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Thursday, August 9, 2007

The price He had to pay...

We know that crucifixion was invented by the Persians about 300 or 400 years B.C. It was among the most painful and excruciating form of punishment leading to death ever contrived by man for man (women were never crucified). If we trace the word "excruciation" back to its origins we find that it is inextricably linked to the act of crucifixion: Latin excruciatus, past participle of excruciare, from ex- + cruciare to crucify, from cruc-, crux cross (Merriam Webster Dictionary).

Contrary to popular notion the nails which held Jesus to the cross must have been driven into His wrists and not his palms. Jesus' nails would have been made of heavy, probably square, iron material, 7-9 inches long. Many great painters from the past have depicted Jesus being nailed through His palms to the cross; it is a medical impossibility for this to be the case. You may have to really work your mind to grasp the enormity of what was going on here. The weight of a fully grown man was going to be suspended by three nails.

Not all crucifixions were carried out in the same way; some victims were tied to the cross while others were nailed. Jesus was nailed. He was made to carry the cross-bar to the place of His execution. The upright post (stipe) was a permanent fixture. The crossbar (patibulum) was always carried to the location, not the complete cross as is often depicted. When Jesus got to the place of His execution, He was placed on His back with His arms outstretched. The nails were first driven through small wooden disks to eliminate any chance of the heads pulling through the flesh. The site of the incision in the arm was critical; the Romans had perfected the procedure, a very specific procedure. The legionnaire who had been given the task felt for a specific spot, the nail had to be driven in-between the bones of the forearm up close to the wrist while not severing any major arteries or veins. There is a space between eight small bones which is structurally suitable to permit a full body weight to be supported for a time. If the nails had been driven into the palms of the hands, under the extreme weight, they would have ripped out between the fingers.

First, a nail would have been driven into His arm on one side, and then the other. The legionnaire would make sure that His arms were not pulled too tightly, allowing flexion and movement. With this done, the patibulum was then raised and affixed to the stripe. The next stage involved the nailing of the feet; this was also a deliberate action. The third nail had to be driven through both feet, which were turned outward so the nail could be hammered inside the Achilles tendon. With His knees slightly flexed Jesus was now crucified. As He slowly sagged down, He would have tried to support His weight with the muscles of His legs, an impossible position to maintain. In some cases, the victims' legs were broken, so that they couldn't support themselves in this way. Eventually more and more weight was placed upon the nails. The method the Romans had perfected ensured that crucifixion victims would hang painfully until their diaphragm went into spasm and they literally suffocated to death.

What an incredible price He paid for our sins!

texts' source credit to allaboutJesusChrist
images credit to domlawrenceosb

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

magandang hapon!

so deep kuya! as in... parang ang hirap basahin... sa una... kaya twice ko xa binasa ng buong puso... at un nasapuso at na digest ko ng mabuti ang lahat ng sinabi mo...

u know wat... hndi ko alam kung mahihiya ako sau kung sasabihin ko to sau... sa 220 lng... may gap na ang communication ko sa KANYA... i tried to reflect whats happening to me... towards HIM! cgro i need to focus sa KANYA!

and yes, napakalaki ng ibinayad nya para sa kasalanang hindi nya ginawa... ryt now... mabigat ang puso ko...

bout my post... salamat ng marami sa kindness mo... and yes, i am happy all of us are happy to have KUYA nd ATE here sa blogworld... bout papa marko... yeah, he is a great guy.. nd im happy and no regrets sa kanya ako na punta... bout my pimple... yah, marami ako nun ngaun... ngaun lng nag sulputan... hndi ata ako hiyang sa facial soap ko e... and the most is inlab lng tlga ako... pro i want to bring back the love that i gave sa KANYA!

xnxa na... nag umpisa nnman ako sa senti... sau ko lng kasi na ishare ang lahat ng ito... but HIM... kc alam ko HE send U to me as a instrument na mapalapit ako sa KANYA uli... i 'ope u understand me..

see u po...

forevermonk said...

@vera

ay sis, ako naman ang medyo naluha luha at napahikbi sa mga sinabi mong yan--- ang tutuo nyan, lahat tayong mga tao ay may pinagdaanan sa buhay na sabihin na nating talagang hindi maganda, at nakakahiyang ipagsabi, na naging dahilan kung bakit may mga minuto sa isipan natin na nagtatanong tayu sa sarili natin nang may big lump sa ating throat, or may bikig sa lalamunan, sabay tulo ng luha... Lord, bakit naman ganoon? Lord, bakit naman hinayaan mong mangyari ito sa buhay ko? sa buhay ng pinakakamahal ko? sa buhay naming?....questions like that keep reverberating in our minds, in our hearts, hanggang sa hindi natin namamalayan nagkakarun na tau ng matinding hinanakit sa Kanya...it is human reflex... and God knows that--alam Nya na meron tayung hinanakit sa kanya, na may matinding tampo ang ating mga puso sa Kanya, and He understands..and He still loves us, He still loves you, He still loves me....
and He is just waiting for the right time na ang puso natin ay kanyang mahihipo in any way He can, maaring sa pamamagitan ng ibang tao, ng isang insedente, ng isang okasyun or ng isang walan malay na supling!.....

Anonymous said...

kuya...

sa 220 lng...ngaun lng nman ito nangyari skn..since dumating ako d2 sa Canada... i just wondering bakit nagka ganun... nag ccmba nman ako every Sunday... i talked to HIM nman thru my prayers... pro baki ang feeling ko parang ang lau lau ko na sa knya... at mabigat ang puso ko... i dont know why... marami akong tanong na alam ko na hindi NIYA agad ma bibigay ang sagot skn... im willing nman to wait e.. pro ewan ko ba sa sarili ko.. alam ko skn ang may mali... y im like this... kuya, sa 220 lng bsta pag dating sa KANYA... mahirap akong explikahin... mahirap intindihin c VERA pag SIYA na ang pinag uusapan...

cgro kelangan ko lng ibigay ang puso ko sa KANYA... nd to FOCUS...

xnxa kna... naging spiritual teacher tuloy kita ngaun... musta na jan? smile ka nman jan...

see u

forevermonk said...

@vera

yeah, i understand you so well... but pease stay calm and just focus your heart and mind to God...the rest ay Siya na ang bahala...means: surrender yourself to God and He will do the rest.... and offer your troubles and anxiety to Him..and he will lift all your burdens....God loves you!...so do I.

Anonymous said...

kuya...

im very very happy to have u as my KUYA... ikaw nga tlga ang SUGO NIYA for me... at para mataunhan ang natutulog kong pagkatao... dont worry, ill do what u've said... and salamat ng marami sa oras na nilaan mo skn.. at pag intindi skn... gulo ko ba kuya? minsan puro bingisngisan... minsan nman puro eemot emot... hahahayyzzz.. buhay nga nman parang life... waaaa--- okay na ako.. at least kahit papano na sabi ko na ung matagal ko nang gusto ilabas... maraming salamat sau... GOD is so good HE send me a KUYA like you...ingats palagi kuya...

see u po... magandang gabi na jan... smile kna ha... naka smile na ako d2... u make me smile sa mga sinasabi mo skn... iba ka tlga kuya ko... tindi ng powers mo! waaaa

see u

Ronnie said...

hi dom. i could almost visualize yung entry mo. such vivid description do sends a chill in me. haay.. ang laki ang sinakripisyo nya for us indeed.

have a good weekend.

Anonymous said...

good morning!

gcng nba ang kuya ko? happy friday po! musta na jan? ingats...

see u

forevermonk said...

@ironnie

hey tol its my feast day today -friday...yeah, Jesus is indeed our Savior and redeemer...

forevermonk said...

@vera
i am glad...very very glad dahil pinagtagpo tayo ni LORD.... para kahit papano at kahit sa blogworld na kinasasangkutan ng mga taong tutuo ay nakapagbigay ako at nagka pag offer sa KANYA ng aking sarili thru you.....mabuhay ka kristine!....at pagpapalain ka ng ating Poong Maykapal...bigyan mo lang SIYA ng kahit kaunting puwang at chance sa puso mo....and evrybody in Heaven will sing ALLELUIA.......

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