A. Jesus' Death
What about Jesus' death? Most people could probably identify or how he died. The cross is a familiar symbol to many. But we need to take a step back and look at this in a different view. The rulers in charge of the political scene were the Romans. In the early first century CE (All dates will be in C.E. to be as objective as possible) the land of Palestine (early modern Israel) was part of the
Roman empire. The Romans had conquered Palestine at least a century before in 63 BC (online timeline of Palestine).
Generally speaking, the Romans allowed a great part of religious tolerance and some local governance. They had selected someone who they thought was a 'local', a man called Herod to rule as their executive representative. On the judicial side (or what we would recognize as judicial, yet called a governor) a disgraced Roman official by the name of Pontius Pilate; who was put in charge of the Palestine greater area.
For hardened criminals or enemies of the state/empire, the preferred method of death was crucifixion. This is described by many historians as "the most cruel and atrocious of punishments" (Cicero). Before the prisoner was crucified, it was not unusual to be flogged and beaten to humor your guards. Romans had a fascination for putting things on display and often used hills to this advantage. The T- shaped form of wood would be laid on the ground and prisoner then would be fastened to it by nails. The nails would pierce every limb of the body at a strategic point to ensure that the nail would keep the body on the cross. With using as little of scientific and medical terminology as possible, the with the acute pain from the nails in hands and feet the prisoner would be struggling for air. The nails would be positioned for great annoyance and in order to push up you would tear your flesh on the nails on your feet. In doing so you would get a breath of cool air for your burning lungs. then the prisoner would relax and the body down again. The prisoner would feel the tearing once more on his ligaments by the protruding nails. Usually the prisoners would die by asphyxiation "blocking the airway so that the individual on the receiving end cannot breathe and ultimately dies. Asphyxiation also comes under the category of strangulation, which - as we have already mentioned - is the process of blocking an individual's airways until they stop breathing.” (Explore Forensics UK definition) [Note: In Zugibe's work, he argues against asphyxiation as a cause and lists traumatic and hypovolemic shock instead. ] Crucifixion meant death by whatever subsequent cause.
First Century people did not deny that Jesus had died. It was only many centuries later that there were theories that Jesus did not die. For purposes of our discussion, we will assume that Jesus did die from crucifixion. What the disagreement is defined as, is what does Jesus' death proved.
-Jewish Christian view
First, the proponents of the view that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. The early Jewish Christians saw Jesus death as necessary according to what the Scriptures said. The gospel of John, who was Jesus' disciple and eyewitness, says this in John;
"Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day) asked Pilate that their legs be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs, But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.
For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture "NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN."
And again another Scripture, "THEY SHALL LOOK UPON HIM WHOM THEY PEIRCED."
[capitals and punctuations are in original](New American Standard Bible, 1997.)
In this passage we see that the writer John (who is a Jew and "Christian") wrote that the Jews knew Jesus had died and took preparations against that. John also involves Pontius Pilate (a definite non-Jew and non Christian) as knowing this and giving orders to dispose of the body securely. Then John also writes of himself as a witness and shows that Pilate's orders were carried out. Notice that John goes out of his way to point out Messianic prophecy for us. Those quotes that John alludes to are cross references to the Jewish Scriptural passages, Psalm 34 and Zechariah 12 respectively.
According to the gospel texts, Jesus gave his testimony, risked his credibility on the fact that he would die, be buried and rise again. Jesus testified of himself that he was the son of God. Jesus said this when he heard that Lazarus was dead, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of
God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it. (John 11:4)
Others also testified of Jesus as being the 'son of God'. Martha, sister of the famous resurrected Lazarus, says in John 11:27 "She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world." " While Peter, in the gospel of Matthew, confessed that Jesus was the Son of the living God.
-The Non-Christian Jews view
The Zechariah passage quoted says 'whom they have pierced”. The fact is that the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus' hands by Pilate's order. The Jews did not pierce him. Talmudic Scholars believe this passage refers to Israel. (Klinghoffer)
Furthermore, the Talmud Tractate Sukkah does list two Messiahs; Messiah son of Joseph who would be sacrificed, the other is Messiah son of David who would be the liberating conquering Messiah King. Jesus' lineage written from Matthew and Luke Gospels we can conclude at least two things. First that Jesus was from tribe of Judah not Joseph. Secondly, Jesus couldn't be Messiah Son of David because only Jesus' earthly father was Joseph the son of David, yet Jesus' did not trace his
lineage from his surrogate father. On the other hand, Jesus' mother did not descend from David. (Klinghoffer)
Klinghoffer asserts would be that Jesus' himself did not claim to be the son of God. Use of two examples here that proves this. After Peter's affirmation that Jesus was the son of God Jesus rebukes him. Not only does Jesus rebuke Peter but also the other disciples that they should not tell anyone. Jesus' death was not unique to prove that he was the messiah because there were many other failed messiahs that were also executed. (Klinghoffer)
The historian Flavius Josephus, a renegade Jewish turned general historian, remarks on Jesus, "And when Pilate, at he suggestion of the principal men among had condemned him to the cross."
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