Christ’s Crucifixion

The Sacrifice of Christ (or: Christ’s Crucifixion)

 

In calling ourselves Christian, we proclaim to the world that we consider ourselves a disciple of Christ.

 

What this should mean is that we have dedicated our physical lives to a way of life God has revealed to a select few.

 

It should mean that we are to emulate Christ in all aspects of our lives.

 

We take that proclamation of being Christian further by actually believing and practicing what Christ, the Apostles and even the Prophets of the OT taught.

 

To many in the world, this is sneered at as mindless, cultish and legalistic. Calling ourselves Christian should mean that we are to take the sacrifice that Christ willingly took upon Himself for the whole world, and change our character to be more and more like Christ and God the Father.

 

Other than when we come to the Passover and read the scriptures, when was the last time we considered the full impact of Christ’s sacrifice? We acknowledge Christ’s death for our sins, but what did that death mean for each and every one of us?

 

What did Christ go through on that night of betrayal and that day of crucifixion that we might have eternal life?

 

I am going to take the sermon time today to review Christ’s crucifixion - the physical aspects of that crucifixion and the spiritual ramifications of His sacrifice for us.

 

I have given this message before (5 or 6 years ago in this area), but I believe it valuable to review in light of the upcoming Passover.

 

There are 2 sections to this sermon today. The first is the timeline and the physical aspects of Christ’s crucifixion.

 

The second section is the spiritual fulfillment Christ gave to the Passover service and symbols and the opportunity to come personally before God and to have a relationship with Him now.

 

excerpts from UCG Fundamental Beliefs, pgs. 14-15

We believe God so loved the world of helpless sinners that He gave His only begotten Son, who, though in all points tempted as we are, lived without sin in the human flesh. That Son, Jesus Christ, died as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. His life, because He is the creator of all humanity, is of greater value than the sum total of all human life. His death is, therefore, sufficient to pay the penalty for every human being's sins. In paying this penalty He has made it possible, according to God's plan for each person and for humanity as a whole, to have their sins forgiven and to be released from the death penalty.

 

Forgiveness of sin and ultimately the gift of eternal life are available only through His sacrifice. We are reconciled by His death but saved by His life (Romans 5:10).

 

Christ is our Savior and the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Even though He was divine, Jesus became a human being to die for the sins of mankind (Philippians 2:5-7).

 

As the Son of Man, He was able to experience the trials of human life (Hebrews 4:15) to better empathize with us as our merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17).

 

Christ as our Savior gave His life that we might live. He died as our Passover, that we might understand the magnitude of sin and the monumental significance of His sacrifice, which was made for every human being. All sin is forgiven upon repentance and the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice.

 

Forgiveness of sin requires the supreme sacrifice—the death of Jesus Christ. His crucifixion almost 2,000 years ago was essential to God's plan of redemption and salvation.

 

By understanding this fundamental belief we can be assured that our sins are blotted out. We can go forward in our Christian lives with confidence, knowing that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we can be reconciled to the Father.

 

As a result of this reconciliation, we can develop a relationship with our Father that provides hope and assurance for our future.

 

We can look forward to eternal life in the Kingdom of God as a gift of God's grace because of the sacrifice that Christ willingly gave for every one of us.

 

Of the many aspects of His initial suffering, the one which is of particular physiological interest is the bloody sweat. Interestingly enough, the physician and writer Luke is the only evangelist to mention this occurrence.

 

Luke 22:44 – “And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.”

REF: Heb. 12:4 – You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

 

Many critics of scripture will point to this incident as evidence of the Bible writers embellishing the account – apparently under the mistaken impression that it simply does not occur.

 

Though very rare, the phenomenon of hematidrosis, (hē'mə-tĭ-drō'sĭs) or bloody sweat, is well documented.

 

Under great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. This process alone could have produced marked weakness and possible shock.

 

John 18:2-12 – the betrayal by Judas

 

Although Jesus’ betrayal and arrest are important portions of the Crucifixion story, the next event in the account which is significant from a medical perspective is His trial before the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas, the High Priest.

 

Here the first physical trauma was inflicted on Christ.

 

A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiaphas. The palace guards then blindfolded Him, mockingly taunted Him to identify them as each passed by, spat on Him, and struck Him in the face.

 

The Trial

Let pause in the story here and consider 12 reasons why Jesus’ trial was illegal.

 

1. There was no legal basis for the trial as no one had brought any formal charges. Those who went with Judas to arrest Christ were the priest and elders – his judges and those who had bribed Judas (Luke 22:52)

 

2. The trial was held at night (John 18:12-23). Jewish law only permitted daylight proceedings.

 

3. Because the trial was held at night no witnesses on Jesus’ behalf could be called.

 

4. The judges themselves brought charges without any prior testimony by witnesses. The Sanhedrin was not allowed to originate charges.

 

5. The trial began on the day before an annual High Sabbath (beginning of Unleavened Bread, John 18:28), which Jewish law did not allow.

 

6. The trial was concluded in one day – a violation of capital sentences. Jewish law (Mishna, “Sanhedrin” IV, 1) required the proceedings to go at least to the next day so witnesses could be called. Christ’s trial took less than 9 hours.

 

7. False charges were made that Christ said He would destroy the Temple (Mark 14:58), yet the charges were changed to blasphemy (Luke 22:67-71). Jewish law did allow for a person to be convicted on their own testimony.

 

8. The High Priest did not “inquire, make search, and ask diligently” (Duet. 13:14) as to the merits of Christ’s defense. Instead, the court made an instant and unanimous decision.

 

9. Elders on the Sanhedrin sympathetic elders to Christ were not present at the trial (i.e. Joseph of Arimethaea, Luke 23:50-51) – the full court was not summoned.

 

10. The sentence was pronounced in a private place (the High Priest’s home, Luke 22:54). Jewish law only allowed for a death sentence to be pronounced in the court’s appointed place.

 

11. Most of the judges should have been disqualified from the proceedings, as they bought their way into office and they have previously publically condemned Christ’s ministry.

 

12. The court again illegally changed the charges against Christ when He was before Pilate – from blasphemy to treason (Luke 23:2). Pilate from Christ innocent of treason but to appease the crowds handed over Christ to the soldiers even though no guilty charge was made.

 

The scourging -

In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and worn out from a sleepless night, Jesus was taken across Jerusalem to the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. We are familiar with Pilate’s action in attempting to shift responsibility to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Judea. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate.

 

Isa. 53:7 – opened not his mouth

 

It was then, in response to the outcry of the mob, that Pilate ordered Barabbas released and condemned Jesus to scourge and crucifixion.

 

Preparations for Jesus’ scourging were carried out according to Roman standards. The prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head.

 

A Roman legionnaire stepped forward with the flagrum, or flagellum, in his hand. This was a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each.

 

The heavy whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back and legs.

 

At first the weighted thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continued, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles.

 

The small balls of lead first produced large deep bruises that were broken open by subsequent blows. Finally, the skin of the back was hanging in long ribbons, and the entire area was an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue.

 

When it was determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner was near death, the beating was finally stopped.

 

(The extent of blood loss in part determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.)

 

Mockery -

The half-fainting Jesus was then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with his own blood.

 

The Roman soldiers saw a great joke in this provincial Jew claiming to be a king. They threw a robe across His shoulders and placed a stick in His hand for a scepter.

 

They still needed a crown to make their travesty complete. Small flexible branches covered with long thorns, commonly used for kindling fires in the charcoal braziers in the courtyard, were plaited into the shape of a crude crown.

 

The crown was pressed into his scalp and again there was copious bleeding as the thorns pierced the very thin scalp tissue.

 

After mocking Christ and striking Him across the face, the soldiers took the stick from His hand and struck Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp.

 

REF: John 18:1-19:16

REF: Isaiah 50:6 – I gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

 

Finally, they tired of their sadistic sport and tore the robe from His back. The robe had already become adherent to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, caused excruciating pain. The wounds again began to bleed.

 

REF: Mark 15:19, 21

REF: Psalm 22:7-8 – they shoot out the lip

 

Golgotha -

In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans apparently returned Christ’s garments. The heavy patibulum of the cross was laid across His shoulders.

 

The procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves, and the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion began its slow journey along the route to the crucifixion site.

 

REF: Luke 23:32

REF: Isaiah 53:7-8 – as a lamb to the slaughter

REF: Isaiah 53:12 – numbered with the transgressors

 

In spite of Jesus’ efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious loss of blood, was too much. He stumbled and fell.

 

The rough wood of the beam gouged into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed beyond their endurance.

 

The centurions, anxious to proceed with the crucifixion, selected Simon of Cyrene, an onlooker from the crowd witnessing this spectacle, to carry the cross.

 

Jesus followed, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock. The 650-yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha was finally completed.

 

Christ was again stripped of His clothing (probably reopening the scourging wounds) except for a loin cloth which was allowed the Jews.

 

REF: Mark 15:21-22 – Simon of Cyrene

REF: Mark 15:24 – stripped and lots cast for robe

 

The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state. Moreover, hematidrosis (hē'mə-tĭ-drō'sĭs) 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.

 

Mark 15:29-32 – the reviling

 

Crucifixion probably first began among the Persians. Alexander the Great introduced the practice to Egypt and Carthage, and the Romans appear to have learned of it from the Carthaginians. Although the Romans did not invent crucifixions they perfected it as a form of torture and capital punishment that was designed to produce a slow death with maximum pain and suffering. It was one of the most disgraceful and cruel methods of execution and usually was reserved only for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the vilest of criminals. Roman law usually protected Roman citizens from crucifixion, except perhaps in the ease of desertion by soldiers. In its earliest form in Persia, the victim was either tied to a tree or was tied to or impaled on an upright post.

 

Next came the nailing of wrists & feet. The crucifixion began. Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic, pain-reliving mixture. He refused the drink.

 

REF: Matthew 27:34 – offered wine with gall

 

Simon was ordered to place the patibulum on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward, with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drove a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum was then lifted into place at the top of the stipe’s, and the titulus reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was nailed into place.

 

REF: Mark 15:25-26 – nailed to the cross

REF: Matt. 27:37 – placard affixed above His head

 

The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim was now crucified.

 

As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain.

 

The nails in the wrists were putting pressure on the median nerve, large nerve trunks which traverse the mid-wrist and hand.

 

As He pushed himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet.

 

Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of this feet.

 

Definition – EXCRUCIATE: to cause intense bodily pain, torture. Latin: ex- out of; and cruciare - torture, crucify (crucis - cross). Lit. from the cross.

 

The scourging prior to crucifixion served to weaken the condemned man and, if blood loss was considerable, to produce orthostatic hypotension and even hypovolemic shock. When the victim was thrown to the ground on his back, in preparation for transfixion of the hands, his scourging wounds most likely would become torn open again and contaminated with dirt. Furthermore, with each respiration, the painful scourging wounds would be scraped against the rough wood of the stipe’s. As a result, blood loss from the back probably would continue throughout the crucifixion ordeal.

 

The weight of the body, pulling down on the outstretched arms and shoulders, would tend to fix the intercostal muscles in an inhalation state and thereby hinder passive exhalation. Accordingly, exhalation was primarily diaphragmatic, and breathing was shallow. It is likely that this form of respiration would not suffice and that hypercarbia would soon result. The onset of muscle cramps or tetanic contractions, due to fatigue and hypercarbia, would hinder respiration even further.

 

At this point, another phenomenon occurred. As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps came the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by the arm, the pectoral muscles, the large muscles of the chest, became paralyzed and the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs, were unable to act. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but could not be exhaled. Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.

 

Seven Sentences

 

Christ’s life was ebbing. Spasmodically, He bear the deep pain to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences that are recorded.

 

The first – looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His seamless garment:

 

REF: Luke 23:34 – Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do Slide 40 – You shall be with me

 

The second – to the penitent thief: “I say to you today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”

 

REF: Luke 23:43

 

The third – looking down at Mary His mother, He said: “Woman, behold your son.” Then turning to the terrified, grief-stricken John, the beloved apostle, He said: “Behold your mother.”

 

REF: John 19:27

 

The fourth is from the beginning of Psalm 22 – “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

 

It was at this moment that Christ became our sin payment – a moment in time which the Father could not share or be present with Christ.

 

REF: Matthew 27:46

 

Christ suffered hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, and searing pain as tissue was torn from His lacerated back from His movement up and down against the rough timbers of the cross. Then another agony began: a deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, slowly filled with serum and began to compress the heart.

 

REF: Psalm 22:14 – I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint, my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

 

The end was rapidly approaching. The loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level; the compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood still left in His body and the tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to inhale small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues sent their flood of stimuli to the brain.

 

Jesus gasped His fifth cry: “I thirst.”

 

REF: Ps. 22:15 – My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and though hast brought me into the dust of death. A sponge soaked in posca, the cheap, sour wine that was the staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, was lifted to Jesus’ lips.

 

REF: Ps. 69:21 – vinegar to drink

REF: Mark 15:23 – opiate refused

 

His body was now in extremis, and He could feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brought forth His sixth word, possibly little more than an exhausted whisper: “It is finished.”

 

REF: John 19:30

 

His mission of atonement had been completed. Finally, He could allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength.

 

He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry:

 

REF: Luke 23:46 – Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit (quoting Ps. 31:5)

 

System collapse (breath, muscle cramps, body chills from loss of blood).

 

Death -

The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crurifracture, the breaking of the bones of the leg(s).

 

This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers approached Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary.

 

REF: Ps. 34:20 – no bone broken

 

Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart.

 

REF: Zech. 12:10 – they shall look upon me whom they have pierced

REF: John 19:34 – there came out blood and water

 

Thus there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and the blood of the interior of the heart.

 

This is conclusive evidence that Jesus was still alive, and died not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to loss of blood.

 

REF: Mark 15:43-45 – Joseph of Arimathea

REF: Deut. 31:23 – body not left overnight

 

Spiritual Fulfillment

1. Christ’s sacrifice preordained

1 Pet. 1:18-20 – before the foundation

REF: Rev. 13:8 – before the foundation

REF: Isa. 53:1-12 – (750-700 years before Christ) prophecy of Christ’s crucifixion

 

2. Why? Price of sin - blood required

Heb. 9:22 – no remission of sin without shedding of blood

REF: Rom. 3:23-25 – all have sinned

 

3. Price paid for sin

Rom. 6:23 – wages of sin is death

REF: John 3:14-16 – for God so loved the world

REF: Col. 1:14 – redemption thru His blood

REF: 1 Pet. 2:24 – by whose stripes we’re healed

 

4. Lamb of God/Passover sacrifice

1 Cor. 5:7 – Christ our Passover REF: Heb. 2:9 – Christ tasted death for us all

REF: Heb. 13:12 – sanctified us with His blood

 

5. Perfect sacrifice

John 1:1 – Christ gave up His divinity (the Creator of Gen. 1:1) and as Creator was able to pay for the penalty of all of mankind with His sacrifice.

REF: John 12:27-32 – Christ’s sacrifice allows all the opportunity to have salvation

 

6. Willing sacrifice

Hebrews 12:2 – with joy endured

REF: John 15:13 – greater love has no man

REF: 1 Pet. 2:19-23

 

Today we reviewed Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Christ’s sacrifice allows us to call ourselves Christian. Does that mean more to each of us now?

 

Christ was preordained to die for you and me, that His sacrifice paid the price for our sin.

 

Christ became our Passover - the Lamb of God slain for us. As a perfect sacrifice, He willingly went through horrible crucifixion so that you and I could have our sins forgiven.

 

The next time you or someone else calls you a Christian, think about the sacrifice Christ made so that we could have that title.