SEARCHLIGHT
Is the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ necessary and appreciated?
SCRIPTURE
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” Mark 16:16 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
The idea that Jesus Christ never really died on the cross is found in the Koran which was written in the 17th century. (Surah iv, p.156,157) Muslims contend Jesus did not die by crucifixion. There is a shrine that marks his alleged burial place in Srinagar, Kashmir.
Unfortunately, many people and self-identified Christians value the loving, forgiving lifestyle of Jesus but fail to comprehend the importance of His horrid death which was called a crucifixion.
There are an increasing number of churches that celebrate the goodness and kindness of Jesus but rarely mention the brutality that Jesus experienced so that people might be saved from sin.
Just how important is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Mark used the word “crucified” 5 times in chapter 15 of his Gospel. Matthew used the word 7 times. Luke used the word 4 times and then 2 times in Acts. John used the word “crucified” 7 times. In today’s Scripture focus, even the angel of the Lord underscored the importance of the crucifixion in order to announce Christ’s resurrection. Jesus suffered an agonizing death and was buried. Then Jesus Christ’s tomb became empty. Here is the bottom line. The Bible says “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” [Hebrews 9:22 NIV] Without the crucifixion there is no resurrection. If there is no crucifixion and resurrection, then there is no way you and I or anyone can get right with our Creator, the living God.
Mark it down! The crucifixion is a pivotal point in Christianity. If Jesus was not crucified and resurrected, then there is no reason to be a Christian. The death of Jesus Christ on Golgotha is significant to everything that the Bible says about reconciling man to God. Without Christ’s death, there is no salvation for the sin of the world. Man cannot receive forgiveness of sin and experience eternal life. Sure, it is difficult and uncomfortable to look at the gory death of Jesus, but it is equally necessary. CELEBRATE THE CRUCIFIXION to appreciate what God had to do in order to bridge the great divide between man and Himself.
Dr. Alexander Metherell, M.D., Ph.D., (he has a long line of credentials) strongly supports and celebrates the belief that Jesus Christ died. His thoughts are recorded by Lee Strobel in Strobel’s book, “The Case for Christ.” Here are some of Dr. Metherell insights:
1. The Torture Before the Cross
Following the Last Supper, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives where He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was experiencing a great deal of psychological stress. The Bible says that Jesus sweat blood. Dr. Metherell explains this as a medical condition called hematidrosis. It is not common but associated with a high degree of psychological stress - “….severe anxiety causes the release of chemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat glands….there’s a small amount of bleeding into these glands… the sweat comes out tinged with blood….what this did was set up the skin to be extremely fragile so that when Jesus was flogged by the Roman soldier the next day, His skin would be very, very sensitive,” (Strobel – The Case For Christ, p.195)
Roman floggings were brutal. There were usually 39 lashes but often far more. The whip had pieces of sharp bone. It was braided leather thongs with metal bolts woven into them. Many people died from this kind of beating. At least the victim would go into hypovolemic shock meaning the person is suffering the effects of losing a large amount of blood. (p.196) Four things take place: 1. The heart races to try to pump blood that isn’t there. 2. The blood pressure drops causing fainting or collapse. 3. The kidneys stop producing urine. 4. The person becomes very thirsty.
2. The Agony of the Cross
Most people are not sure how the cross kills victims. The Romans used spikes 5” to 7” long and tapered to a sharp point. They were driven through the wrist. The Bible says the nail pierced His palms. This is not a problem because the wrists were considered to be a part of the hand in the language of the day.
Please note, the nail went through where the median nerve runs. (p.197) The median nerve is the large nerve running out of the hand. The pain would have been unbearable. It would have been like taking a pair of pliers to squeeze and crush the funny bone nerve. In fact, a new word was invented to describe the pain. It is “excruciating” which literally means “out of the cross.” There was no word to describe the intense anguish of the cross, so the word “excruciating” was born due to the crucifixion.
When Christ’s arms would have been stretched on the cross bar as the cross was hoisted, both His shoulders would have been dislocated fulfilling the prophesy in Psalm 22 which says ,“My bones are out of joint” (p.198)
3. The Cause of Death
Dr. Metherell states, “…crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation.” (p.198) In trying to inhale and exhale Jesus would have moved in ways that caused a cardiac arrest. However, John 19:34 states, “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.” Even this is substantiated in the medical world by what is known as a pericardial effusion and plural effusion. [p.199]
Another prophecy fulfilled was that no bones of the Messiah would be broken. Although the two criminals had their legs broken, the Roman soldiers didn’t do that to Jesus. Why? The legs were broken in order to speed up the process of asphyxiation. Jesus was dead when the soldiers came to him. There is no doubt about that. In fact, the soldiers’ lives depended on their assessment. [p.201]
Is the crucifixion necessary? Yes! Absolutely! The Gospel is only Good News if there is a Savior. Jesus Christ’s crucifixion is not a concoction of events that people made up. This is not imagined. It is true and necessary. The Bible says, “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.” People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past. [Romans 3:25 NLT]
You can’t just celebrate the resurrection without celebrating the crucifixion. Every time you take communion you are celebrating the crucifixion. Jesus bled and died on a cross for a reason. Are you truly grateful that Jesus died? Good Friday is stained with blood, pain, a gruesome death and a memory of an innocent man who predicted exactly what would happen. Jesus Christ’s death was real and permanent. Jesus experienced a horrific crucifixion on a cross so that you might be forgiven of your sin. Jesus did it all for you!
SOMETHING TO DO
Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would experience a tortuous death that would provide salvation for all people. Read Isaiah 52:13-15 and 53. Meditate on Isaiah 53:4-6 which states, “Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we consider him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us, has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for being crucified for me. You took my place on that cross. I should be there because of my sin. But You love me so much, You willingly died in my place. I am so grateful. AMEN