The Tomb of Jesus — Page 13
13 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 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. ,,12. But the sudden death of a young and robust man, after a crucifixion of only six hours, was extraordinary, and to them unaccountable. Like the Gruners, and other modern authors, the soldiers might readily have suspected that he was not actually dead, but only in a fainting state, and they had good reason to make sure of the fact; for, if through carelessness or mistake they had suffered any of the crucified persons to escape, they would have been answerable for the neglect with their lives. 13 "Rationalism has principally given its adhesion to the former opinion (i. e. Jesus was not really dead). The short time that Jesus hung on the 12 Stroud, On The Physical Cause of the Death of Christ, p. 55. 13 Stroud, On The Physical Cause of the Death of Christ, p. 133.