Ben Wilson

If you had ever seen a crucifixion, and they were common in places like Judea and Galilee, the experience would have been terrifying.

It would leave you with irrepressible memories of naked half-dead men dying a protracted death for days on end, covered in blood and flies, their flesh gnawed at by rats, their members ripped at by wild dogs, their faces pecked by crows, the victims mocked and jeered by sadistic torturers and other bystanders, while relatives nearby, weeping uncontrollably, would be helpless to do anything for them.

It would leave you with irrepressible memories of naked half-dead men dying a protracted death for days on end, covered in blood and flies, their flesh gnawed at by rats, their members ripped at by wild dogs, their faces pecked by crows, the victims mocked and jeered by sadistic torturers and other bystanders, while relatives nearby, weeping uncontrollably, would be helpless to do anything for them.

Crucifixion was a powerful symbol throughout the Roman world. It was not just a means of liquidating undesirables. It did so with maximum degradation and humiliation. It said loud and clear, we are in charge here. You are our property. We can do what we like with you. It insisted coldly and brutally on the absolute sovereignty of Rome and of Caesar.

Crucifixion was a powerful symbol throughout the Roman world. It was not just a means of liquidating undesirables. It did so with maximum degradation and humiliation. It said loud and clear, we are in charge here. You are our property. We can do what we like with you. It insisted coldly and brutally on the absolute sovereignty of Rome and of Caesar.

It told an implicit story of the uselessness of rebel recalcitrants and the ruthlessness of imperial power. It said in particular, this is what happens to rebel leaders. Crucifixion was a symbolic act with a clear and frightening meaning. Okay, so you can just imagine, right? Crucifixion is really meant to rub your nose in your own powerlessness.

It told an implicit story of the uselessness of rebel recalcitrants and the ruthlessness of imperial power. It said in particular, this is what happens to rebel leaders. Crucifixion was a symbolic act with a clear and frightening meaning. Okay, so you can just imagine, right? Crucifixion is really meant to rub your nose in your own powerlessness.

Not only are we going to execute this person, but we're going to do it publicly and slowly so that you have time to think about how much you just can't stop us from doing this. The physical process of crucifixion is that a person has their hands and feet nailed to a wooden structure, which is then raised to display the dying criminal.

Not only are we going to execute this person, but we're going to do it publicly and slowly so that you have time to think about how much you just can't stop us from doing this. The physical process of crucifixion is that a person has their hands and feet nailed to a wooden structure, which is then raised to display the dying criminal.

Actually, usually this is done on a cross like you think of, but sometimes this was done on a single stake. So the person would have their hands nailed together above their head and their feet down below. Actually, Jehovah's Witness insists that Christ was not crucified on an actual cross, but on a single stake like this. The sources I've seen say No one really knows.

Actually, usually this is done on a cross like you think of, but sometimes this was done on a single stake. So the person would have their hands nailed together above their head and their feet down below. Actually, Jehovah's Witness insists that Christ was not crucified on an actual cross, but on a single stake like this. The sources I've seen say No one really knows.

It could have gone either way. The actual cause of death for those being crucified is varied. Some would die from loss of blood. More often they died from exposure, starvation, and suffocation.

It could have gone either way. The actual cause of death for those being crucified is varied. Some would die from loss of blood. More often they died from exposure, starvation, and suffocation.

So once the person is no longer able to support their weight on the nails in their feet, they have to hang awkwardly in a position that doesn't allow their lungs to expand and they're no longer able to breathe properly. And so they suffocate and they can't breathe anymore and they die that way. It's not a good way to go.

So once the person is no longer able to support their weight on the nails in their feet, they have to hang awkwardly in a position that doesn't allow their lungs to expand and they're no longer able to breathe properly. And so they suffocate and they can't breathe anymore and they die that way. It's not a good way to go.

Once he's put up on the cross, Jesus has seven sayings, seven things that he famously says before he dies. First, he says, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Speaking of his executioners. And then next, he's actually next to two criminals who were also crucified on the same day, one of whom derides Jesus. But the other comes to his defense.

Once he's put up on the cross, Jesus has seven sayings, seven things that he famously says before he dies. First, he says, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Speaking of his executioners. And then next, he's actually next to two criminals who were also crucified on the same day, one of whom derides Jesus. But the other comes to his defense.

And Jesus says to the latter criminal, today you will be with me in paradise. And then Jesus says to his mother, who was there watching him die, Woman, behold your son, as he points to John, thereby giving John the responsibility to watch over his family after he is dead. He then despairs and cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And Jesus says to the latter criminal, today you will be with me in paradise. And then Jesus says to his mother, who was there watching him die, Woman, behold your son, as he points to John, thereby giving John the responsibility to watch over his family after he is dead. He then despairs and cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Subsequently, the effects of the torture and execution begin to kick in. Jesus then says, I thirst, after which he is given a disgusting mixture of vinegar and gall, which he rejects. And then his final two sayings are, It is finished, and Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. The Romans didn't want to offend Jewish sensibilities by leaving the bodies up on the Sabbath day.