THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
INTRODUCTION
A. (Ac.1:1-3) KJV - “passion” occurs instead of the word “suffering.” This is the word that Mel Gibson used in the title of his movie – “The Passion of The Christ.”
B. The movie had an impact on the moviegoers, but it appears to have been short-lived.
C. Few doubt that Jesus suffered, but in what ways did He suffer? & why did He suffer?
D. How do we determine the manner of Jesus’ suffering?
a. no physical body or skeletal remains
b. only written documents
E. Sources to consort:
a. non-inspired – (Roman) Cornelius Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius; (non-Roman) Thallus, Phlegon, Lucian; (Jewish) Jewish Talmud, Flavius Josephus
b. inspired – Gospel records, Acts, & the NT epistles
F. The reliability of the gospel writers, along with the epistles, and the shortness of the time interval between the events of “His sufferings;”…and archaeological findings ensure a reliable testimony from which a modern medical interpretation of Jesus' death may be made.
A. Jesus suffered mentally.
a. “Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Lu.22:15)
b. “‘Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.’” (Mr.14:32-34)
“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Lu.22:44)
b. rare phenomenon (under conditions of great emotional stress – acute fear and intense mental contemplation found to be the most frequent inciting causes)
c. bloody sweat (hematidrosis or hemihidrosis)
d. hemorrhage of the sweat glands (skin becomes fragile and tender tiny capillaries in the sweat glands rupture mixing blood with perspiration
e. skin becomes extremely tender & fragile (blows to the body even more painful
“‘He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”’ (Mt.26:36)
e. “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was
able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the
things which He suffered.” (Heb.5:7,8)
f. “Then an angel appeared from heaven, strengthening Him” (Lu.22:43)
A. Jesus suffered physically.
a. phrase “Son of Man” is used 86 as an appellation of Jesus (of flesh)
b. (1Tim.2:5; Heb.2:14,15; Phil.2:5-8)
a. youthful age would be an advantage to Him having good health (Lu.3:23)
b. rigors of His ministry would imply He had no serious health problem
c. apparently in good health when He and His apostles walked to Gethsemane
d. during the next hours Jesus experienced great emotional stress, abandonment, physical beatings, sleeplessness, fatigue from being forced to walk more than 2.5 miles to and from the sites of the various trials
c. Jesus suffered physically - “…for Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (1Pet.3:18) “…Christ suffered for us in the flesh…” (1Pet.4:1)
a. arrested after midnight by the temple police “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.” (Joh.18:12)
b. 1st taken to Annas (previous high priest)
c. 2nd taken to Caiaphas (Jewish high priest)
c. 3rd taken to Pilate
d. 4th to Herod
e. 5th back to Pilate
f. numerous violations of Jewish trial procedures
B. Jesus suffered during His incarceration – “Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they
struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” And many other things they blasphemously
spoke against Him.” (Lu.22:63-65)
C. Jesus suffered a Roman scourging (Joh.19:1)
a. Flogging was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution, and only women and Roman senators or soldiers (except in cases of desertion) were exempt. The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. After the scourging, the soldiers often taunted their victim.
“I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” (Isa.50:6)c.
c. “Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, & His form more than the sons of men” (Isa.52:14)
D. Jesus carried His cross until He apparently collapsed & then reaching Golgotha He was
crucified (Lu.23:33) – “the most wretched death.” Josephus.
a. nails (5-7” spikes with square head – nail prints were easily viewed)
b. drinks – Jesus refuse the 1st (analgesic) & drank the 2nd (sour wine)
c. respiration & exhalation excruciating (from crucify)
A. (Joh.3:16; Isa.52:13-53:1-12; 2Cor.5:21)