Discovering the Biblical Jesus Author: Daniel L. Akin Price: $5.95

God sent His Son to die, and the means of His death was crucifixion. All four Gospels record the passion of our Lord, providing significant detail about the enormous suffering and torture He endured. Other Christian, Jewish, and Roman sources provide additional insight about scourging and execution on a cross. These details help us realize all that Jesus suffered for us.

After Jesus and His disciples had observed Passover, they traveled to the Mount of Olives, which was northeast of the city and near Gethsemane. Jesus, knowing that the time of His death was near, suffered great mental anguish, and as described by the physician Luke, “His sweat became like drops of blood” (22:44). Although this is a rare phenomenon, “bloody sweat (hematidrosis or hemohidrosis) may occur in highly emotional states or in persons with bleeding disorders. As a result of hemorrhage into the sweat glands, the skin becomes fragile and tender. Luke’s description supports the diagnosis of hematidrosis.”

Sometime after midnight the temple officials, accompanied by a mob, arrested Jesus at Gethsemane. They took Him to Annas and then to Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest. Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin and was found guilty of blasphemy. The guards then blindfolded Jesus, spit on Him, beat Him, and slapped Him.

The Jews viewed blasphemy as a crime punishable by death. However, permission to execute a criminal had to come from the Romans. Jesus was taken early in the morning to Pilate, not as a blasphemer but as a self-proclaimed king who would undermine Roman authority. Pilate, unable to bring charges against Jesus, sent Him to Herod Antipas. Herod also made no official charges and returned Jesus to Pilate. Pilate again could find no basis to charge Jesus, but the people demanded His crucifixion. Pilate finally granted their demand and handed over Jesus to be flogged (scourged) and crucified.

For about 12 hours (between 9:00 p.m. Thursday and 9:00 a.m. Friday) Jesus suffered great emotional stress (as evidenced by hematidrosis), abandonment by His disciples, and a severe physical beating. He also experienced a traumatic, sleepless night and had to walk more than 2.5 miles to and from the sites of the various trials. These physical and emotional stresses probably made Him more vulnerable to the effects of the scourging.

Scourging usually preceded a Roman execution. The normal instrument was a short whip called a flagellum. It was composed of several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. The man was stripped, usually completely naked, and his hands were tied to a post. The back, buttocks, and legs were beaten or flogged, either by two soldiers called lectors or by one soldier who alternated his position from one side to the other. The scourging was intended to punish and weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. Some persons, in fact, died from scourging.

As the soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back, the iron balls would cause deep cuts or contusions, and the leather thongs or sheep bones would cut deep into the skin. As the beating continued, “the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.” The amount of blood loss probably determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.

Because this was a Roman scourging, we cannot be certain that the number of lashes was limited to 39, which was the limit set by Jewish law. The soldiers mocked Jesus by placing a robe on Him, a crown of thorns on His head, and a wooden staff as a scepter in His right hand. When the soldiers tore the robe from Jesus’ back, they probably reopened His wounds, again causing our Lord excruciating pain.

“The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a preshock state. Moreover, hematidrosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.”

For information, see The Last Hours of Christ, Part Two: The Crucifixion.