So, today, I'm sharing a modified version of the post (I've taken some of it away, and added some to it), so as to make anyone aware, that truly wants to know, the reality of the cross of Jesus Christ. It's not what many have chosen to believe, simply because of what they've read, and what they've not read. Please grab a coffee, or whatever drink helps you relax, take a couple of minutes and read. WARNING: You may experience some discomfort...
Scientific Death of Jesus:
At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to death.
At the time, crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals were condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus. Unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was to be nailed to the cross by His hands and feet.
The nails were driven into His wrist, not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. Had they been driven into his hands, the weight of his body would have caused the nails to tear out between his fingers and would release him from the tree. The nails had to be placed where they could not rip through the hand. The wrist was the perfect place. Also, there's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support Himself so that He could breathe.
Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support Himself with His legs because of the pain so He was forced to alternate between arching His back then using His legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage.
Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.
Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds.
From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we realize His wounds were actually made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even larger nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. He was unrecognizable. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture. And...he carried the cross he was to hang on, after the beating!
After hanging for 3 hours, he had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood.
Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest..
All these without mentioning the humiliation He suffered after carrying His own cross for 1 1/4 miles (approximately), while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones. The cross was almost 67 pounds (only for its higher part), where His hands were to be nailed.
Jesus had to endure this experience, to open the gates of Heaven, so that you and I can have free access to God. He gave all of himself for me. For you. How can we refuse the unconditional love He offers?
I think it might be simply because we have never experienced anything so selfless, it causes us to wonder if it’s only a fairy tale.
As someone who has walked on both sides of dark and light, I assure you, God’s sacrifice for us is no fairy tale. It is indeed, very real. Once you experience it, there is no denying it...
As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World
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