How do we know? Part 2 – the Crucifixion

While it is true that the crucifixion of Christ is almost uncontested in historical scholarship (those who claim Jesus never even existed are rarely actual historians) what is contested by some is whether He actually died on the cross. It’s possible one of the earliest records of this is in the Koran, Surah 4: 156-157. This seems ludicrous when one considers that the entire point of crucifixion was to kill, and the Romans were very good at what they did, yet still this theory pops up from time to time. It is a way to explain the empty tomb and the post-mortem appearances naturally by claiming that He didn’t actually die on the cross. It’s usually called the “Swoon Theory” and it states that Jesus just ‘swooned’ or fainted on the cross and was taken down alive. There are two major holes in this theory that will be expounded upon in the following. NOTE: what follows contains some graphic descriptions of the crucifixion process. If this is not for you, skip to the final paragraph.

If you’ve seen The Passion of the Christ you already have a pretty good idea what scourging and crucifixion entails. If not, the following description will certainly help you to imagine what Jesus (and many others of His time) went through. The following description comes from Alexander Metherell, M.D., Ph.D (in Strobel, L (1998), The Case for Christ, Pp261-271). He says of the scourging before the crucifixion:

“Roman floggings were known to be terribly brutal...the soldier would use a whip of braided leather thongs with metal balls woven into them. When the whip would strike the flesh, these balls would cause deep bruises...which would break open with further blows. And the whip had pieces of sharp bone as well, which would cut the flesh severely.

“The back would be so shredded that part of the spine was sometimes exposed...it was just terrible... . A third-century historian by the name of Eusebius described a flogging by saying, ‘The sufferer’s veins were laid bare, and the very muscles, sinews, and bowels of the victim were open to exposure.’
“We know that many people would die from this kind of beating even before they could be crucified...because of the terrible effects of this beating, there’s no question that Jesus was already in serious to critical condition even before the nails were driven through his hands and feet.”

He continues with his description of the crucifixion proper:
“The Romans used spikes that were five to seven inches long and tapered to a sharp point. They were driven through the wrists [he indicates a point about an inch below the palm – the wrist was considered part of the hand in the language of the day].”

Considering the effect being hung like this would have on His body, Metherell states:
“...His arms would have been immediately stretched, probably about six inches in length, and both shoulders would have become dislocated...once a person is hanging in the vertical position...crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation. The reason is that the stresses on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest into the inhaled position; basically, in order to exhale, the individual must push up on his feet so the tension on the muscles would be eased for a moment. In doing so, the nail would tear through the foot, eventually locking against the tarsal bones. After managing to exhale, the person would then be able to relax down and take another breath in. Again, he’d have to push himself up to exhale, scraping his bloodied back against the coarse wood of the cross. This would go on and on until complete exhaustion would take over, and the person wouldn’t be able to push up and breathe anymore.”

When you add to this the fact that the Roman soldier thrust a spear up through His ribs and into His heart, in Dr Metherell’s words, “There was absolutely no doubt that Jesus was dead.”

So ends the graphic description. Is there anyone who, after hearing that, could still believe that Jesus came down from the cross alive? But, for the sake of argument, let’s say it was possible. It’s not, but let’s say it was. What kind of Messiah would He be? A truly pitiful sight, inches from death, needing to be nursed back to life over a period of weeks, probably months. This is the second hole in the Swoon Theory. If Jesus had survived the cross, and it’s a very big if, would He have really been able to inspire the disciples in the way that He did? Would they really have been so emboldened as to go to their death proclaiming Him as the Risen Lord? I don’t think so. Would He have been able to be walking down the road on shattered feet, talking to His disciples mere days after His crucifixion? Not a chance! And without the medical technologies of today, He surely would have died of His wounds. I really think this objection is based in nothing but a desire for the resurrection to be false, not for any valid medical or historical reason. Did Jesus die? For certain!