Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 73
Chapter Six—Modern Medical Opinion 73 Crucifixion was very common long before the time of Jesus, and the Romans used it frequently. They would not kill their victims at once, and crucifixion was a slow tor- ture. It was a popular amusement. No procedure was laid down for it, so the executioners could treat their victims just as they liked. Sometimes they only fastened them with ropes, sometimes only their hands. The victim suf- fered both physically and mentally and the worst thing was the infamy. They used to crucify only slaves and peo- ple of a very low standing, and also criminals, traitors, and agitators. Jesus hung on the cross, most probably naked. At that time of the year it was cold ( John 18:18). Before the cru- cifixion they offered Jesus something to drink. We do not quite know what it was; wine and gall, or wine and myrrh: when he had tasted thereof he would not drink (Matthew 27:35). When the throat is contracted through some agony, one cannot swallow. When people suffer mentally or phys- ically they often ask for water, but they can’t drink it. This can also be evidence of temporary neurasthenia. Matthew (27:50) says that Jesus cried ‘With a loud voice’ and gave up the ghost. (Emphasis is on ‘loud’). The centurion paid attention to this fact. He knew, perhaps by experience, that people do not usually die by uttering a cry. While he cried aloud, Jesus must have had some force left in him. There are in John’s narrative some incidents interesting to a doctor, for they are so realistic and so very characteris- tic of an attack of shock and collapse. The usual cause of fainting is that the blood goes away from the head, and the