On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ

Journal of the American Medical Association ^ | March 21, 1986 | William Edwards, MD, et al

[Choose Ye This Day]

This is widely reproduced on the web, and may be familiar to some. But those who haven't seen it may want to read what a medical doctor, among others, says about how Jesus Christ died, now that many are seeing "The Passion." (I'm going today.)

[Wrigley]

check your links

[Choose Ye This Day]

Yikes! Thanks. I've asked the mods to delete the post. darn. I wish I knew how to make those show up.

[livius]

Bloodcurdling.

Most people no longer remember this, but until about 40 years ago, Christians (both Catholic and Protestant) read books and articles detailing Christ's final sufferings. There was one named something like "A Doctor Looks at the Cross," if I recall correctly, and people like Fulton J. Sheen always mentioned these details.

Strange how in the space of 40 years we have wiped out almost all memory of this, and are shocked and irritated when a mere movie maker dares to remind us of the horrifying reality that our theologians have forgotten.

[heyheyhey]

Strange how in the space of 40 years we have wiped out almost all memory of this, and are shocked and irritated when a mere movie maker dares to remind us of the horrifying reality that our theologians have forgotten.

After seeing the 'Passion' I can't read Isaiah ch.53 without choking up.

[Choose Ye This Day]

That's interesting. I didn't know that the study of the physical aspects of Christ's atonement had fallen off so dramatically in other Christian denominations.

I know I haven't studied it much. And after seeing "The Passion" today, I can say I had NO IDEA how much our Lord and Savior went through for us.

[Dajjal]

Illustrations for the article available here:

http://bibleanswer.netfirms.com/x_death.htm

[Gamecock]

This is one of my favorite all time articles. Thanks for the post.

GRPL Ping

Neeners, for your consideration from the original article:

And here are the illustrations
Map of Jerusalem at time of Christ. Jesus left Upper room and walked with disciples to Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemane (1), where he was arrested and taken first to Annas and then to Caiaphas (2). After first trial before political Sanhedrin at Caiaphas' residence, Jesus was tried again before religious Sanhedrin, probably at Temple (3). next, he was taken to Pontius Pilate (4), who sent him to Herod Antipas (5). Herod returned Jesus to Pilate (6), and Pilate finally handed over Jesus for scourging at Fortress of Antonia and for crucifixion at Golgotha (7).

Scourging. Left, Short whip (flagrum) with lead balls and sheep bones tied into leather thongs. Center left, Naked victim tied to flogging post. Deep stripelike lacerations were usually associated with considerable blood loss. Center right, View from above, showing position of lictors. Right, inferomedial direction of wounds.

Cross and titulus. Left, Victim carrying crossbar (patibulum) to site of upright post (stipes). Center, Low Tau cross (crux commissa), commonly used by Romans at time of Christ. Upper right, Rendition of Jesus' titulus, with name and crime--Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews--written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. Lower right, Possible methods for attaching titulus to Tau cross (left) and latin cross (right).

Nailing of wrists. Left, Size of iron nail, Center, Location of nail in wrist, between carpals and radius. Right, Cross section of wrist, at level of plane indicated at left, showing path of nail, with probable transection of median nerve and impalement of flexor pollicis longus, but without injury to major arterial trunks and without fractures of bones.

Nailing of feet. Left, Position of feet atop one another and against stipes. Upper right, Location of nail in second intermetatarsal space. Lower right, Cross section of foot, at plane indicated at left, showing path of nail.

Respirations during crucifixion, Left, Inhalation. With elbows extended and shoulders abducted, respiratory muscles of inhalation are passively stretched and thorax is expanded. Right, Exhalation. With elbows flexed and shoulders abducted and with weight of body on nailed feet, exhalation is accomplished as active, rather than passive, process. Breaking legs below knees would place burden of exhalation on shoulder and arm muscles alone and soon would result in exhaustion asphyxia.

Spear wound to chest. Left, Probable path of spear. Right, Cross section of thorax, at level of plane indicated at left, showing structures perforated by spear. LA indicates left atrium; LV, left ventricle; RA, right atrium; RV, right ventricle.

[Choose Ye This Day]

It's one of my favorites as well. I had remembered reading it some years ago--and knew I had a photocopy around here somewhere. When I was about to see "The Passion" I wanted to read it again and thought others might benefit as well.

I think Gibson did a pretty good job, overall, with accurately portraying the physical aspects of Christ's agony and torture. For the most part it coincides with what these doctors had to say--except for the nails through the wrists; I believe Christ was probably nailed through both the hands and wrists.

Anyway, glad you benefited from seeing the article again. Thanks for posting the pictures.

[Gamecock]

BTTT Ping

[Campion]

This is one of my favorite all time articles.

And one that resulted in some amazingly venomous letters to JAMA from people who "just didn't want to hear about that 'Jesus on the cross' stuff".

[Gamecock]

In consideration for inclusion for a ping to your respective ping lists.

(No snub intended if I left a ping list out)

[AlbionGirl]

Thanks for the ping, GC, and for the illustrations too. Read a similar article yesterday, that was emailed to me. In fact some of this reads exactly the same way. What isn't mentioned here (unless I missed it) is how all of this would have effected His speech, most graphically, His Last Words, 'It is finished.' Article I read described the manner in which they would most probably have been uttered (in gasping and pushing them through), and with what effort it would have cost Him.

[Uri’el-2012]

Thank you for posting this on Passover

b'shem Y'shua

[ScubieNuc]

"One popular explanation has been that Jesus died of cardiac rupture."

The burden of sin actually broke Jesus' heart. The pain He endured is more than my mind can completely take in.

[fzx12345]

Psalm 22:14

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint:
My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Well, I posted it two years ago...interesting how it popped up again today...

[Gamecock]

Good Friday Ping

[Quix]

Thanks for the ping.

Fascinating. Moving.