Crucifixion of Jesus

Crucifixion was an ancient method, a deliberately slow and painful execution in which the victim's hands and feet were bound and nailed to a cross and left to hang until dead (Christian Dictionary). It was such a horrific way to die. Crucifixion was used dating back to 519 BC. As you may know, our Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died by way of crucifixion. Jesus shed his own blood and endured ultimately the most agonizing death possible for the sake of all people.

So we ask the question, why was Jesus executed? Some of the high Jewish priests and elders of the Sanhedrin detested Jesus, because he condemned their sins (The Crucifixion of Jesus). The priests did not want to believe what Jesus was preaching to them, but he was preaching the truth. Jesus encouraged them to repent and turn back to God in life. They accused Jesus of blasphemy (The Crucifixion of Jesus). All of the priests were fed up with Jesus and the massive crowds that followed him around listening to what he was preaching. The crowds worshiped Jesus and believed what He was telling them. That made the Jewish priests even more angry and jealous. They finally came to a conclusion. Jesus had to be killed!

Because the Jews did not have the authority to have Jesus sentenced to death without the Roman governor's approval, they turned to Pontius Pilate. At Jesus' trial, they had absolutely no evidence of criminality by Jesus. The Jewish priests and elders put much pressure on Pilate (Fairchild). They chanted "crucify him!" over and over again (Fairchild). He did not know how to handle the situation, so he finally gave in and agreed to have Jesus put to death. Jesus was sentenced to a terrible death, a death by way of crucifixion.

The place of Jesus' death would be on a very small hill called Golgotha, otherwise known as "the place of the skull," which was located on the outskirts of Jerusalem (The Crucifixion of Jesus). Before taken to the top, he was brutally beaten with a leather whip before his crucifixion. Tiny pieces of iron and bone fragments were tied to the end of each whip causing deep cuts and extremely painful bruises (The Crucifixion of Jesus). Jesus was spit on, mocked, and beat in the head several times with a staff. A very sharp crown of thorns was placed on his head (Fairchild). The thorns punctured deep into his head causing bleeding and horrific pain. Jesus was stripped of all of his clothing and was forced to carry his cross all the way to the top of the hill. After struggling in a state of pain and weakness, Simon of Cyrene was forced to help him carry the cross.

Jesus was led to the top of Golgotha where he would be crucified. As customary, he was offered a fluid mixture of gall, vinegar, and myrrh before his crucifixion (Fairchild). This was said to moderate a little bit of the suffering . Jesus refused to take a drink. His cross was laid on the dirt ground and Jesus was laid back on it. The soldiers brought out massive stake-like nails. One by one, each nail was mercilessly driven through his wrists and ankles. Jesus was fastened to the cross tightly where he would be executed between two other convicted criminals, Dismas and Gestas (Orthodox history