURS DID JESUS SUFFER ON THE CROSS?
Many persons claim that Jesus suffered on the Cross for only 3 hours before He died. However, this claim is inaccurate according to Holy Scripture. The reason for this inaccuracy is because some claim that the testimony of Apostle John contradicts the testimony of the other three Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke). However, a contradiction in testimonies between Gospel writers in the Holy Scriptures is impossible because in 2 Timothy 3:16, we read:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
All four Gospel writers were “inspired by God” (the Holy Spirit) when they wrote their testimonies about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ into the Holy Bible. God can not lie and therefore the “inspired by God” testimonies of all four Gospel writers must be all truth and they must somehow be in agreement with each other. – Why? -- Because “truth cannot contradict truth”.
Now let’s look at a ‘supposed contradiction' between Mark 15:25 and John 19:14. – The reading of Mark 15:25 specifically states that Jesus Christ was crucified on the “third hour”, which in Jewish time is 9:00 AM. – The reading of John 19:14 specifically states that about the “sixth hour” Jesus Christ was on trial before Pontius Pilate and then handed over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Now the “sixth hour” according to Jewish time is 12 Noon. So, was Jesus crucified at 9:00 AM as testified by Apostle Mark, or was he crucified at about 12 Noon as testified by Apostle John?
In order to find a solution to the ‘supposed contradiction' between Mark15:25 and John 19:4, let’s first look at the times given by Matthew, Mark, and Luke as to when Jesus Christ died on the Cross.
In Matthew 27:45-50, we read:
“Now from the sixth hour [12 Noon according to Jewish time] there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [3:00 PM according to Jewish time]. And about the ninth hour [3:00 PM according to Jewish time] Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost [died].”
In Mark 15:33-37, we read:
“And when the sixth hour [12 Noon according to Jewish time] was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour [3:00 PM according to Jewish time]. And at the ninth hour [3:00 PM] Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost [died].”
In Luke 23:44-46, we read:
“And it was about the sixth hour [12 Noon], and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour [3:00 PM according to Jewish time]. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost [died].”
Please note that Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all in agreement that Jesus Christ died on the Cross at 3:00 PM. – Now, Matthew, Mark, and Luke also state that while Jesus was hanging on the Cross, that about the sixth hour (12 Noon according to Jewish time) that “a darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour" [3:00 PM according to Jewish time].
Yet Apostle John’s testimony states in John 19:14 that Jesus was just leaving the Praetorium of the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate at the sixth hour (12 Noon according to Jewish time) and that Jesus had not yet been crucified. – Obviously Jesus could not have been in two places at the same time at 12 Noon on the day of His crucifixion. He could not have been hanging on the Cross at Calvary when darkness overcome the entire world at 12 Noon and be just leaving the Praetorium to be led by the Roman soldiers to be crucified at 12 Noon.
Now let us look once again at the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, and Luke who appear to be in agreement in the following three areas of the timing of Christ’s crucifixion…
(1) That Jesus Christ began to be crucified during the “third hour” which is 9:00 AM according to Jewish time. (Mark 15:25)
(2) That while Jesus was already hanging on the Cross that the whole world turned dark at the “sixth hour” which is 12 Noon according to Jewish time. (Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44)
(3) That Jesus died at the “ninth hour” which is 3:00 PM according to Jewish time. (Matthew 27:46-50, Mark 15:33-37, and Luke 23:44-46)
So, Apostle John appears to be the only apostle who is in disagreement with the timing of the crucifixion of Christ because he states the following in John 19:14:
“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about “the sixth hour” [12 Noon according to Jewish time]: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”
If we interpret Apostle John’s time “the sixth hour” as being Jewish time (12 Noon) when the Roman soldiers began to take Jesus away from the Praetorium to crucify Him, then it appears to us that Jesus never left the presence of the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate to be crucified at Calvary until 12 Noon, Jewish time. This we have already determined is a contradiction with the Matthew, Mark, and Luke testimonies. – So, what is the solution to overcome the ‘supposed contradiction' between the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, and Luke with the testimony of John?
The solution is the ‘KIND OF TIME’ that is being used to define “the sixth hour” in John 19:14. -- What happens to the supposed contradiction in time if Apostle John was using Roman time rather than Jewish time?
When Apostle John states that during the “sixth hour” (6:00 AM in Roman time) that Jesus is still on trial before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, and that He is soon handed over to the Roman soldiers and made to carry His Cross to Calvary, the timing of Christ’s crucifixion now comes into agreement with the other three Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Mark states that Jesus was crucified during the “third hour” (9:00 AM Jewish time) so that leaves a three hours time lapse between Jesus Christ’s trial before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate (6:00 AM in Roman time according to John) and the time when Jesus was actually nailed to the Cross (9:00 AM).
The distance from the Praetorium to the hill of Golgatha was about a half mile along the Via Dolorosa route which was lined with numerous people, including women mourners. It would have taken a great deal of time for Jesus to have completed his trial in front of Pontius Pilate and to have then made the half mile walk from the Praetorium to Golgatha because of His weakened state.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all state that Jesus died on the Cross at 3:00 PM, so the truth is that Jesus Christ suffered on the Cross for SIX LONG HOURS – 9:00 AM until His death on the Cross at 3:00 PM.
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