On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ

[mystery-ak]

On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ

    April 1986JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association 255(11):1455-63

William D Edwards

    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Abstract and Figures

Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripelike lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock, as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion, his wrists were nailed to the patibulum and, after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post (stipes), his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia. Jesus' death was ensured by the thrust of a soldier's spear into his side. Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross.

more
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/19648788_On_the_Physical_Death_of_Jesus_Christ

[deb]

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on a Cross, my burdens gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

[libertybele]

Reflecting back on the movie "The Passion of the Christ" -- we've seen it a couple of times.

[mystery-ak]

Reflecting back on the movie "The Passion of the Christ" -- we've seen it a couple of times.

I have a copy of it...I can't watch it again..I barely made it through the first time.

One thing that was new to me in this article is that they broke Jesus's legs just below the knee...

[Hoodat]

Lee Strobel interviewed a forensic expert on this which he published in his book The Case for Christ.  Crucifixion was so painful that the Romans invented a new word for it - ex-cruc-iating (i.e. from the cross)

[deb]

I have a copy of it...I can't watch it again..I barely made it through the first time.

One thing that was new to me in this article is that they broke Jesus's legs just below the knee...

Breaking bones was standard fare, but they did not do that to Jesus. This from Christianity.com:

When Jesus, whom John the Baptist proclaimed to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” , was crucified, not one of his bones was broken. John 19:31-34 tells us that when the soldiers came to Jesus to break his legs to hasten his death, they found that he was already dead, so they pierced his side with a spear but did not break his legs.

[bigheadfred]

I have a copy of it...I can't watch it again..I barely made it through the first time.

One thing that was new to me in this article is that they broke Jesus's legs just below the knee...

No, they weren't. See John 19:33

[mystery-ak]

Breaking bones was standard fare, but they did not do that to Jesus. This from Christianity.com:

When Jesus, whom John the Baptist proclaimed to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” , was crucified, not one of his bones was broken. John 19:31-34 tells us that when the soldiers came to Jesus to break his legs to hasten his death, they found that he was already dead, so they pierced his side with a spear but did not break his legs.

Thanks for the info...I guess I better read John..

[Hoodat]

One thing that was new to me in this article is that they broke Jesus's legs just below the knee...

The reason that legs were broken was to make it impossible for the victim to breathe.  Crucifixion involved driving spikes through a person's wrist in between the ulna and radius bones to ensure that the victim could not pull free.  Another set of spikes was driven through the feet do secure them to an angled platform lower on the cross.  When the cross was uprighted, the momentum of it sliding into the support shaft would dislocate both of the victim's shoulders.  The only way a victim could breath was to push up from the feet to increase the volume of the chest cavity.

When the Romans wanted a person to die quicker, they would break their legs, causing them to suffocate since they could no longer push up.  Christ was already dead at this point, thus there was no longer a need to do so.  But it is interesting that the Romans chose to check beforehand.  When He was stabbed with a spear, water came out.  This was due to pericardial effusion brought on by the trauma.

[mystery-ak]

I went and read John..I have read this many times..why I didn't remember this is beyond me..

[berdie]

Many years ago, as a relatively young person, I was allowed to check out a book at the library that detailed the effects of crucifixion and what Jesus must have gone thru.

It had a profound affect on me and I have never been able to watch The Passion. 

[Smokin Joe]

I have a copy of it...I can't watch it again..I barely made it through the first time.

One thing that was new to me in this article is that they broke Jesus's legs just below the knee...

To breathe, the crucified person has to pull/push themselves up to empty their lungs for the next breath (think the old chest pressure/arm lift method of artificial respiration). Just hanging there would not allow them to exhale well, if at all.
Breaking His legs just ensured his demise would come more quickly.