Most people would prefer not to die under strenuous circumstances, most would not like to be killed violently, humiliated, betrayed and mocked. For those who are of faith, what Jesus went through would be considered a significant sacrifice. Forget the advent of what was lost in the manifest spiritual context, lets simply examine the physical aspect of the crucifixion itself and see if it qualifies as a sacrifice, despite the resurrection on the other side. The crucifixion can be found in (Matthew 27:29-46, Mark 15: 16-39, Luke 23:33-47, John 19: 16-36).

1. Is it really a "great sacrifice" to "die for our
sins" if you're back alive again after 3 days?
Most people would prefer not to die under strenuous circumstances, most
would not like to be killed violently, humiliated, betrayed and mocked.
For those who are of faith, what Jesus went through would be considered a
significant sacrifice. Forget the advent of what was lost in the manifest
spiritual context, lets simply examine the physical aspect of the crucifixion
itself and see if it qualifies as a sacrifice, despite the resurrection on the
other side.
The crucifixion can be found in (Matthew 27:29-46, Mark 15: 16-39, Luke
23:33-47, John 19: 16-36).
It is thought that Crucifixion first began among the Persians. Alexander the
Great introduced the practice to Egypt and Carthage, the Romans learned
of it from the Carthaginians.
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2. Although the Romans did not invent crucifixions they perfected it as a
form of torture and capital punishment that was designed to produce a
slow death with maximum pain and suffering. It was one of the most
disgraceful and cruel methods of execution and usually was reserved for
slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries and criminals. Roman law usually
protected Roman citizens from crucifixion, except in the case of desertion
by soldiers.
Women were also crucified on rare occasions, as recorded in the writings of
Josephus' Antiquities. A freed Roman woman was in league with the
priests of a temple of Isis in Rome, she was crucified under Tiberius along
with the priests who was not a Roman citizen.
In another account, a woman named Blandina, who, during the
persecutions of Christians in Lyons was crucified upside-down, and
scourged naked.
In its earliest form in Persia, the victim was either tied to a tree or was tied
to or impaled on an upright post, usually to keep the victim's feet from
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3. touching the ground, in which case a sedile, or foot prop was attached to
the stipe for the feet to rest.
A true cross was characterized by an upright post (stipes) and a horizontal
crossbar (patibulum), which had several variations. Archaeological and
historical evidence strongly indicates that the low Tau cross was preferred
by the Romans in Palestine at the time of Christ (see pict of cross)
Crucifixion practices varied in a given geographic region and in accordance
with the imagination of the executioners, the Latin cross and other forms
may also have been used.
SOURGING
Scourging prior to crucifixion served to weaken the victim and if blood loss
was considerable it produced orthostatic hypotension and even
hypovolemic shock.
In the case of Jesus, after the scourging and the mocking, at about 9 AM,
the Roman soldiers put Jesus' clothes back on him and then led him and
two thieves to be crucified. Jesus was so weakened by the severe flogging
that he could not carry the patibulum from the Praetorium to the site of
crucifixion which was one third of a mile (600 to 650 meters) away.
Simon of Cyrene was made to carry Christ's cross because he was not able
to go further, the processional then made its way to Golgotha (or Calvary),
an established crucifixion site. (Luke 23:26, 33, Mt 27:32)
Here, Jesus' clothes, except for a linen loincloth, again were removed,
probably reopening the scourging wounds.
When the victim was thrown to the ground on his back, in preparation for
transfixion of the hands, his scourging wounds most likely would become
torn open again and contaminated with dirt., Furthermore, with each
respiration, the painful scourging wounds would be scraped against the
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4. rough wood of the stipes. As a result, blood loss from the back probably
would continue throughout the crucifixion ordeal.
With arms outstretched but not taut, the wrists were nailed to the
patibulum. The ligaments and bones of the wrist can support the weight of
a body hanging from them, but the palms cannot. Accordingly, the iron
spikes were driven between the radius and the carpals or between the two
rows of carpal bones, either proximal to or through the strong band like
flexor retinaeulum and the various interearpal ligaments.
Although a nail in either location in the wrist might pass between the bony
elements and thereby produce no fractures, but a painful periosteal injury
would be great.
Furthermore, the driven nail would crush or sever the rather large
sensorimotor median nerve. The stimulated nerve would produce
excruciating bolts of fiery pain in both arms.
Jesus and the two thieves were crucified. Although scriptural references are
made to nails in the hands, these are at odds with the archaeological
evidence of wrist wounds, since the ancients customarily considered the
wrist to be a part of the hand.
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5. The titulus was attached above Jesus' head which was written in 3
languages, Hebrew, Greek and Latin (John 19: 20). Jesus was crucified on
the Tau cross or capital T not the Latin cross or small t.
Latin cross has the patibulum a third part down from the top of the cross
while the Tau is at the top. The fact that Jesus later was offered a drink of
wine vinegar from a sponge placed on the stalk of the hyssop plant
(approximately 20 inches long) supports the belief that Jesus was crucified
on the short cross or Tau.
The soldiers and the civilian crowd taunted Jesus throughout the
crucifixion ordeal, and the soldiers cast lots for his clothing
(Matthew 27:29-44). Christ spoke seven times from the cross. Since speech
occurs during exhalation, these short utterances must have been
particularly difficult and painful. These accounts are referred to as the
seven sayings, they are (Luke 23:34, 43, 46, John 19:26-28, 30, Matthew 27:46
and Mark 15:34) - (Matthew & Mark accounts are in Aramaic)
These sayings are referred to as the words of forgiveness, salvation,
relationship, abandonment, distress, triumph and reunion.
At about 3 PM that Wednesday, Jesus cried out in a loud voice it is finished,
bowed his head, and died. The Roman soldiers and onlookers recognized
his moment of death.
Since the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the crosses after
sunset, the beginning of the Sabbath, they asked Pontius Pilate to order the
legs be broken to hasten the deaths of the three crucified men. The soldiers
broke the legs of the two thieves, but when they came to Jesus and saw that
he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Rather, one of the soldiers
pierced his side, with an infantry spear, later referred to as the spear of
destiny which produced a sudden flow of blood and water. Later that day,
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6. Jesus' body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. (John
19:31-37)
Most people would not endure this level of suffering for the sake of others,
having said all this, anyone who experienced this very real, tangible,
prolonged and excruciating death for the sake of others, regardless of any
prospect of a resurrection 3 days later, would require more than a sacrifice
and belief, it would require a love beyond imagination. My question is if
you were willing to do this, with all the particulars included, would it be a
sacrifice?
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