Even thou Pilate declared Jesus innocent he still condemned him, and sent to His death. Then, Pilate symbolically washed his hands in front of the crowd, telling them he was innocent of Jesus’ blood. He found Jesus not guilty to keep the peace with the Jewish leader he pronounce Jesus to be crucify.   Chiefly inflicted on slaves and the worst kind of criminals it was the cruelest foam of punishment !! The condemned criminal died slow and extreme pain   

 Linda Alchin wrote a piece on Roman Crucifixion and wrote these words. “ Death by Roman crucifixion was a result of the whole body weight being supported by the stretched arms. When nailed to the cross there was a massive strain put on the wrists, arms, and shoulders often resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints. The rib cage was constrained in a fixed position, which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. The victim would continually try to draw himself up by his feet to allow for inflation of the lungs enduring terrible pain in his feet and legs. The pain in the feet and legs became unbearable, and the victim was forced to trade breathing for pain. The length of time required to die from crucifixion could range from hours to a number of days.

The main cause of death by Roman crucifixion was due to asphyxiation. Asphyxiation results from lack of exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide due to respiratory failure or disturbance, resulting in insufficient brain oxygen, which leads to unconsciousness and death.  The process of crucifixion the victim was either tied or nailed to the cross. Roman nails were made of iron and are described as a square tapered nail with a large head. The nails were inserted just above the wrist, between the two bones of the forearm or driven through the wrist, in a space between four carpal bones.” Robert Gidley said three things happen: 

 The victim’s weight is now fully supported by his feet. The nails through the feet would be likely to hit two major nerves running through the area. The result would be excruciating pain in the legs.

    The nails in the wrists would be likely to pierce the main nerve running through the arm. As the victim pushed up to breath, the wrists would rotate against the nail, irritating the nerves and causing intense pain in the arms. Some authorities also believe that the crucifixion position would dislocate the shoulder or elbow. Any movement would aggravate the pain from these injuries.”

I witness someone who had  emphysema cause by second hand smoke it not easy to watched them struggle for oxygen not pretty pictures. 

While Jesus was hanging on the between two thieves the two thieves mocking Him. Accordingly, the gospels of Matthew in Chapter 27 verse 40 to 44 these words were written,  “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”  In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.  He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way. The rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. Jesus still committed no sin 

 I can imagine going through the pain and anguish Jesus went through. For example, every time I got extremely ill I was not the most gentle person to be around with, if anything I could be ill-mannered, harsh, and unsympathetic, not the gentle spirit to all men during those times. In the movie Patch Adam played by Robin William spoke these words on the edge of cliff when his girlfriend was murdered by a patient, “ So what now, huh? What do you want from me? So answer me please. Tell me what you’re doing. Okay, let’s look at the logic. You create man. A man suffers enormous amounts of pain. A man dies. Maybe you should have had just a few more brainstorming sessions prior to creation. You rested on the seventh day. Maybe you should’ve spent that day on compassion. Looks You know what? You’re not worth it.”  I’ld dare says most people tend to be unpleasant during the extremely difficult times. When I was in the hospital in occupational therapy recovering from an operation in which they removed my second toe due resulting from diabetes. A patient that was next to me names George not his real name had pneumonia, asthma, and an extremely sore back. However, he was allergic to penicillin and Tylenol 3. Every time his back would seize up it would become very painful, and he would start cursing and taking the Lord’s name in vain. When the condemned criminal was in intense pain or  agony while hanging on the cross the condemned would start cursing Rome resulting from the lack of oxygen to the brain. The Roman soldiers would eventually cut the tongue to silence them. Sinful man tend to blame to God in times of trouble water were mankind was responsible for mess there in due to the fall Adam and Eve 

  Despite his agonizing pain. Jesus still do not sin, nor He violates God ordinance. His last seven words were source  encouragement and blessing to others.

• • “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He was hanging on the cross-resulting from mankind sin not His.
• • “ Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  Luke 23:43 Ensuring the thief would enter Heaven’s Gate as forgiven a sinner.
• • Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple: “This is your mother.” Ensuring that His earthly mother was cared for when He departed into glory 
• •My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27;46. All Of mankind fell upon Him. Jesus bore His Father wrath because of mankind sin,  
• • “I thirst.” Gospel of John 19:28  He was fulfilling prophecy in Ps 69;21
• • “It is finished;” John 19; 19-20 The sin debt is now paid in full.
• •Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Luke 23:46 His Father was satisfied and accepted His payment of the sin debt and, His Father was satisfied with payment of sin since He committed no sin. Prophecy was fulfilled Ps 34; 20, He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 

 

Bottom line the Chief Priests, the crowd, Pilate, and mankind sins sent an Innocent man to die. All humankind was responsible for crucifying Christ. While in the human eyes it seemed unfair that innocent man should die for the guilty. Because God is holy and hates sins he needed to send Himself to take the place of man place to us set free from the bondage of sin. Rom. 3:26, The  just {The God Father}  and the justifier {Jesus Christ God’s  Son}.” As Apostle Peter declares the first message, “ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” All humankind nailed Jesus to the cross. A person I highly respected uttered these word. Several weeks after my mother died at a Good Friday services when the congregations were banging nails into a beam  with tears in hers eyes  she uttered “ I nailed him to the cross”. She had tears of joy not sorrow. 

Jesus simply took mankind place. As  Roman 5 1; 9 For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. Jesus crucifixion was ordained by God.  As  scripture states, “ delivered up through God’s settled purpose and foreknowledge–you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed Him to a cross and have put to Him death.

George Macleod wrote these words, “I simply argue that the cross should be raised at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town’s garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan.”

 It was the thief’s last prayer, perhaps even his first. He knocked once, sought once, asked once, dared everything, and found everything. When even the disciples were doubting and only one was present at the Cross, the thief owned and acknowledged Him as Saviour.” 

― Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ