Mess with the crucifix and you risk the wrath of the Church. ibid.
At the height of the Roman Empire crucifixion was the most extreme punishment. It was designed to humiliate its victims. ibid.
It’s God they ought to crucify
Instead of you and me,
I said to the carpenter
A-hanging on the tree. Sydney Carter, Friday Morning
Now the Romans were very efficient, and in crucifixion they had purposes they wanted to accomplish: one of which was to get across a message to everyone who saw the crucifixion. So it seems they did some things to make crucifixion painful ... So they found the spot where they could drive the nail in and it would hold because it was going through bone, and they would maximise the amount of pain and minimise the amount of blood. Professor Byron R McCane
One single heel-bone, that’s all we have ... What you can see is that there is very little blood-vessel at this area. But it is very rich with nerve fibres. They wanted the victim to survive as long as possible on the cross because humiliation was part of the punishment. Professor Israel Hershkovitz, specialist in first-century skeletons
If it has to choose who is to be crucified, the crowd will always save Barabbas. Jean Cocteau, 1889-1963
Crucifixion was like the Romans hanging up a poster. They wanted it as a warning. State terrorism: Look at this. Don’t do what this person did. John Dominic Crossan
Part of the punishment of crucifixion as the Romans practised it was the denial of an honourable burial to the condemned. Decoding the Past s1e10: Resurrection, History 2005
Govan Man In Crucifix Stunt. Rab C Nesbitt s10e4: Fight, news placard for The Govern Journal, BBC 2011
Crucifixion was a gruesome, drawn out and painful death reserved for criminals and the lowest rung of Roman society. It’s difficult to get scientific data on Crucifixion because the last official Roman crucifixion happened in the year 337. Turin Shroud: The New Evidence, History 2009
The Roman practice of nailing the victim’s palms to the cross would have ruptured the media nerve turning the thumbs inwards. A careful examination of the Shroud revealed exactly this. The thumbs were hidden under the palms. Just as one would expect in a crucifixion. ibid.
The crucifixion of Christ. The most iconic event in the Christian faith. For centuries people believed his body was wrapped in a linen cloth: the Shroud of Turin. And imprinted on the fabric was the actual face of Christ. ibid.
The chemical signature of real blood. The team had discovered a powerful connected to the Crucifixion. When haemoglobin breaks down it creates bilirubin, the substance that causes bruises to turn yellow. Analysis showed that the stains contained very high levels of bilirubin, consistent with the trauma of crucifixion. And UV photography revealed one more incredible clue: serum is the liquid medium in which red blood cells are suspended; it remained invisible until UV light made the dried serum fluoresce. ibid.
For the test each lab worked in isolation. Finally after checking and re-checking the results they had the answer. They knew how old the Shroud was. The Shroud was dated between 1260 and 1390. The result was a stunning revelation making headlines around the world. ibid.
1. ... but of the Jews no-one washed his hands, neither did Herod nor any one of his judges. Since they were [un]willing to wash, Pilate stood up. 2) Then Herod the king orders the Lord to be taken away, saying to them, ‘Do what I commanded you to do to him.’
2. Joseph stood there, the friend of Pilate and the Lord, and knowing that they were about to crucify him, he went to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord for burial. 2) And Pilate sent to Herod and asked for his body. 3) And Herod replied, ‘Brother Pilate, even if no one had asked for him, we would have buried him since the Sabbath is drawing near. For it is written in the Law, The sun must not set upon one who has been executed.’ And he turned him over to the people on the day before the Unleavened Bread, their feast.
3. They took out the Lord and kept pushing him along as they ran; and they would say, ‘Let’s drag the son of God since we have him in our power.’ 2) And they threw a purple robe around him and made him sit upon the judgment seat and said, ‘Judge justly, King of Israel.’ 3) And one of them brought a crown a thorns and set it on the Lord’s head. 4) And others standing around spat in his eyes, and others slapped his face, while others poked him with a rod. Some kept flogging him as they said, ‘Let us pay proper respect to the son of God.’
4. And they brought two criminals and crucified the Lord between them. But he kept silence, as one feeling no pain. 2) And when they set the cross upright, they wrote thereon: This is the King of Israel. 3) And they laid his garments before him, and divided them among themselves and gambled for them. 4) But one of those criminals reproached them, saying, ‘We suffer for the evils which we have done; but this man which hath become the saviour of men, what has he done to you?’ 5) And they were angry with him, and commanded that his legs should not be broken, that so he might die in torment.
5. Now it was midday and darkness prevailed over all Judaea. They were troubled and in an agony lest the sun should have set for he still lived. For it is written that, The sun should not set upon him that hath been executed. 2) And one of them said, ‘Give him vinegar and gall to drink.’ And they mixed it and gave it to him to drink. 3) And they fulfilled all things and brought their sins upon their own heads. 4) Now many went about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and they laid down. 5) And the Lord cried out aloud saying, ‘My power, my power, you have forsaken me.’ When he had said this, he was taken up. 6) And in the same hour the veil of the temple of Jerusalem was rent in two.
6. And then they pulled the nails from the hands of the Lord and laid him on the ground. And the whole earth was shaken, and there came a great fear on all. 2) Then the sun came out, and it was found to be the ninth hour. 3) Now the Jews rejoiced, and gave his body unto Joseph to bury it, because he had beheld the good things which he did. 4) And Joseph took the Lord and washed him and wrapped him in linen and brought him unto his own tomb, which is called the Joseph’s Garden. Gospel of Peter 1-6
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
And sitting down they watched him there;
And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:1&2&11&12&17&22-25&28-31&35-37&45&46&50-53&
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