Each of the four Gospels records the agony of Jesus’ crucifixion. Today, medical science gives further insight that far exceeds the observable anguish and sheds light on suffering beyond our comprehension. When Jesus completed the Passover meal, He led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed, aware of the torment He would endure in the coming hours.
His agony began in the Garden. He knew He must drink a cup containing two bitter components: the sins of the world He would take upon Himself and the bodily torture. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44 NIV). A rare phenomenon called hematidrosis occurred. It only takes place during times of extreme psychological distress. The surface capillaries dilate, burst, and mix with sweat. The blood coagulates. This made Jesus appear as if He was sweating blood. The mass loss of blood caused His skin to become extremely tender and heightened the pain for His scourging.
A mob came, seized Jesus, and led Him away to Caiaphas, the High Priest, and the religious leaders. They accused and grilled Him, Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him (Matt. 26:67). When the day dawned, the soldiers led Him to Pilate. Following an interrogation, Pilate conceded to the Jews and delivered him for crucifixion. The Romans scourged those condemned to crucifixion—it intensified the pain. Soldiers fabricated the whip from strips of leather weaving in jagged fragments of lead or sharp pieces of sheep bones. They stripped off Jesus’ clothes and then stretched His hands above His head in order to tighten the skin on his back. The lictor began his work. With each strike, the lead-laced strips of leather gouged out deep gashes across His back. Blood puddled at His feet. This proceeded until completing the prescribed number of lashings (if anyone was counting). Soldiers then began their ‘fun’ time with the man who claimed He was the King of the Jews. They cut Jesus down and draped a purple robe worn only by royalty over His body, then placed a reed in His hand for a mock scepter. The one object missing for their ridicule was a King’s crown. A soldier ran out to a euphorbia bush and fashioned a crown from the branches. This common plant grew razor-sharp thorns two to three inches long. They . . . took the reed and smote him on the head (Matt. 27:30 NIV). The scalp bleeds easily; each strike drove the thorns deeper bringing more blood streaming down His face, coating His hair and beard.
When the soldiers tired of their game, they snatched off the robe, now stuck to the lacerations, reopening His wounds. The half-mile march to Golgotha began. They placed the 100-pound patibulum (crossbeam) of the cross on His raw shoulders. Jesus started His journey, but He was too exhaust and fell under the weight. A soldier grabbed a bystander, Simeon, and compelled Him to carry Jesus’ cross for the remaining distance. Upon reaching Calvary, they stripped off Jesus’ clothes, again stuck to His back, and threw Him to the ground, caking the wounds with filthy dirt. The executioners knew their task with thoughtless precision. One held His arm; another took a pointed square spike. With a single blow of his mallet, they secured the nail in the wood. This severed the median nerve of Jesus’ hand. Doctors say the most severe pain anyone can experience occurs when anything damages that nerve. Unimaginable pain raced through His arm. They proceeded to the other arm—Jesus knew the pain to expect. A soldier laid one of Jesus’ feet over the other; a few strikes fixed the nail. This time it severed two median nerves. Searing pain surged up both legs.
Beyond the torture, He had endured, the greater suffering was still to come. The Romans designed crucifixion to create extended brutality—not a swift death. When they lifted the cross, Jesus’ body sagged and increased pressure on the raw nerves against the nails. The slightest movement multiplied His pain. Because He was drooping, His lungs filled with air resulting in asphyxiation. The one-way air could escape by pushing up on the nail through His feet, however, at the cost of intensifying the pain as the nail pushed against the median nerves. This continued for six hours.
Hours without food or drink, He thirsted. Doctors describe another trauma—the effects of dehydration. This caused His muscles to contract, increasing until every muscle in his body cramped. Now, after the human agony, His final suffering awaited. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — Which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Forsaken by His Father was something that had never occurred in eternity. His spiritual agony began. He was bearing the once-for-all penalty for the world’s sins—yours and mine. With agony in His body, the sins of the world on His sinless self, and the horror of being abandoned by His father, He cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit (Mat 27:50).
Sustaining Word for the Week: Why? He suffered this agony to pay the debt of our sin and give us life. It’s free!