Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Thursday of Judica (Lent V)

Trigger warning: Today and tomorrow’s appointed lectionary readings from Mark are the crucifixion account. My posts will be a little different, consisting of background details of Roman scourging in today’s post, and crucifixion tomorrow. While not overly graphic, they are not pleasant to read. Why is it important for us to know these details? Why wouldn’t it be? This is what our Savior suffered for us. Candy coating it to make it less uncomfortable for us does not drive home the reality of Jesus’ suffering and death. Knowing what Jesus went through, and that it was witnessed makes the Apostles’ witness of the miracle of the Resurrection all the more remarkable. Imagine seeing Jesus’ Passion in person, then seeing Him alive and well again! Words do not do it justice. Perhaps knowing these details, while difficult to stomach, will make the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection all the more real for you.

Thursday of Judica (Lent V)

Daily Lectionary Readings: Exodus 4:19-31; Mark 15:16-32; (Sirach 30)

Mark 15:16-20 [16] And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. [17] And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. [18] And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” [19] And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. [20] And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

These details are taken from a variety of Roman historical sources.

“Flogged, Scoured, Punished” 
     When reading the four Gospel accounts of Christ’s passion, Matthew and Mark describe His whipping as a “Phragelloo,” or “very intense scourging.” John uses the Greek word “emastigosen” to describe it, which would indicate a less severe beating. Luke also records this as a “paideuo” or simply a punishment or to be chastised. The Romans had two different levels of whipping. “Fustigatio” was a lighter beating used for minor criminal offenses. “Verberatio” was administered to those who were 
convicted of capital offense It would appear that Christ suffered a fustigatio following His meeting with Herod and then a verberatio after being sentenced to death.

Flogging 
     The Roman punishment of flogging was also called, “the near death.” It was an appropriate name as the lictors, those who administered the flogging, were trained to take the individual to the point of being one lash away from death. Hebrew law limited the number of lashes to 40 minus 1 to make sure that even in the case of a miscount a person did not receive too many lashes. The Romans did not observe any such rule. It is interesting (but probably irrelevant) to note that the image on the Shroud of Turin (proven to be a Medieval forgery) indicates that the individual received between 100 and 120 lashes. 
     The Roman scourge, also called the "flagrum" or "flagellum" was a short whip made of two or three leather (ox-hide) thongs or ropes connected to a handle. The leather thongs were knotted with a number of small pieces of metal, usually zinc, lead, bronze or iron, attached at various intervals. Scourging would quickly remove the skin. Sometimes the Roman scourge contained a hook at the end and was given the terrifying name "scorpion." The criminal was tied to a post with his hands above his head and lashes were applied from the shoulders to the waist. At other times the criminal was bent over a table like structure to make his back like a table. His hands and feet were tied at the base of the table and the flogging was administered. The heavy thongs cut through His skin and the underlying tissues. The balls of lead produced large, deep bruises that were broken open by subsequent blows. By the end, the skin was left hanging in ribbons, His back an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. 
     One witness to a Roman flogging wrote, "The sufferer's veins were laid bare. The very muscles and tendons and bowels of the victim were laid open to exposure." The Romans would administer as many lashes as the victim could take. If the victim fainted, they would throw cold water in his face. A victim might faint several times and the whipping would continue. If the half-conscious victim had his eyes closed, the Lictor would open his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. If the victim's eyes were 
"rolled back" so that only the whites of his eyes showed, he was one lash away from death and the whipping was stopped. If the victim had his pupils facing forward, and could see (or focus his eyes on the Lictor, the whipping would continue. 
     Many sentenced to be crucified never made it to the cross; they died at the flogging. Undoubtedly, Jesus was in critical condition before the crucifixion began. It's no wonder that the historical accounts tell us Jesus was unable to carry His own cross.