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It is important to understand from the beginning that Jesus would have
been in excellent physical condition. As a carpenter by trade, He participated
in physical labor. In addition, He spent much of His ministry traveling
on foot across the countryside. His stamina and strength were, most likely,
very well developed. With that in mind, it is clear just how much He suffered:
If this torture could break a man in such good shape, it must have been
a horrific experience.
After the Passover celebration, Jesus takes His disciples to Gethsemene
to pray. During His anxious prayer about the events to come, Jesus sweats
drops of blood. There is a rare medical condition called hemohedrosis,
during which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands
break down. Blood released from the vessels mixes with the sweat; therefore,
the body sweats drops of blood. This condition results from mental anguish
or high anxiety, a state Jesus expresses by praying “my soul is
deeply grieved to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Hemohidrosis
makes the skin tender, so Jesus’ physical condition worsens slightly.
Traveling from Pilate to Herod and back again, Jesus walks approximately
two and a half miles. He has not slept, and He has been mocked and beaten
(Luke 22:63-65). In addition, His skin remains tender from the hemohedrosis.
His physical condition worsens.
Pilate orders Jesus to be flogged as required by Roman law before crucifixion
Traditionally, the accused stood naked, and the flogging covered the area
from the shoulders down to the upper legs. The whip consisted of several
strips of leather. In the middle of the strips were metal balls that hit
the skin, causing deep bruising. In addition, sheep bone was attached
to the tips of each strip.
When the bone makes contact with Jesus’ skin, it digs into His muscles,
tearing out chunks of flesh and exposing the bone beneath. The flogging
leaves the skin on Jesus’ back in long ribbons. By this point, He
has lost a great volume of blood which causes His blood pressure to fall
and puts Him into shock. The human body attempts to remedy imbalances
such as decreased blood volume, so Jesus’ thirst is His body’s
natural response to His suffering (John 19:28). If He would have drank
water, His blood volume would have increased.
Roman soldiers place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head and a robe
on His back (Matthew 27:28-29). The robe helps the blood clot (similar
to putting a piece of tissue on a cut from shaving) to prevent Jesus from
sustaining more blood loss. As they hit Jesus in the head (Matthew 27:30),
the thorns from the crown push into the skin and He begins bleeding profusely.
The thorns also cause damage to the nerve that supplies the face, causing
intense pain down His face and neck. As they mock Him, the soldiers also
belittle Jesus by spitting on Him (Matthew 27:30). They rip the robe off
Jesus’ back and the bleeding starts afresh.
Jesus’ physical condition becomes critical. Due to severe blood loss
without replacement, Jesus is undoubtedly in shock. As such, He is unable
to carry the cross and Simon of Cyrene executes this task (Matthew 27:32).
Crucifixion was invented by the Persians between 300-400 B.C. It is quite
possibly the most painful death ever invented by humankind. The English
language derives the word “excruciating” from crucifixion, acknowledging
it as a form of slow, painful suffering.
Its punishment was reserved for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and
the vilest of criminals. Victims were nailed to a cross; however, Jesus’
cross was probably not the Latin cross (†), but rather a Tau cross (T).
The vertical piece (the stipes) remains in the ground permanently. The
accused carries only the horizontal piece (the patibulum) up the hill.
Atop the patibulum lies a sign (the titulus), indicating that a formal
trial occurred for a violation of the law. In Jesus’ case, this reads
“This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38).
The accused needed to be nailed to the patibulum while lying down, so
Jesus is thrown to the ground, reopening His wounds, grinding in dirt,
and causing bleeding. They nail His “hands” to the patibulum.
The Greek meaning of “hands” includes the wrist. It is more
likely that the nails went through Jesus’ wrists. If the nails were
driven into the hand, the weight of the arms would cause the nail to rip
through the soft flesh.
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Therefore, the upper body would not be held to the cross. If placed in
the wrist, the bones in the lower portion of the hand support the weight
of the arms and the body remains nailed to the cross. The huge nail (seven
to nine inches long) damages or severs
the major nerve to the hand (the median nerve) upon impact. This causes
continuous agonizing pain up both of Jesus’ arms.
Once the victim is secured, the guards lift the patibulum and place it
on the stipes already in the ground. As it is lifted, Jesus’ full
weight pulls down on His nailed wrists and His shoulders and elbows dislocate
(Psalm 22:14). In this position, Jesus’
arms stretch to a minimum of six inches longer than their original length.
It is highly likely that Jesus’ feet were nailed through the tops
as often pictured. In this position (with the knees flexed at approximately
90 degrees), the weight of the body pushes
down on the nails and the ankles support the weight. The nails would not
rip through the soft tissue as would have occurred with the hands. Again,
the nail would cause severe nerve damage (it severs the dorsal pedal artery
of the foot) and acute pain.
Normally, to breathe in, the diaphragm (the large muscle that separates
the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) must move down. This enlarges
the chest cavity and air automatically moves into the lungs (inhalation).
To exhale, the diaphragm rises up, which compresses the air in the lungs
and forces the air out (exhalation). As Jesus hangs on the cross, the
weight of His body pulls down on the diaphragm and the air moves into
His lungs and remains there. Jesus must push up on His nailed feet (causing
more pain) to exhale.
In order to speak, air must pass over the vocal cords during exhalation.
The Gospels note that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. It is amazing
that despite His pain, He pushes up to say “Forgive them” (Luke
23:34).
The difficulty surrounding exhalation leads to a slow form of suffocation.
Carbon dioxide builds up in the blood, resulting in a high level of carbonic
acid in the blood. The body responds instinctively, triggering the desire
to breathe. At the same time, the heart beats faster to circulate available
oxygen. The decreased oxygen (due to the difficulty in exhaling) causes
damage to the tissues and the capillaries begin leaking watery fluid from
the blood into the tissues. This results in a build-up of fluid around
the heart (pericardial effusion) and lungs (pleural effusion). The collapsing
lungs, failing heart, dehydration, and the inability to get sufficient
oxygen to the tissues essentially suffocate the victim.
The decreased oxygen also damages the heart itself (myocardial infarction)
which leads to cardiac arrest. In severe cases of cardiac stress, the
heart can even burst, a process known as cardiac rupture.
Jesus most likely died of a heart attack.
After Jesus’ death, the soldiers break the legs of the two criminals
crucified alongside Him (John 19:32), causing suffocation. Death would
then occur quicker. When they came to Jesus, He was already dead so they
did not break His legs (John 19:33). Instead, the soldiers pierced His
side (John 19:34) to assure that He was dead. In doing this, it is reported
that “blood and water came out” (John 19:34), referring to the
watery fluid surrounding the heart and lungs.
While these unpleasant facts depict a brutal murder, the depth of Christ’s
pain emphasizes the true extent of God’s love for His creation. Teaching
the physiology of Christ’s crucifixion is a constant reminder of
the magnificent demonstration of God’s love for humanity that was
expressed that day in Calvary. This lesson enables me to participate in
communion, the remembrance of His sacrifice, with a grateful heart. I
am struck every time with the stunning realization that as a flesh and
blood human, Jesus felt every ounce of this execution. What greater love
than this can a man have for his friends?
Cahleen Shrier, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department
of Biology and Chemistry.
Tally (French ’00) Flint, is editor in the Office of University Marketing
and Creative Media.
Behold, the Man. Produced and directed
by Alex Metherell and Hugh Ross. 60 min. Trinity Broadcasting Network,
2000. Videocassette.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Eastman, Mark. “Agony of Love: A physician’s
look at the crucifixion.” From a link on Mars Hill homepage [Internet
website] - [cited 14 February 2002]. Available at www.marshill.org/agony.htm.
Ibid.
Ibid.
General Resources:
Davis, C. Truman. “The Crucifixion of Jesus.” Arizona Medicine,
22, no. 3 (1965): 183-187.
Edwards, William D., et. Al. “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.”
The Journal of the American Medical Association 255, no.11 (1986):
1455-1463.
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