Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 91
91 little loss of blood- the nails that pierced the extremities touching no large blood-vessel and closing the wounds they made - the death which followed resulted from the processes of bodily exhaustion and irritation; and these were so slow that in no case, where the person crucified was in ordinary health and vigor, did they terminate within twelve hours. Almost invariably he survived the first twenty-four hours, lived generally over the second, occasionally even into the fifth or sixth day. The ancient testimonies to this ~t are quite explicit, nor are modern ones wanting although there are but few parts of the world now where crucifixion is practiced. 55 e) A fact of importance to be known, but which has not been sufficiently regarded, is that crucifixion was a very lingering punishment, and proved fatal not so much by loss of blood, since the wounds in the hands and feet did not lacerate any large vessel, and were nearly closed by the nails which produced them, as by the slow process of nervous irritation and exhaustion. This would of course be liable to variety, depending on differences of age, sex, constitution, and other circumstances; but for persons to live two or more days on the cross was a common occurrence, and there are even instances of some who, having been taken down in time and carefully treated, recovered and survived. In many cases death was partly induced by hunger and thirst, the vicissitudes of heat and cold, or the attacks of ravenous birds and beasts; and in others was designedly accelerated by burning, stoning, suffocation, breaking the bones, or piercing the vital organs. 56 Beginning with the closing years of the nineteenth century as time has passed, evidence has become progressively available which puts it beyond doubt that Jesus did not die on the Cross. Detailed discussion on death by crucifixion is persecuted elsewhere. 57, 58 RESURRECTION Unfortunately there is a complete gap in the Biblical account with regard to the activities of Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus after the body of Jesus, wrapped in the shroud, had been placed in the sepulcher. There is, however, one item of information that appears to furnish an explanation of what happened thereafter. Nicodemus had brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight, and the body of Jesus was wound in linen clothes impregnated with the spices. 44 It was the action of the aloes and the spices that restored Jesus' breathing which had stopped and that in turn helped to maintain and strengthen the action of the heart. No doubt it would have taken some time for Jesus to recover complete consciousness. This happened during Friday night. Again, we have no indication whatsoever how Jesus passed the day of Saturday and Saturday night. Matthew alone, of the four Evangelists, mentions that after Jesus' body had been laid in the sepulcher, Joseph rolled a great stone to its door and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 59 It is not mentioned, however, whether they were sitting inside the sepulcher or outside of it and when they did depart. The account thus continues: 60 that the next day, that is to say on the Sabbath the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise