Crucifixion Described

I received this description of the crucifixion by e-mail.  I thought it was a very thought provoking description of what our Lord experienced.  I'm sure there are many descriptions of crucifixion available.  This one seems reasonable, based on the description provided by the author (who is unknown to me).  Please recognize this as a man's description of the process of crucifixion--such a description is not available in the scriptures.  I felt it was appropriate to include on my web site as a reminder of the agony Jesus experienced for us.  I was hesitant to include the applet below, but finally decided it provided a valuable visual reference to the blood shed by Jesus for our sins.  As you read the words written below, consider the immeasurable value in the drops of blood shed willingly for our benefit.  But also consider how the salvation offered by Jesus can be neglected (Hebrews 2:3).  Have you been obedient to the commands given us, thereby gaining the benefits found only in Christ?

A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.

The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed.

The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet.  Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, throbbing pain.  With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe.  Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.  Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber.  Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over.  The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues and the tortured lungs are making frantic efforts to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues...Finally, he can allow his body to die... All this, the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him"  (Mark 15:24).

What wondrous love is this? Many people don't know that pain and suffering Jesus went through for us...because of the brutality, crucifixion was given a sentence to only its worst offenders of the law. Thieves, murderers, and rapists would be the types of creeps who were crucified. Yet, here Jesus is being crucified between two criminals...What did Jesus do?  Did he murder?  Did he steal?  Jesus did nothing to deserve this type of death, yet he went willingly to die, between two thieves, so that we might be saved. And there, between the sinners, was our savior slain for our sins.  "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  Walk as children of light:  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."  Ephesians 5:8-10