Reference: Crucifixion
Easton
a common mode of punishment among heathen nations in early times. It is not certain whether it was known among the ancient Jews; probably it was not. The modes of capital punishment according to the Mosaic law were, by the sword (Ex 21), strangling, fire (Le 20), and stoning (De 21).
This was regarded as the most horrible form of death, and to a Jew it would acquire greater horror from the curse in De 21:23.
This punishment began by subjecting the sufferer to scourging. In the case of our Lord, however, his scourging was rather before the sentence was passed upon him, and was inflicted by Pilate for the purpose, probably, of exciting pity and procuring his escape from further punishment (Lu 23:22; Joh 19:1).
The condemned one carried his own cross to the place of execution, which was outside the city, in some conspicuous place set apart for the purpose. Before the nailing to the cross took place, a medicated cup of vinegar mixed with gall and myrrh (the sopor) was given, for the purpose of deadening the pangs of the sufferer. Our Lord refused this cup, that his senses might be clear (Mt 27:34). The spongeful of vinegar, sour wine, posca, the common drink of the Roman soldiers, which was put on a hyssop stalk and offered to our Lord in contemptuous pity (Mt 27:48; Lu 23:36), he tasted to allay the agonies of his thirst (Joh 19:29). The accounts given of the crucifixion of our Lord are in entire agreement with the customs and practices of the Roman in such cases. He was crucified between two "malefactors" (Isa 53:12; Lu 23:32), and was watched by a party of four soldiers (Joh 19:23; Mt 27:36,54), with their centurion. The "breaking of the legs" of the malefactors was intended to hasten death, and put them out of misery (Joh 19:31); but the unusual rapidity of our Lord's death (Joh 19:33) was due to his previous sufferings and his great mental anguish. The omission of the breaking of his legs was the fulfilment of a type (Ex 12:46). He literally died of a broken heart, a ruptured heart, and hence the flowing of blood and water from the wound made by the soldier's spear (Joh 19:34). Our Lord uttered seven memorable words from the cross, namely, (1) Lu 23:34; (2) Lu 23:43; (3) Joh 19:26; (4) Mt 27:46; Mr 15:34; (5) Joh 19:28; (6) Joh 19:30; (7) Lu 23:46.
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they gave him vine gar to drink, mingled with gall; and when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
And they sat down and watched him there.
But about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamah sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and having filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink.
Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and what was done, were greatly afraid, and said: Of a truth, this was the Son of God.
And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani? which is, when translated, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
He said to them the third time: Why, what evil has he done? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. I will, therefore, chastise him, and release him.
And two others, who were evil-doers, were led out to be put to death with him.
And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And dividing his clothing into parts, they cast lots.
The soldiers also derided him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
And Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you, to-day you shall be with me in paradise.
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And when he had said this, he gave up his spirit.
Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus and scourged him.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing, and made four parts, to each soldier a part; and they took his coat also. Now his coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Then Jesus, seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by, said to his mother: Woman, behold your son.
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Now a vessel full of vinegar had been set there; and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon a hyssop-stalk, and put it to his mouth. read more. Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said: It is finished. And he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit. Then the Jews, as it was the preparation, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for that sabbath day was a great day, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken down.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs: but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear; and immediately there came out blood and water.
Hastings
CRUCIFIXION
1. Its nature.
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And as they were going out, they found a man of Gyrene, named Simon: this man they compelled to carry his cross.
they gave him vine gar to drink, mingled with gall; and when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among themselves, by casting the lot.
And they placed above his head the charge that was made against him, written: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and having filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink.
When the evening had come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph; and he also was a disciple of Jesus.
And the superscription containing his accusation was written above him: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
He said to them the third time: Why, what evil has he done? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. I will, therefore, chastise him, and release him.
And a superscription was also written over him in Greek and in Roman and in Hebrew letters, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have.
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have.
Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus and scourged him.
And Pilate wrote a superscription, and put it on the cross; and the writing was, JESUS THE NAZABENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And Pilate wrote a superscription, and put it on the cross; and the writing was, JESUS THE NAZABENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then the Jews, as it was the preparation, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for that sabbath day was a great day, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken down.
Then the Jews, as it was the preparation, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for that sabbath day was a great day, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken down.
but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear; and immediately there came out blood and water.
Then the other disciples said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.
The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom you slew by hanging him on a tree.
And we are witnesses of all that he did, both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew by hanging him on a tree.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher.
Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:)
having blotted out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us, which was opposed to us, he also took it out of the way, driving a nail through it by means of his cross;
This is he that came by water and by blood, Jesus the Christ; not by water only, but by water and by blood: and it is the Spirit that testifies, because the Spirit is truth.
Morish
The most painful and the most degrading capital punishment, reserved for the worst crimes and for the lowest class of people. The Romans used a short beam fastened to a long upright one, on which was placed a piece of wood for the feet to rest on. Nails were driven through the hands and feet; but historians say that sometimes the feet were only tied. The torture was dreadful, and the thirst great; but in some cases life lasted three days, none of the vital parts being reached. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and of the two malefactors are the only cases named in scripture: crucifixion was not practised by the Jews. A stupefying draught was given to the prisoners, but the Lord refused it. He would drink the bitter cup to the dregs. It is clear from scripture, by His crying with a loud voice just before His death, that as stated in John's gospel (Joh 10:18) He gave up His life. Lu 23:46; Joh 19:30. The Lord referred to the manner of His death as being lifted up out of the earth, so that death by stoning would not have answered to this. Joh 3:14; 8:28; 12:32. We also read that He was made a curse for us; for "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Ga 3:13; De 21:23. Thus did the blessed Lord in saving rebellious man go down to the very lowest form of death.
The crucifixion is used metaphorically to instruct those who are associated with Christ: of believers it is said their 'old man' is crucified with Him. Ro 6:6. Paul could say that he was crucified with Christ; and that by Christ the world was crucified to him, and he to the world. Ga 2:20; 6:14. He accepted the judgement of himself in the cross, and he was cut off from the world by the same means.
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And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And when he had said this, he gave up his spirit.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up;
Then said Jesus to them: When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father has taught me I speak these things.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. This commandment I have received from my Father.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.
Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said: It is finished. And he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
knowing this, that our former man has been crucified with him, in order that the sinful body may be deprived of its power, so that we should no longer serve sin:
I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live; no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:)
But may I never boast save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Smith
was in used among the Egyptians,
the Carthaginians, the Persians,
the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and from the earliest times among the Greeks and Romans. Whether this mode of execution was known to the ancient Jews is a matter of dispute. Probably the Jews borrowed it from the Romans. It was unanimously considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans the degradation was also a part of the infliction, and the punishment if applied to freemen was only used in the case of the vilest criminals. The one to be crucified was stripped naked of all his clothes, and then followed the most awful moment of all. He was laid down upon the implement of torture. His arms were stretched along the cross-beams, and at the centre of the open palms the point of a huge iron nail was placed, which, by the blow of a mallet, was driven home into the wood. Then through either foot separately, or possibly through both together, as they were placed one over the other, another huge nail tore its way through the quivering flesh. Whether the sufferer was also bound to the cross we do not know; but, to prevent the hands and feet being torn away by the weight of the body, which could not "rest upon nothing but four great wounds," there was, about the centre of the cross, a wooden projection strong enough to support, at least in part, a human body, which soon became a weight of agony. Then the "accursed tree" with its living human burden was slowly heaved up and the end fixed firmly in a hole in the ground. The feet were but a little raised above the earth. The victim was in full reach of every hand that might choose to strike. A death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death can have of the horrible and ghastly, --dizziness, cramp, thirst, starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, tetanus, publicity of shame, long continuance of torment, horror of anticipation, mortification of untended wounds, all intensified just up to the point at which they can be endured at all, but all stopping just short of the point which would give to the sufferer the relief of unconsciousness. The unnatural position made every movement painful; the lacerated veins and crushed tendons throbbed with incessant anguish; the wounds, inflamed by exposure, gradually gangrened; the arteries, especially of the head and stomach, became swollen and oppressed with surcharged blood; and, while each variety of misery went on gradually increasing, there was added to them the intolerable pang of a burning and raging thirst. Such was the death to which Christ was doomed. --Farrar's "Life of Christ." The crucified was watched, according to custom, by a party of four soldiers,
Joh 19:23
with their centurion,
whose express office was to prevent the stealing of the body. This was necessary from the lingering character of the death, which sometimes did not supervene even for three days, and was at last the result of gradual benumbing and starvation. But for this guard, the persons might have been taken down and recovered, as was actually done in the case of a friend of Josephus. Fracture of the legs was especially adopted by the Jews to hasten death.
Joh 19:31
In most cases the body was suffered to rot on the cross by the action of sun and rain, or to be devoured by birds and beasts. Sepulture was generally therefore forbidden; but in consequence of
De 21:22-23
an express national exception was made in favor of the Jews.
This accursed and awful mode of punishment was happily abolished by Constantine.
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This man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given.
And they went and made the sepulcher safe, by placing a seal upon the stone, and setting the guard.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing, and made four parts, to each soldier a part; and they took his coat also. Now his coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Then the Jews, as it was the preparation, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for that sabbath day was a great day, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken down.