The half-fainting Jesus was untied and slumped to the pavement, soaked in His own blood. The Roman soldiers laughed and made a joke out of the fact that He would claimed to be the King, couldn’t even walk straight. In mockery, they threw a heavy robe across His bare and bleeding shoulders, and they placed a stick in His hand to symbolize a scepter. Still needing a crown to complete their joke, they grabbed small, flexible branches covered with long thorns (possibly up to two inches in length) and quickly shaped them into a crude crown.

The soldiers then violently jabbed the crown of thorns into Jesus’ scalp while continuing to beat Him on the head. Each blow drove the thorns deeper into Jesus’ scalp and forehead. As the thorns pierced His vascular tissue, Jesus began bleeding profusely from these wounds.

The Roman soldiers finally grew tired of their sadistic joke, and ripped the scarlet robe off of Jesus’ back. The robe was stuck to the clots of blood and serum in His wounds, and removing it (just like carelessly ripping off a surgical bandage), caused excruciating pain. The wounds on His back were now reopened and began to bleed again. Jesus’ own clothing was then put back on His body.

Just how severe was the beating Jesus endured? The Bible doesn’t detail the entire beating, but in the book of Isaiah, it suggests that the Romans pulled out His beard. It also mentions that Jesus was so severely beaten that His form no longer looked like a human being. People were appalled to look at Him. His disfigurement might explain why He wasn’t quickly recognized in His appearances after the resurrection.

After He was beaten, the soldiers tied the heavy patibulum (wooden beam) of the cross on His bleeding shoulders. The weight of the entire cross has been estimated at 300 pounds. The cross bar Jesus carried, weighed between 80 to 110 pounds. Jesus, two thieves and the execution squad of Roman soldiers began the slow journey through a narrow street of stone, known today as Via Dolorosa . . . or the “way of suffering” to be crucified at Golgotha. The total distance has been estimated at 650 yards.

Know It!
Even with the details of Jesus’ crucifixion, we still can’t even imagine the pain He endured. Can you think of someone who has willingly endured pain for your sake? Even the pain of childbirth doesn’t come close to what Jesus experienced. Why not tell Him how thankful you are . . . every single day of your life?

Read It!
Genesis 3:17-18; Isaiah 1:18; Matthew 27:31; Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 52:14; Matthew 27:32-44.

Pray It!
Jesus, it amazes me to know that You could have commanded an army of angels to rescue You from this torture. But You chose, instead, of endure every minute of excruciating pain for me!

Check out yesterday’s devo, The Crucifixion and Events Surrounding It.