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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In one house, shall it be eaten, thou shalt not take forth out of the house any of the flesh outside; and a, bone thereof, shalt thou not break.
his dead body shall not remain all night upon the tree but thou shalt bury, him on the same day, for a reproach unto God, is he that is hanged, - so shalt thou not make unclean thy soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee for an inheritance.
Therefore, will I give him a portion in the great, And the strong, shall he apportion as spoil, Because he poured out, to death his own soul, And with transgressors, let himself be numbered, - Yea, he, the sin of Many, bare, And for transgressors, interposeth.
they gave him to drink, wine, with gall, mingled, and, tasting, he would not drink.
And, about the ninth hour, Jesus uttered a cry, with a loud voice, saying - Eloi! Eloi! lema sabachthanei? that is, My God! my God! to what end hast thou forsaken me?
And, straightway, one from among them, running, and taking a sponge, and filling it with vinegar and putting it on a reed, was giving him to drink;
Now, the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things coming to pass, were violently affrighted, saying - Truly, God's Son, was, he!
and, at the ninth hour, Jesus, uttered a cry, with a loud voice - Eloi! Eloi! lama sabachthanei? which is, being translated - My God! My God!to what end, didst thou forsake me?
But, he, the third time, said unto them - Why! what base thing hath this man done? Nothing worthy of death, found I in him. Chastising him, then, I will release him!
And there were being led, two other evil-doers also, to be lifted up.
And, when they were parting his garments, they cast lots.
Moreover the soldiers also mocked him, - coming near, offering, vinegar, unto him,
And he said unto him - Verily, I say unto thee this day: With me, shalt thou be in Paradise.
And, calling out with a loud voice, Jesus said - Father! into thy hands, I commend my spirit. And, this, saying, he ceased to breathe.
Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus, and scourged him.
The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, unto each soldier, a part; also the tunic. Howbeit, the tunic was without seam, from above, woven throughout.
Jesus, therefore, seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved, saith unto his mother - O woman, see! thy son!
After this, Jesus, knowing that, already, all things, have been finished, - that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith - I thirst! A vessel, was standing, full of vinegar. A sponge, therefore, full of the vinegar, put about, hyssop, brought they unto his mouth. read more. When, therefore, he had received the vinegar, Jesus said - It is finished! And, bowing his head, delivered up his spirit. The Jews, therefore, since it was, a preparation, that the bodies might not remain upon the cross during the Sabbath, - for that Sabbath day was, great, requested Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they be taken away.
but coming, unto Jesus, when they saw that, already, he was dead, they brake not his legs; - but, one of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced, his side, and there came out, straightway, blood and water.
Hastings
CRUCIFIXION
1. Its nature.
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But when there shall be in any man a sin worthy of death and he is to be put to death, - and thou shalt hang him on a tree,
But when there shall be in any man a sin worthy of death and he is to be put to death, - and thou shalt hang him on a tree, his dead body shall not remain all night upon the tree but thou shalt bury, him on the same day, for a reproach unto God, is he that is hanged, - so shalt thou not make unclean thy soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee for an inheritance.
And Joshua smote them after this, and put them to death, and hanged them upon five trees, - and they remained hung on the trees, until the evening,
And they put his armour in a house of Ashtoreths, - and, his dead body, fastened they on the wall of Beth-shan.
And, from me, is issued an edict, that, any man who shall alter this message, let timber be torn out of his house, and being lifted up let him be fastened thereunto, - and his house, a dunghill, be made for this;
So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, - and, the wrath of the king, was appeased.
And, as they were going forth, they found a man of Cyrene, by name, Simon, - the same, they impressed to bear his cross.
they gave him to drink, wine, with gall, mingled, and, tasting, he would not drink. And, having crucified him, they parted among themselves his garments, casting a cloth;
And they put up, over his head, his accusation, written - THIS, IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And, straightway, one from among them, running, and taking a sponge, and filling it with vinegar and putting it on a reed, was giving him to drink;
And, when, evening, arrived, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, whose name was Joseph, who also, himself, had been discipled unto Jesus.
And the inscription of his accusation, had been inscribed - THE KING OF THE JEWS.
But, he, the third time, said unto them - Why! what base thing hath this man done? Nothing worthy of death, found I in him. Chastising him, then, I will release him!
Now there was an inscription also, over him - THE KING OF THE JEWS, THIS!
See my hands, and my feet, - that it is, I, myself: Handle me, and see! because, a spirit, hath not, flesh and bones, as ye perceive, I, have.
See my hands, and my feet, - that it is, I, myself: Handle me, and see! because, a spirit, hath not, flesh and bones, as ye perceive, I, have.
Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus, and scourged him.
And Pilate wrote a title also, and placed on the cross; and there was written - JESUS, THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And Pilate wrote a title also, and placed on the cross; and there was written - JESUS, THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
The Jews, therefore, since it was, a preparation, that the bodies might not remain upon the cross during the Sabbath, - for that Sabbath day was, great, requested Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they be taken away.
The Jews, therefore, since it was, a preparation, that the bodies might not remain upon the cross during the Sabbath, - for that Sabbath day was, great, requested Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they be taken away.
but, one of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced, his side, and there came out, straightway, blood and water.
The other disciples, therefore, were saying unto him - We have seen the Lord! But, he, said unto them - Except I see, in his hands, the print of the nails, and press my finger into the print of the nails, and press my hand into his side, in nowise will I believe.
The God of our fathers, hath raised up Jesus, - whom, ye, got into your hands, suspending him upon a tree: -
We also, are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the country of the Jews and Jerusalem; whom they even slew by suspending upon a tree; -
And, when they had finished all those things which, concerning him, had been written, taking him down from the tree, they put him in a tomb.
Christ, hath redeemed, us, out of the curse of the law, having become, in our behalf, a curse; - because it is written - Cursed, is every one that hangeth upon a tree; -
Having blotted out the handwriting against us by the decrees, which was hostile to us, - and hath taken away, the same, out of the midst, nailing it up to the cross:
This, is he that came through means of water and blood, Jesus Christ: not, by the water, only, but, by the water and by the blood, - and, the Spirit, it is, that is bearing witness, because, the Spirit, is the truth.
The Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood; and, the three, are, witnesses , unto one thing.
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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his dead body shall not remain all night upon the tree but thou shalt bury, him on the same day, for a reproach unto God, is he that is hanged, - so shalt thou not make unclean thy soil which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee for an inheritance.
And, calling out with a loud voice, Jesus said - Father! into thy hands, I commend my spirit. And, this, saying, he ceased to breathe.
And, just as, Moses, lifted up the serpent in the desert, so, must, the Son of Man, be lifted up, -
Jesus, therefore, said - Whensoever ye shall lift up the Son of Man, then, shall ye know, that, I, am he, and, of myself, am doing, nothing; but, just as the Father taught me, the same things, am I speaking.
No one, forced it from me, but, I, lay it down, of myself, - Authority, have I, to lay it down, and, authority, have I, again, to receive it: This commandment, received I, from my Father.
And, I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw, all, unto myself.
When, therefore, he had received the vinegar, Jesus said - It is finished! And, bowing his head, delivered up his spirit.
Of this taking note - that, our old man, was crucified together with him in order that the sinful body might be made powerless, that we should, no longer, be in servitude to sin;
With Christ, have I been crucified; and, living no longer, am, I, but, living in me, is, Christ, - while, so far as I now do live in flesh, by faith, I live - The faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up in my behalf.
Christ, hath redeemed, us, out of the curse of the law, having become, in our behalf, a curse; - because it is written - Cursed, is every one that hangeth upon a tree; -
With me, however, far be it! to be boasting, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, - whereby, unto me, a world hath been crucified, and, I, unto a 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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In three days more, will Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and hang thee upon a tree, and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, - and, the wrath of the king, was appeased.
The same, going unto Pilate, claimed the body of Jesus. Then, Pilate commanded it to be given up.
And, they, went and secured for themselves the sepulchre, sealing the stone, with the guard.
The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, unto each soldier, a part; also the tunic. Howbeit, the tunic was without seam, from above, woven throughout.
The Jews, therefore, since it was, a preparation, that the bodies might not remain upon the cross during the Sabbath, - for that Sabbath day was, great, requested Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they be taken away.