We have all heard of the account in church of Christ dying on the cross. Or perhaps you saw Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ drama. However movies are never as good as books, which give even more detail. Here's the details of what happened in those days of Roman floggings:
Before being captured Christ was sweating blood. Hematidrosis is a condition in which someone starts sweating blood due to a high level of stress. Severe anxiety causes the release of chemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat glands. Bleeding in these glands results in blood tinged sweat. This causes the skin to be very fragile, so it was exceptionally fragile when flogged by the Roman soldiers. Floggings were 39 lashes, but ultimately depended on how the Roman soldiers were feeling that day. The whips were made of leather thongs with metal balls and sharp bones woven into them. This would cause deep bruising and contusions, which would further deepen with each blow. The back would be so shredded that parts of the spine would be exposed. The cuts would go from the shoulders, down the back to the buttocks, all the way to the back of the legs. Lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. The veins were laid bare, and the muscles, sinews, and bowels were open to exposure. The victim would experience tremendous amount of pain and go into hypovolemic shock, that is low blood volume due to large amounts of blood being lost. When this occurs the heart beats faster to pump the blood that isn't there, the blood pressure drops causing fainting, the kidneys stop producing urine to maintain volume that is left, and the person becomes very thirsty to replace lost volume.
Jesus was in hypovolemic shock as he carried the cross to Calvary hill. He kept collapsing. The Roman soldier ordered Simon to carry it for him. Next 5-7 inch spikes were driven through the wrists to nail him to the cross. It crushed the median nerve which leads to the hand? Ever hit your funny bone? In reality you are hitting a nerve, and we know how bad that hurts! Next the same would happen with the feet, hitting nerves there as well.
Ultimately Christ died by asphyxiation. The stress on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest in inhale position. Inorder to exhale the person must push up on his feet to the tension of the muscles would be eased for the moment. Doing this would cause the nail to tear through the foot, eventually locking against the tarsal bones. After exhaling the person would be able to relax and take another breath in. This would go on until complete exhaustion took over. (Case For Christ by Lee Strobel)
Some people take this for granted that Christ went through this suffering to die for our sins. To some sinning is something in which to take pleasure in without any conscious. The Christian life isn't a boring life, quite contrary it's abundantly filled. Christ overcame death and sin, and offers the same to us. With a personal relationship with him he gives us the power and strength to overcome our weaknesses. The boring life is the self centered life. A joy filled life is a Christ centered life. Faith isn't about trying to be a good person. It's about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Don't you want to know this person who did this for you on a deeper level?
Go to the Lord daily in prayer.
Read His Word and teachings.
Obey God with each area of your life.
Worship God with glory and praise.
