Crucified, being crucified is the most painful death ever. Persia (Iraq) invented being crucified. Crucified is where the word Excruciating is from

I am tired of  the rosy picture we see depicted of Christ being crucified. "How can you say that?", you might ask. "How can you find Christ being crucified anything but terrible?" While I do find it terrible, it is not even close to what the actual crucifiction looked like. I use to see crucifixes and pictures depicting Christ being crucified, with Christ hanging there crucified looking rather handsome, a few droplets of blood on his brow and a small gash in his side.

Now I see a much different picture. I think it is important that everybody sees Christ crucified for what he really went through and what He really looked like. Let me take you through the reality leading up to Christ being crucified..

Let's look at the condition of Christ the night before he was crucified. Scripture says that Christ sweat drops of blood as he prayed in the garden at Gethsemane. This is medically possible and is referred to as Hematidrosis. Caused by extreme physical and or emotional stress, the capillary blood vessels rupture releasing small amounts of blood with the sweat. From this we see that Christ was under enormous pressure.

In Christ's own words He said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." Mat. 26:38. This condition also leaves the skin very sensitive. Which made Christ's skin more susceptible to damage during the flogging. During His inquisition by the High Priest Caiaphas, Christ was bound and beaten in the face by the hands of the guards. A bound man who is beaten receives more trauma for he can not "slip or roll" with the punches as they are delivered. Christ then received two more beatings at the hands of the guards. It is likely that Christ's face was severely disfigured by this time. Christ was mocked and spit upon.

FLOGGING (Before Christ was Crucified)

A flogging consisted of 39 lashes with a whip made up of multiple leather straps, 18-24 inches long that had small metal balls woven into them. There were also pieces of sharp metal, bone or glass attached to these straps. Apparently the number 39 was a standard number of lashes, (Jewish mercy was 40 minus one).

After repeated blows the metal balls would bruise and eventually open the victim’s skin. The pieces of metal and bone would imbedded into the skin and then rip outward as the whip was recoiled. The lashes would target the entire back, buttocks and the back of the legs of the victim. Some recorded accounts of flogging describe the victim’s spine being exposed and the red meat of the muscles being shredded and go into a state of "uncontrollable quivering or trembling".

Sometimes the bowels (organs) would be opened up and most often blood vessels and veins would be severed. This led to tremendous blood loss and dehydration. This condition, known as hypovolemic shock, leads to the following bodily reactions: The heartbeat will become rapid in order to try and pump more blood throughout the blood-starved body. Of course it pumps in vain. Blood pressure drops drastically. The kidneys shut down so to save fluids for a now fluid starved system. Due to the loss of fluids the victim will thirst, can faint, and go into shock. Lastly the heartbeat becomes erratic and eventually can go into cardiac arrest. Many died before even reaching the cross.

CROWN OF THORNS (Before Christ was Crucified)

One last point before going to the picture of Christ crucified, the placing of the crown of thorns. The crown of thorns was jammed into Christ’s skull forcefully, embedding the thorns into Christ's head. Then He was beaten again this time not only by the hands of the guards but also with a reed. He was repeatedly stuck on top of His head with the reed, driving the thorns deeper into his skull. Again He was mocked and spit upon and His beard was ripped from His face. All this was in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning Christ’s death: (Isaiah 50:6) "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheek to those who pull out my beard. I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting."

Christ Crucified 

The Romans perfected the art of being crucified, which was invented by the Persian in 300-400 B.C. It is arguably the most painful and torturous death ever invented by mankind. In fact it was so painful that a new word had to be created to describe it. This is where we get the word "excruciating", literally meaning "out of or from the cross".

Now Christ had to hoist the cross up onto his raw and shredded back, or what was left of it. Then carry it up the hill in his weakened condition. We see in scriptures how weak he had become in that he could not carry it without the aid of another man. Usually the person being crucified would only carry the crossbeam (75-100 lbs.), which would be later attached to the main vertical beam after he had been nailed to it.

The spikes used to crucify the victim were approximately 7 to 9 inches long and filed to a point. They would be driven through the wrist about an inch below the palm of the hand. Medically defined, this point was between the radius and ulna and the small bones of the hand, the carpal bones. This was done because if driven into the palm of the hand the weight of the victim would be sufficient enough to rip the hand from the nail and then the victim would fall off the cross. Driven through the wrist ensured this would not happen, as the nail would rip through until it jammed against the Carpal bones.

The nail also placed pressure on or pierced the median nerve. This kind of pain can be described as the same as when you hit your "funnybone", only imagine that pain intensified in volume and duration. In addition to this pain the destruction of this nerve also caused permanent paralysis of the hand. Now firmly affixed to the crossbeam, it then would be attached to the vertical beam. Next the legs would be flexed at a 45 degree angle and the feet were flexed downward at a 45 degree angle until they were parallel to the vertical beam. The feet would be driven through with another spike between the 2^nd and 3^rd metatarsal bones. The dorsal pedal artery would be severed and again the nerve would be pierced or pressured and the Tarsal bones would act as the brake for keeping the spike from ripping through the foot as the victim pushed against it.

Death by being crucified is a slow death by asphyxiation. Due to the contractions of the muscles in and about the chest region caused by bearing the weight of the body on outstretched arms, the victim’s body would be in an elevated state of perpetual inhalation. In order to be able to exhale the victim would have to push downward with his legs bearing the weight of his body against the nail in his feet to relieve the pressure on the arms and chest area. All the while scrapping his opened back against the wood of the beam.

He would be able to hold this position long enough to exhale then would slump down placing the weight of his body on his arms. After this repetitious movement in an effort to breath, his arms would be stretched up to 6-9 inches as both shoulders would come out of joint followed by the elbows and wrists. This process would continue until the victim became exhausted, at which point he would go into cardiac arrest. This process produces an elevated blood carbon dioxide (CO2) and a diminishing level of blood oxygen. The elevated level of blood CO2 causes the heart rate to increase in order to increase oxygen to the blood and the transportation of CO2 out of the blood.

This condition is called respiratory acidosis. Simply speaking the CO2 in the blood turns to carbonic acid, which elevates the acidity of the blood. After several hours the heart begins to fail and the lungs collapse and fill with liquid. Due to loss of blood and hyperventilation the victim experiences severe dehydration. Christ called out from the cross, "I am thirsty" (John 19:28). Eventually, all these lead to death. In severe cases of cardiac stress the heart can actually burst, which is called Cardiac Rupture.

Due to the all the trauma caused by these conditions there would be a build up of fluids in the lining of the heart and lungs. These conditions are medically known as pericardial effusion and pneumatic effusion. The water mixed in the blood witnessed by John when the roman soldier thrust the spear into Christ’s side illustrates this. As the spear pierced Christ’s heart and lungs the mixture of water and blood from the linings of the heart and lungs spilled forth.

Again Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled:

(Isaiah 52:14) "His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness."

(Isaiah 53:5) "He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our inequities."

(Psalm 22:14, 16-17) "I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me…they have pierced my hands and my feet, I can count all my bones; peoples stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots or my clothing."

And again in (Zechariah 12:10) "….they will look upon me the one they have pierced."

The Roman guards mocked Him and divided up His clothing by casting lots and even at this point Christ showed compassion by forgiving them.

"Forgive them Father for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)

Usually taking a metal rod, striking it against the victim’s legs and therefore breaking them can speed up the crucifixion process. This was termed "the crurifragium". This would not allow the victim to push against his feet in an effort to inhale in which case sped up the death to as fast as nine minutes.

With the Jewish religious celebration of Sabbath upcoming the Romans decided to pursue this option. This was not done to Christ however for when the guards came to break his legs he had already relinquished His Spirit. The piercing of his body with the spear was to make certain he was indeed dead. Again Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled:

(Psalm 34:20) "He protects all his bones, not one will be broken."

(Exodus 12:46) "….do not break any of my bones." (Numbers 9:12) "They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones."

These last two verses were in reference to how to prepare a sacrifice to God, of which Jesus became on our behalf.

In a society where we crave the gore, the blood and guts, we shy away from the true picture of the torture Christ suffered for us. I wonder why this is? Upon reflection however, I see a sinister plan at work. Just how many people would be affected and moved towards salvation knowing exactly what Christ endured in our place? How could you dispute His love for us? How could you deny Him? It totally blows out of the water the Swoon Theory discounting His resurrection, stating that he really didn’t die.

I don’t think Satan wants us to see the real picture. I think he knows that it would move masses of people to Christ. How could you not love a man who was WILLING to suffer like this for you? What has Satan demonstrated in regards to his love for you? How hard a choice is it to choose between the two? I don’t doubt that if someone saved your life today in some way, you would feel compelled to give him something, grant him some desire. Here is a picture of a man who died a gruesome death and suffered ex cruciating pain so that you would not have to.

I believe that Christ suffered Hell being crucified on the cross. Christ did this for you so you wouldn’t have to suffer Hell. And what is his one request for this? He says, "Follow me, love me". How easy should that be? What kind of heart is in the man who can not give Him this? Here comes the amazing thing. If someone did save your life today and died in doing so, could he also come back to life and promise you that you will live eternally? Christ did!

Not only did Christ save us from eternal pain and torture in Hell, but Christ promises us an eternal life with Him in heaven. The thing that constantly blows me away is this: If he was powerful enough to bring Lazarus back to life and himself come back from the grave, He could have saved himself on the cross at any time. But He didn’t.

It was the most powerful display of love that was and will ever be. Never to be duplicated or even imitated. If you haven’t made a choice concerning Christ, I urge you to consider Christ being crucified, consider the resurrection and then consider the promise of eternal life. What other "God" offers this?

Make a choice for Christ while you still have time. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16)