The Punishment and Death of Jesus
Isaiah 53.1-8
April 1, 2007
Thompson Creek Baptist Church
Among the Jews, scourging was limited to 40 lashes, but the Romans were restricted by nothing but their strength and their own fancy.
The whip was called a flagellum, or cat of nine tails, made by plating pieces of bone or lead into leather thongs.
The victim was stripped and tied to a post. Usually two men administered the scourging, one on either side.
Severe scourging not only reduced the flesh to a bloody pulp, but could open up the body until the bones and intestines were exposed.
It was not uncommon for the person being scourged, to die while tied to the post.
After being scourged, Jesus was taunted and mocked by the soldiers. Being dressed in a robe, they placed a crown of thorns upon his head, crushing the thorns into the flesh.
Spitting upon him and smacking him in the face with their fists, and hitting him upon the head with a staff.
After taunting and mocking him and inflicting even more pain, they then ripped the robe from him and put his own clothes back on him.
Imagine the pain he felt as the cloth reopened the wounds where the blood had dried and stuck to the fabric.
Men condemned to die by crucifixion were customarily required to carry the heavy crossbeam or patibulum, on which they were to be nailed, to the place of execution.
Jesus started out carrying his cross, but it proved too much for him. The patibulum usually weighed between thirty and forty pounds.
It was usually strapped across the shoulders. Can you imaging the pain caused by the rough heavy beam pressing into the lacerated skin and muscles of Jesus’ shoulders.
The scourging and loss of blood had weakened Jesus to the point that he could not carry the heavy crossbeam any more.
Simon of Cyrene is forced into service. Carrying the cross beam the rest of the way for our lord.
Proving that sin is an awful burden. Giving us a divine example that we cannot take care of our sin alone.
At the place of the skull…
Simon is ordered to place the patibulum on the ground. Jesus is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood.
The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood.
Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement.
The patibulum is then lifted in place at the top of the stipes, which is the vertical beam.
The left foot is pressed against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed.
The victim is now crucified. You would think that with the scourging, mocking, and being nailed to a cross that the victim would now gracefully die. That the infliction of pain would be thankfully over. But it is far from over.
As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain—the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves.
As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places his full weight on the nail through his feet.
Again, there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet.
At this point another phenomenon occurs. As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain.
With these cramps come the inability to push himself upward…air can be drawn into the lungs but cannot be exhaled.
Jesus fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath.
Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside.
Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in the life giving oxygen.
Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber.
Then another agony begins. A deep crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart…
It is now almost over—the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level—the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues—the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air…
The body of Jesus is now in extremis, and he can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. His mission of atonement has been completed. Finally, he can allow his body to die.
Jesus suffered even more than we can realize. Even through all this physical pain and agony, there was something that overshadowed it all.
His separation from the father. In all of eternity before creation, he knew intimate fellowship with the father. He knew the agape love of god, like no other.
But on the cross, he could not even feel philio love, or brotherly love from heaven. God had to turn his back on his most beloved, his only begotten son.
The Trinity was split. Fellowship was broken between Father and Son. It is parallel to what happened in Eden between God and Man.
Jesus Christ conquered D-H-G. The Trinity did not stay split. The angel gave the message, He is not Here, He is Risen.
My Savior endured it all because He loved ME. He persevered and was lifted up on High and given power over all.
If we persevere, we to will be rewarded.
CLOSING:
Jesus Christ endured it all that we might not have to. Lost person, the horrific death that I just described, is a death that you won’t have to face if you give your heart and life to Jesus.
Jesus Christ paid it all and all to Him everyone of us in this room owe. Sin left a Crimson stain on our souls, but Jesus’ blood washed it whiter than snow.
Surrender your life to him today and you can avoid eternal death. God in his righteous judgment has prepared a place for the devil and his angels. This place called hell is a real place.
God never creates anything half-way. The punishment of this place, is such that we can never imagine the torment of going there. It is a place where God will pour out His wrath on those who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.
Those in hell, are going to have to pay the price for causing the only begotten Son of God to die on the cross in vain for them.
They will have to pay for making the Lord die in their stead for no reason. He took their place for no reason, and they will pay the ultimate price through eternal death and separation from God.
Lost person, do you want that on your shoulders for eternity? If you don’t I urge you to accept Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. Don’t let his death be in vain where it concerns you.
Glorify God and Honor Christ’s sacrifice by asking Him into your heart and soul today.
Christian, this picture of death ought to make us think about what Jesus Christ has done for us. It ought to make us glad to be called a Child of the King. It also should motivate us to tell everyone we come into contact with about Jesus Christ and the price that he paid so that we might go free.
This is an open invitation, if you need to rededicate your life or accept Christ as Lord and Savior, come down to the altar today while there is still time.
