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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It will be eaten in one house; you will not bring part of the meat out from the house to the outside; and you will not break a bone of it.
his dead body shall not hang on the tree, but certainly you shall bury him on that day, for cursed by God [is] one that is [being] hung; so you shall not defile your land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you [as an] inheritance."
Therefore, I will divide to him [a portion] among the many, and with [the] strong ones he will divide bounty, {because} he poured his life out to death and was counted with [the] transgressors; and he was the one who bore the sin of many and will intercede for the transgressors.
they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and [when he] tasted [it] he did not want to drink [it].
And they sat down [and] were watching over him there.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?")
And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled [it] with sour wine and put [it] on a reed [and] gave [it] to him to drink.
Now the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus, [when they] saw the earthquake and the things that took place, were extremely frightened, saying, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which is translated, "My God, my God, {why} have you forsaken me?")
So he said to them a third [time], "Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation {deserving death} in him. Therefore I will punish him [and] release [him]."
And two other criminals were also led away to be executed with him.
[[But Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."]] And they cast lots to divide his clothes.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming up [and] offering him sour win
And he said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."
And Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit!" And [after he] said this, he expired.
So then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing and made four shares--for each soldier a share--and the tunic. (Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top {in a single piece}.)
So Jesus, seeing [his] mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, said to [his] mother, "Woman, behold your son!"
After this, Jesus, knowing that now at last everything was completed, in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, said, "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there, so [they] put a sponge full of the sour wine on a [branch of] hyssop [and] brought [it] to his mouth. read more. Then when he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, "It is completed," and bowing [his] head, he gave up [his] spirit. Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.
But [when they] came to Jesus, after they saw he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water came out immediately.
Hastings
CRUCIFIXION
1. Its nature.
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"And {if a man commits a sin punishable by death}, and [so] he is put to death and you hang him on a tree,
"And {if a man commits a sin punishable by death}, and [so] he is put to death and you hang him on a tree, his dead body shall not hang on the tree, but certainly you shall bury him on that day, for cursed by God [is] one that is [being] hung; so you shall not defile your land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you [as an] inheritance."
And after this Joshua struck them down and killed them, and he hanged them on five trees. And they were hanging on the trees until the evening.
And they put his armor [in] the temple of the Ashtoreth, and they fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth Shan.
Furthermore, I issue forth a decree that if any person violates this decree, let a beam be pulled out from his house and let him be impaled on it. And let his house be made a pile of rubble on [account of] this.
And they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai, and the anger of the king was abated.
And [as they] were going out, they found a man of Cyrene {named} Simon. They forced this man to carry his cross.
they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and [when he] tasted [it] he did not want to drink [it]. And [when they] had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves [by] casting lots.
And they put above his head the charge against him {in writing}: "This is Jesus, the king of the Jews."
And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled [it] with sour wine and put [it] on a reed [and] gave [it] to him to drink.
Now [when it] was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who also was a disciple of Jesus himself.
And the inscription of the charge against him was written, "The king of the Jews."
So he said to them a third [time], "Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation {deserving death} in him. Therefore I will punish him [and] release [him]."
And there was also an inscription over him, "This [is] the king of the Jews."
Look at my hands and my feet, that I am I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as {you see that I have}."
Look at my hands and my feet, that I am I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as {you see that I have}."
So then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
And Pilate also wrote a notice and placed [it] on the cross, and it was written: "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews."
And Pilate also wrote a notice and placed [it] on the cross, and it was written: "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews."
Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.
Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water came out immediately.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe!"
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed [by] hanging [him] on a tree.
And we [are] witnesses of all [the things] that he did both in the land of the Judeans and in Jerusalem, whom they also executed [by] hanging [him] on a tree.
And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took [him] down from the tree [and] placed [him] in a tomb.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law [by] becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree,"
having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way [by] nailing it to the cross.
This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are {in agreement}.
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 hang on the tree, but certainly you shall bury him on that day, for cursed by God [is] one that is [being] hung; so you shall not defile your land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you [as an] inheritance."
And Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit!" And [after he] said this, he expired.
And just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, thus it is necessary [that] the Son of Man be lifted up,
Then Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will recognize that I am [he], and I do nothing from myself, but just as the Father taught me, I say these [things].
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down {voluntarily}. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take possession of it again. This commandment I received from my Father."
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all [people] to myself."
Then when he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, "It is completed," and bowing [his] head, he gave up [his] spirit.
knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with [him], in order that the body of sin may be done away with, [that] we may no longer be enslaved to sin.
and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that [life] I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law [by] becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree,"
But [as] for me, may it never be [that I] boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through 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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In three days Pharaoh will lift your head from you and hang you on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh from you."
And they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai, and the anger of the king was abated.
This man approached Pilate [and] asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered [it] to be given [to him].
So they went with the guard of soldiers [and] made the tomb secure [by] sealing the stone.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing and made four shares--for each soldier a share--and the tunic. (Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top {in a single piece}.)
Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.