The carrying of the cross the trek towards salvation

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The carrying of the cross the trek towards
salvation
...He suffered died and was buried...
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Art Thou the King of the Jews?
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Behold the Man!
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Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
But I am a worm, not a man the scorn of men,
despised by the people..Psalm 227
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I am innocent of the blood of this just person
Scourge wounds? Where are they?
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Scripture

• they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in
  his own clothes, and led him off to crucifixion.
  On their way out they met a Cyrenian named Simon.
  This man they pressed into service to carry the
  cross. Upon arriving at a site called Golgotha (
  a name which means Skull Place), they gave him a
  drink of wine flavored with gall, which he tasted
  but refused to drink.Matthew 27 3134

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Scripture

• When they had finished mocking him, they stripped
  him of the purple, dressed him in his own
  clothes, and led him out to crucify him. A man
  named Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander
  and Rufus, was coming in from the fields, and
  they pressed him into service to carry the cross.
  When they brought Jesus to the site of Golgotha
  (which means Skull Place, they tried to give
  him wine drugged with myrrh, but he would not
  take itMark 15 20-23

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Scripture

• As they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon
  the Cyrenean who was coming in from the fields.
  They put a crossbeam on Simons shoulder for him
  to carry along behind Jesustwo others who were
  criminals were led along with him to be
  crucified. When they came to Skull Place, as it
  was called..Luke 2326-33

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Scripture

• In the end, Pilate handed Jesus over to be
  crucified. Jesus was led away and carrying the
  cross by himself went out to what is called the
  Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).John
  19 16-17

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Historical Crucifixion

• The practice of crucifixion began in other
  countries but the Romans perfected it. Its
  main purpose was to punish and frighten
  disobedient slaves.
• Most often used for organized revolts Spartacus
  over 6,000 crosses lined the way from Capua to
  Rome
• According to Josephus, a Roman historian, over
  500 Jews a day were crucified at one point

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Procedures of a Crucifixion

• Once the defendant was sentenced for crucifixion,
  the victim was sometimes (but not always) taken
  outside, stripped and scourged with a flagellum
  or flagrum.
• Care was taken not to kill the victim when
  whipped with the flagellum.
• Following the beating, the horizontal beam
  (patibulum) was placed on the victim's shoulders
  - corresponds with evidence on the shroud that
  only the patibulum was carried not the entire
  cross

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The Carrying of the Cross

• Only the patibulum (the cross beam) was actually
  carried probably weighed in at around 50 - 70
  lbs
• The patibulum would definitely make contact with
  His shoulders and arms scraping up against the
  scourge marks and crown causing continual
  bleeding
• Sweating would occur the salty sweat burning
  his scourged and crowned wounds even more
  always keep in mind the accented pain because of
  the hematidrosis

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The Patibulum

• Bishop tells us that the patibulum was 3 by 5
  by 6 long and weighed about 30 lbs.
• Zugibe believes that the crosspiece was an oak
  beam weighing in at about 50-55 lbs.
• Barbet contended that the patibulum weighed about
  125 lbs.
• I believe that after the scourging and other
  sufferings Jesus had already endured, that the
  patibulum weighed about 50-70 lbs. It would
  probably have been too difficult to carry
  anything much heavier in his condition. It was
  very roughly hewn wood (which could splinter
  easily) and possibly made from pine

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The Road to Golgotha Jesus was led away, and
carrying the cross by himself, went out to what
is called the place of the Skull. John
1916,17
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The Death March

• Jesus was then marched from the tribunal to
  outside of the city to Calvary or Golgotha (the
  skull).
• The march was intended as a form of humiliation
• Though victims were usually naked during the
  march, Mark tells us they stripped him of the
  purple, dressed him in his own clothes, and led
  him out to crucify him
• Jesus either wore a titulus (or sign) displaying
  his crime - roped around His neck or the exactor
  mortis (or another) carried the sign in front of
  our Lord holding the titulus high for all to
  see.

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The Exactor Mortis

• The exactor mortis was the centurion in charge of
  the crucifixion team the quaternio.
• The quaternio consisted of 4 soldiers entrusted
  with the duty of crucifixion
• They were professional executioners and because
  crucifixion was common, they had plenty of
  practice and showed very little mercy for
  crucified victims it was simply their job
• They completed each crucifixion with very little
  fanfare and became skilled in making it look easy

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The Carrying of the Cross
Most likely scenario
A possibility
(a)
(b)
(c)
Hollywood version

• The arms are tied to the patibulum with ropes
• The patibulum is balanced on one shoulder
• The way the entire cross would be carried

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The Parts of the Tree
Titulus (sign)
Patibulum
A Sedile (seat)
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Under the Weight of the Wood
It is possible the crown of thorns was removed
while carrying the cross and placed back on
Jesus head at Golgotha
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Bearing the Wood on the Shoulders

• It must have caused Jesus some mental anguish to
  know that soon His hands would be nailed onto the
  very wood that He carried
• Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust
  and laid it on his son Isaacs shoulders, while
  he himself carried the fire and the knifeWhen
  they came to the place of which God had told him,
  Abraham built an altar there and arranged the
  wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and
  put him on top of the wood on the altar.Genesis
  22 6, 9

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The Carrying of the Wood

• The roughly hewn wood of the patibulum scraped
  His shoulders and upper back the upper body
  that had just been scourged mercilessly
• The patibulum strapped to His shoulders would
  continually bounce against the thorns imbedded in
  His head (unless they were first removed and
  later put back on) forcing them deeper with
  each touch
• He would fall numerous times the markings on
  the shroud showed that His knees had been torn
  open from the many falls

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More Humiliation

• Some scholars believe that that the two criminals
  that were sentence alongside of Jesus were
  actually supposed to be crucified earlier but
  the Pharisees wanted Jesus to be shown to
  everyone as just a common criminal and therefore
  had the two condemned to die at the same time as
  our Lord
• The Pharisees also argued with Pilate that Jesus
  was no more important than either of the other
  two condemned to die and that all three crosses
  should be of the same height though many
  believe that Jesus cross was higher

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How Could We Know?

• The gospel authors had no reason to believe that
  crucifixion would someday disappear and
  therefore no reason to write in more detail about
  what happened during a crucifixion
• Crucifixion was abolished in approximately 320 AD
  by Constantine.
• Crucifixes did not appear again until nearly two
  centuries later. There were no pictures or
  replicas of a crucifix anywhere actually it was
  forbidden to draw pictures of a crucifix so the
  first pictures were from the imagination and
  supposition of the persons drawing them they
  had no real-life guidance as to how a crucifixion
  was done. It would be easy to conclude that
  Jesus would have carried the entire cross to
  Golgotha

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The Way of the Cross

• It is about 1100 AM and Jesus must now carry the
  heavy patibulum from Antonia to Golgotha a trek
  of more than a half mile
• The path is unpaved, bumpy, and full of crevices
  from the wheels of carts and from beasts of
  burden
• The path assumes an uphill climb

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The Weight of the Wood

• It is cool that day, yet sunny and dry Jesus is
  already extremely thirsty and totally exhausted
  from all he has been through since the prior
  evening
• Jesus is carrying the heavy wood as people scream
  and spit at Him along the way I believe that in
  his condition and with the distance he had to go,
  the patibulum could not weigh more than 70 lbs
  no matter what the actual weight, we are told
  that Simon of Cyrene was pressed into helping our
  Lord

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A Birds Eye View
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The Health of Jesus

• Jesus was a very strong man. He walked many
  miles in his journeys and had worked as a
  carpenter
• By the way He overturned the tables in front of
  the synagogue, we know He was in excellent
  physical condition

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• Between Thursday and Friday He had suffered great
  emotional and physical stress.
• Agony and hematidrosis in the garden
• Terrible physical beatings was viciously pulled
  and dragged by chains and ropes was jabbed by
  sharp pointed sticks, punched, slapped, and
  kicked numerous times
• Was not permitted to sleep
• Extreme thirst He had very little to drink (if
  anything) since the Last Supper and had lost a
  great deal of bodily fluids (sweat and blood)
• Forced to walk more than 2.5 miles from trial
  site to trial site under these conditions
• Was mercilessly scourged by professionals more
  sweating and bleeding total shock throughout
• Was crowned with long, thick, hard 1-1.5 long
  thorns that struck nerves and veins struck
  with a reed that paralyzed him

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Falling On the Road to My Salvation
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Jesus Falling Once Again
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The Climb Towards Salvation

• The heat of the sun and the weight of the wood on
  his lacerated shoulders would induce
• Intense weakness
• Dizziness or lightheadedness causing him to
  stumble and fall numerous times (not just 3 times
  as the Franciscan stations depict) each time
  causing excruciating pain to radiate across his
  face and scalp as well as in all of his muscles
  and joints. His knees were split open from the
  many times He fell along the way.
• It truly is a wonder Jesus was able to survive
  all of this and arrive at Calvary He must have
  been very motivated?

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The Broken Nose Theory
When Jesus began his ascent to Calvary, his arms
were both tied to the patibulum. The shroud
evidence shows contused knees indicating the man
in the shroud fell multiple times. How could he
break his fall if his hands were tied? His nose
may have been broken during one of his many falls.
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Types of Crosses

• Crux simplex (simple stake)
• Crux immissa or capitata (conventional)
• Crux commissa (T cross)
• Crux decussata (Cross of St. Andrew).

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The Parts of the Cross

• The crux compacta included types b, c, and d (in
  prior slide) and was composed of two parts
• the upright called the stipes cruces or
  staticulum
• the crosspiece called the patibulum
• the sedile or seat was common on many crosses
  but usually to prolong the agony of the victim
  there is no evidence a sedile was present on
  Christs cross
• the foot-piece or suppadanum was sometimes used
  some scholars conjecture that Jesus could use
  this to push off of when he needed to raise
  himself up to breathe there is no evidence that
  a suppadanum was used on Christs cross

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The Most Likely Cross Used
Patibulum
Probably 7 ft or less to the ground
Stipes cruces (which stayed permanently in the
ground)
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Sedile or seat
There is no evidence that either a sedile or
suppadanum were used
Suppadanum or foot rest
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Lets Be Practical

• The cross needed to be low to the ground so the
  soldiers could hoist the crucified victim easier
  also easier to remove body
• Would make it much easier if stipes was already
  positioned no need to dig new holes or dig up
  old crosses just leave the stipes there and
  affix the patibulum to it each time
• Historical references allude to the fact that
  wild dogs would feed on deceased crucified
  victims (as they hung on the cross) how could a
  dog reach the victim unless the cross was low to
  the ground?

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Additional Peripheral Damage

• Scripture tells us that the soldiers divided up
  the clothes at this point.
• Remember, when the clothes were torn from our
  saviors body, the scourge wounds would re-open
  we can imagine the brutality with which this robe
  was ripped from Our Lords ravaged body

They look on me and gloat over me they divided
my garments among them, and for my vesture they
cast lots...Psalm 2219
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The Manhandling of Jesus
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Conflicting With Evidence

• The archers led Jesus into the middle of the
  court, the slaves threw down the cross at his
  feet, and the two arms were forthwith tied on to
  the center piece (here, Anne Catherine Emerich is
  talking about the arms of the cross which she
  states were tied to the centerpiece a fact that
  scholars and shroud evidence disagree with)
• Jesus was kneeling when they placed the cross
  upon him. They pulled him up roughly, for he
  needed assistance it was then he felt upon his
  shoulders the weight of the cross

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The Carrying of the Crown

• By means of ropes, which the executioners had
  fastened to the foot of the cross, two archers
  supported it to prevent its getting
  entangled.and four other soldiers took hold of
  the ropes tied to Jesus underneath his clothing
• A boy who had charge of the inscription which
  Pilate had written for the cross (titulus),
  likewise carried the crown of thorns (which had
  been taken off the head of Jesus) at the end of a
  long stick

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His Condition

• His bare feet swollen and bleeding
• His back bent as though he were about to sink
  under the weight of the wood his entire body
  covered with wounds and blood
• Half-fainting from exhaustion weak from loss of
  blood
• Parched with thirst, produced by fever and pain
• His hands were cut by the cords with which they
  had been bound
• His face was bloody and disfigured his hair and
  beard saturated with blood

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The Path

• The street was narrow and dirty
• Because of this, the archers were close to him
  and harassed him continually
• Slaves working in the street threw filth and mud
  at him
• Children (incited by his enemies) threw sharp
  stones down in his path, to make walking even
  more difficult

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Jesus Falls the First Time

• At a place where a great stone filled a hollow in
  the path, Jesus (having been dragged and pushed
  continually by the archers) fell down against the
  stone
• The cruel executioners abused and struck him
  mercilessly as the procession came to a halt
• Prior to lifting him up, they replaced the crown
  of thorns upon his head

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His Second Fall

• The Pharisees on horseback passed by first,
  followed by the boy who carried the inscription
  (titulus)
• He cast a look of compassion and sorrow upon his
  mother, staggered, and fell for the second time
  upon his hands and knees
• The archers raised Jesus and obliged him to carry
  the cross in a different manner unfastening the
  ropes from his arms, he now dragged the patibulum
  with one end on the ground

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The Third FallEnter Simon of Cyrene

• The procession reached an arch formed in an old
  wall Jesus stumbled against a large stone which
  was placed in the middle of the archway
• The cross slipped from his shoulder, he fell upon
  the stone, and was totally unable to rise his
  enemies showed no compassion
• Simon, a gardener from Cyrene and a pagan was
  passing by with his three children the soldiers
  seized him and ordered him to assist Jesus
  carrying his cross -One end of the cross was
  placed on Simons shoulder, while Jesus stumbled
  in front carrying the other end

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But the Scriptures Say.

• They put a crossbeam on Simons shoulder for him
  to carry.Luke
• Anne Catherine Emerichs revelations state that
  One end of the cross was placed on Simons
  shoulder, while Jesus stumbled in front carrying
  the other end
• Did Simon share the cross with Jesus or carry
  the entire cross?
• Did the cross they carried consist of only the
  patibulum or the entire stipes and patibulum?

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The Fourth FallThe Stagnate Pool

• When the procession was near the south-west gate
  of the city, the archers shoved Jesus into a
  stagnate pool, which was close to it Simon, in
  his attempt to avoid the pool, gave the cross a
  twist, which caused Jesus to fall for the fourth
  time in the midst of the dirty mud. Simon had
  the greatest difficulty in lifting the cross
  again

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The Fifth FallThe Daughters of Jerusalem

• The road eventually divided into three branches
  one to the south-west eventually led to Bethlehem
  as Jesus passed through a gate on this road he
  stumbled and fell once again. Simon tried to
  help as much as he could
• Some women of Jerusalem were weeping
  uncontrollably for our Lord. Daughters of
  Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for
  yourselves and for your children.

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The Sixth and Seventh FallsArrival on Mount
Golgotha

• Road was steep and rough the soldiers rather
  than showing compassion for Jesus, continued to
  beat him with hard blows the road suddenly
  turned to the south and Jesus stumbled and fell
  for the sixth time the fall was a dreadful one
  the guards only struck him harder Jesus
  somehow arose and continued. Finally, when they
  reached the summit of Calvary, Jesus fell for the
  seventh time

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Reopened Wounds

• Prior to being nailed to the cross, his clothes
  were removed these very clothes were now
  sticking to his scourged wounds
• When the soldiers removed our Lords robe, they
  would not be gentle they ruthlessly ripped the
  garment tearing open the wounds the blood began
  pouring out all over his naked body

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Looking to the Sky, He Affirms, Thy Will Be
Done!
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By the Time He Reached Golgotha

• He was exhausted beyond comprehension
• His body had been ravaged by the terrible
  scourging but also by the many kicks, beatings,
  whippings, that he received from the moment he
  was arrested his body was in complete shock
• His body was extremely low on fluids, he had lost
  a great amount of sweat and blood he had a
  terrible thirst
• He could barely see as the blood from his thorny
  crown was blinding him, he had swallowed blood
  and was internally bleeding from the scourging
  and other beatings
• His head was pierced by about 70 thorns that were
  imbedded even deeper by being struck many times
  by the reeds used by the soldiers he had
  extreme headaches, his face totally bruised, nose
  broken and breathing very difficult and
  irregular,
• His feet and knees were bloodied and bruised
• His back was bent from carrying the patibulum