Scourging Practices
Scourging, practiced by the Romans was a cruel punishment that usually preceded crucifixion. The only ones exempted from scourging were women, Roman senators and soldiers except in cases of desertion. Normally there were between one and six trained Roman officer called lictors who were responsible for dispensing the blows to the victims. The lictors chosen to administer the scourging had previously received special medical training. They knew how to wield the whip so as to open bruises which had already formed. The instrument used for scourging is a short whip called a flagrum or flagellum to which was attached several braided leather thongs of variable lengths. Knots were tied in the ends of each thong, and sheep bone or iron balls were inserted into the knots at the end of each thong. This whip is called a flagrum or flagellum.
The person to be scourged is stripped of his clothing and his hands are tied to a post. Roman soldiers repeatedly strike the victim's back, buttocks and legs with their full force causing deep contusions. Lacerations from repeated blows cut into the underlying muscles and rip the overlaying skin of the back to a point where it hangs in ribbons of bleeding flesh. The capillaries and veins were often torn causing intense bleeding and at times leaving the entrails exposed. Even once the victim fainted, if the lictors could feel a pulse and detect sufficient respiration, the beating would continue. Once the centurion in charge determined that the prisoner is near death, the beating is halted.
According to Jewish law the prisoner was to receiver no more than forty lashes. The Pharisees, always making sure that the law was strictly kept, insisted that only thirty nine lashes be given in case an error occurred during counting.(Deuteronomy 25:3) The Roman law did not have any set limit on the number of blows which could be administered.
The object of the scourging was to weaken the victim to a state of collapse and bring them as near to death as possible without killing them. Many did not survive this punishment and it was given the name "half death." The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.
(Deuteronomy 25: 2-3) If the latter deserves stripes the judge shall have him lie down and in his presence receive the number of stripes his guilt deserves. Forty stripes may be given him, but no more; lest, if he were beaten with more stripes than these, your kinsman should be looked upon as disgraced because of the severity of the beating.
Scourging of Jesus
The sentence is complete, Jesus is condemned to
die by crucifixion. He is led away and prepared for the scourging or flogging
which was a legal preliminary to every Roman execution.(St. Matthew
27: 26)
Jesus, stripped of his clothing, his back, buttocks and legs exposed, his face against the upright post, hands tied above his head is now considered primed and the flogging can begin. The soldier comes forward, his gazed fixed upon Jesus, who is silent and appears to be in deep contemplation as he awaits the punishment. The soldier takes a step back and raises the flagrum(whip) over his head in preparation for the first blow. A whistling and cracking sound can be heard as the whip with its' metal and bone tips is released with all the force the soldier has. The whip lands upon the naked back, sending waves of pain coursing through the body. |
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The legionaries having no restraint appear to be in a satanic frenzy, they lash out with the whip full force, again and again across Jesus' shoulders, back, buttocks, and legs. At each stroke of the whip, a painful shudder can be seen as waves of never ending pain shoot through his body. His back is now a mass of livid marks and blue, purple bruises show beneath the skin. (1 Peter 2:24)
The mass of observers attending the flogging who had condemned Jesus to death stood by cheering, shouting encouragement to the legionaries, taking pleasure in the spectacle before them. Their delight obvious as the flesh is stripped from the body.
Encouraged by the crowds, the blows continue, cutting deeper and deeper into the tissues, blood begins to ooze from capillaries and veins of the skin until finally arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles occurs. The blood pours out; shreds of skin become detached, hanging in ribbons. The entire area of Jesus back has become an unrecognizable mass of torn flesh, deep groves caused by the iron balls, exposing a bloody mass of muscle, bone and tissue.(Isaia 52:14) Blood flows freely down his body forming a deep red pool at his feet and surrounding area. His whole body trembles with shivers running down his spine as his strength begins to fail. His wrists being tied is the only reason he is still upright because his legs have now lost the strength to hold him. Finally, it is over, Jesus is untied and collapses to ground. To weak to move he stays there on the pavement which is wet with his own blood. At last he has the chance to recover some of his strength once again. The soldiers look at Jesus amazed, wondering how this man could survive the flogging and still maintain his dignity and composure.(Isaia 50:6) Irritated, they decide to hold a mock coronation for this man who claims to be "King of Jews".
(Isaia 50:6) I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
(Isaia 52:14) Even as many were amazed at him - so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals
(St. Matthew 27: 26) Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to them to be crucified.
(St. Mark 15: 15) So, Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Bababbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.
(1 Peter 2:24) Who himself bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live to justice; and by his stripes you were healed.
(Isaia 1:18) Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they are crimson red, they may become white as wool.
(Sin is described by the color scarlet according to the Bible, while white has always been thought of as a sign of purity. Therefore Jesus who was without sin is white as snow and because of his blood, our sins can be forgiven and we also can become as snow because of Jesus sacrifice for us.)
Crown of Thorns
Then the soldiers of the procurator took Jesus
and brought him into the pretorium and gathered the whole chohort("cohort"=four
to six hundred) around him,(St. Matthew 27: 27) where they
held a mock coronation for this man, Jesus, who claims to be "King
of Jews".
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The Roman soldiers, began to mock him and stripped him and threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders and placed a reed as a scepter in his right hand. In order to complete their mockery, they gathered branches covered with thorns and plaiting a crown they placed it upon his head, pressing it into his scalp. Knelling before him, they mocked him saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" After mocking him, spiting at him, slapping him across the face, they took the stick from him hand, striking him upon the head over and over again, driving the thorns deeper into his scalp. Streams of blood flow down his face, mingling into his hair and beard which had been ripped out in patches. Once they grew |
tired of this game, they tore the robe from him, replacing it with his own clothing. Once again Jesus feels the searing pain as his wounds which had begun healing reopen. Finally they are finished and lead him away to be crucified.
(St. Matthew 27:27-31) Then the soldiers of the procurator took Jesus into the pretorium and gathered together about him the whole cohort. And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet cloak; and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it upon his head, and a reed into his right hand; and bending the knee before him they mocked him saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat on him, and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off him and put his own garments on him, and led him away to crucify him.
(St. Mark 15: 16-20) Now the
soldiers led him away into the courtyard of the praetorium, and they called
together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in purple, and plaiting
a crown of thorns, they put it upon him, and began to greet him, "hail,
King of the Jews!" And they kept striking him on the head with a reed,
and spitting upon him; and bending their knees, they did homage to him.
And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him and put his
on garments on him, and led him out to crucify him.
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