How often do we think about what really happened to Our Lord during the Passion? Here is a meditation on the Passion based on forensics.
"The Forensic Way of the Cross" is from, The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Forensic Inquiry by Frederick T. Zugibe. The book covers two main topics: one is a forensic reconstruction of the crucifixion of Jesus; the other examines the Shroud of Turin to try to understand what happened to Jesus' body after his death on the Cross. Zugibe believes that the Shroud, the cloth used to wrap Jesus' body after he died, is authentic. The author is extremely qualified to discus these issues since he worked as a medical examiner for 35 years.
On this Good Friday, we post "The Forensic Way of the Cross." It found at the end of Zubige's book. It's a powerful reconstruction of the crucifixion. Warning: the contents are not for the faint-hearted.
"Every formula that expresses the law of nature is a hymn of praise to God." (Maria Mitchell, 1818-1889)
In the preceding chapters I have attempted to reconstruct as accurately as possible how Jesus suffered and died, in the same manner as I have in investigating brutal homicides in the last 34 years as a forensic pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner. In this regard, I have critically analyzed each phase of Jesus' journey from the Garden of Gethsemane to His crucifixion.
Devout Christians meditate on Jesus' crucifixion in various ways, whether it be by meditating on the stations of the cross, reciting the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary, reading the scriptures, or by silent meditation. However, let us embark of a forensic journey beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane, and ending with Jesus' death at Calvary, in a sense a forensic way of the cross, in order to evaluate each phase so that we may gain a more precise understanding of the effects of crucifixion that will greatly enrich your mediation.
Our journey begins in the Garden of Gethsemane, located in the Mount of Olives, where Jesus and his disciples had departed to after He announced that His hour had come. When they arrived, Jesus went off by Himself to pray. "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death, remain here and watch" (Mark:14:1). Jesus was totally aware of all the sufferings that he would have to endure. Suddenly, his heart began to pound thunderderously against His chest at a rapid rate, His colour became ashen, His pupils fully dilated, His breathing became very rapid, His knees tumbled, and He fell to the ground unable to stand. Adrenalin was being pumped throughout His body, a fight-flight reaction has been enacted. The severe mental anguish of His sufferings to come had begun, draining strength from His body. He became limp and fell to the ground and prayed over and over again. He repeated this prayer through the night.
He then looked up to heaven and asked, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will but yours be done." And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven to strengthen Him and being in agony. He prayed more earnestly and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:42-44). He had accepted His fate. Now his heart rate began to slow, His face became flushed, His muscles relaxed, and His body became drenched with bloody sweat as clots of blood dropped to the ground from small hemorrhages that had emerged from His sweat glands. Jesus became limp from extreme mental exhaustion.
A short while later, He was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, where he was roughed up and accused of blasphemy and the brought before Pilate, where he was accused of "perverting our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ the King" (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who sent Him back to Pilate. Neither Pilate nor Herod, could find fault in this man. However, the frenzied crowd wanted Jesus crucified at all costs, even to the extent of releasing a brutal killer, Barabbas, instead of Jesus. In a last attempt to avert a crucifixion, Pilate ordered a brutal scourging, greater then usual: "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him" (John 19:1). He was then bent over and tied to a low pillar, where He was flogged across the back, chest and legs with a multi faceted flagrum with bits of metal on the ends. Over and over again the scorpiones dug deep into the flesh, ripping small vessels, nerves, muscles and skin. The weight of the scorpiones carries the leather thongs to the front of the body, ripping the flesh there as well.
His body became distorted with pain, causing Him to fall to the ground, only to be jerked up again. Seizure-like activities occurred, followed by tremors, vomiting and cold sweats. Screams echoed out at the conclusion of each stroke. His mouth was dry and His tongue stuck to the roof of His mouth. He was reduced to a wretched state because Pilate wanted to appease the mob so that they would not demand that he have Him crucified. He offered them a choice between Barabbas, a brutal murderer, and Jesus, but the crowd chose Jesus to be crucified and Barnabas to be released. This did not appease them. They were after blood, as they cried out, "Crucify him." Jesus was having difficulty breathing; His breathing became more shallow and more rapid because He was unable to take full breaths because of the severe pain in His chest due to the injuries in His chest wall, ribs and lungs. Every step He took was painful, causing Him to clutch His chest.
The soldiers then "clothed Him with a purple cloak and plaiting a crown of thorns put it on Him and began to salute Him" (Mark: 15:17-18). They took the Syrian Christ thorn, with its rows of sharp, curved thorns, that was growing at the side of the praetorium, fashioned it into a cap interweaving it, and thrust it on His head. This was the royal crown for the "King of the Jews," and a reed was His royal scepter. They paid homage to the new king as they filed past, kneeling and then striking Him across the face with the scepter and spitting on Him. His cheeks and nose became reddened, bruised and swollen. Sever stabbing, lancinating pains that felt like electric shocks or red-hot pokers traversed His face, immobilizing Him so He was afraid to turn lest the pain might recur, a condition medically known as trigeminal neuralgia or tic douleroux. His face became distorted, and He tensed His whole body so that He would not move, for every movement activated little trigger zones, bringing on agonizing attacks.
Pilate then gave in and ordered Jesus crucified, and the centurion and his quartenio placed the cross piece weighing somewhere between 50 to 75 pounds on His shoulders, which has been severely lacerated by the flogging. This brought on bitter pain, throwing Him to His knees. The soldiers jerked Him back to His feet. People lined both sides of the street, with the cohort of soldiers maintaining order. Jesus, in a state of beginning traumatic shock, was unsteady on His feet and gasping for breath. He continued along the uphill route, falling frequently, with the crosspiece landing on top of Him. The noonday sun was hot, and the sweat poured from His body, adding to His severe thirst. He could not move His tongue, which felt several times its size. His entire body was still reacting to the pain from the multiple wounds afforded by the scourging. It was easy for the centurion to see that He would make to Calvary at this rate.
Therefore a visitor to the city, Simon of Cyrene, was forced into service to carry the crosspiece the rest of the way. Jesus continued to stumble and fall, gasping for breath and clutching His chest all the way to Golgotha, along the uphill, bumpy, dusty road. He was gradually and progressively become more and more short of breath because of the slow buildup of fluid in the lungs, known medically as pleural effusion caused by the brutal scourging. At Calvary the soldiers threw their dice for His vestments, and the winner found them clotted to the multiple lacerations that were caused by the flogging. The soldier grasped the vestment and yanked it off. The entire body of Jesus felt as though it were on fire. The cross piece was then laid on the ground, and Jesus was placed on top of it while three of the team Held Him down, one lying across His chest. The latter brought on bitter pain and difficulty breathing because of the damage to the chest wall by the scourging. Jesus screamed in agony. While holding Him down, a large, square nail was driven through the palm of the hand just in the fold of the large muscular prominence at the base of His thumb.
He let out a blood-curdling scream. the nail struck the median nerve, causing one of the worst pains known to man, which physicians call causalgia. Soldiers who experienced shrapnel wounds to the median nerve during World War I often went into profound shock if the pain was not promptly relieved. Despite His exhaustion, Jesus wrenched and struggled: The pain was unbearable, burning, and incessant like a lightening bolt traversing the arm. The second hand was the nailed in a similar manner, causing another loud shriek. Jesus was then forced to His feet with His Hands nailed to the crosspiece. His knees buckled. Two of the team lifted each end of the crosspiece while the other two grasped Him around His body. The they placed the crosspiece into the mortise that had been cut out of the top of the upright. While still holding Him around the lower part of His body, two of the members of the quartenio, bent His knees and lifted His heels against the upright until His feet were flush with the cross. One of the men drove a nail through each foot as another of his team held it against the cross.
The pain was excruciating, and again Jesus screamed out in pain. He was almost totally exhausted, gasping for breath, and in severe pain. His tongue stuck to the roof of His mouth, which was full of stringy mucous. Sweat poured over His entire body, drenching Him, and His face assumed a yellowish ashen colour. His respiration became more rapid and shallow and severe cramps started in His calves. With this He twisted, turned, and arched His body to extend his legs and assume different positions in an attempt to relieve some of the cramp in His legs. The deep, burning, radiating pains like lightening bolts traversing the arms and the legs from the nails in the hands and feet, the lancinating pains across the face from irritation of the crown of thorns, the excruciating pains from the scourging, the severe pull on the shoulders, the intense cramps in the calves, and the severe thirst together composed a symphony of unrelenting pain. "Eloi, Eloi, Eloi, sabachthani, which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 16:34). After several hours of unabating agony on the cross, crying with a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit!" And having said this He breathed His last. (Luke 23:46).
Feather into your hands may we all command our spirit.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
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