DaveM,
But that’s not the point.
BHS, Your post 358.
Well not as far off the point as your suggestion, which implied that the primary source of evidence that Jesus was already dead was the testimony of witnesses observing from a distance, rather than the far superior testimony of a close up inspection by a Roman Centurion who had witnessed many crucifixions and much violent death.
But perhaps even more to the point is that many of the posts in this thread suggest that Jesus did not die on the cross but was only in a temporary coma from which He soon recovered and was able to then appear to His followers in a sufficient state of normality to convince them that He had risen from the dead.
I am sure that most posters are reasonably familiar with the process of scourging and crucifixion but for completeness sake just a reminder.
Scourging was a normal prelude to every Roman execution. The usual instrument was a short whip with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged by either one or two soldiers who alternated positions. The severity of the scourging depended on their disposition. The intent was to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. As the scourging proceeded the force, of the iron balls would cause deep contusions, while the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.
We are not told how severely Jesus was scourged but it certainly left Him too weak to be able to carry the cross beam of the cross.
Crucifixion then followed when large nails (non-sterile and probably somewhat rusty) were hammered through the victims hands (wrists?) and feet (ankles?) splintering bone as they were driven home. Finally in Jesus case a Roman spear, with a substantial stabbing tip, was plunged into His side. This was a fairly common procedure (thought to be intended to penetrate the heart) to insure the victim was indeed dead before the body was handed over for burial.
Even if taken down from the cross before death very few victims are likely to have survived for very long subsequent to such an experience. Death from shock, cardiac arrest or, on a somewhat longer time scale, septicaemia would all have been quite likely.
To suggest that within 48 hours of the crucifixion Jesus had not only come out of a come but had made such an almost immediate recovery as to appear to be perfectly normal and in good health, to such an extent that His followers were convinced that He had risen from the dead is, in my view, taking the art of the gullible to new heights.
In my view trying to use this approach as a plausible naturalistic explanation for the events of Calvary leaks like a sieve. Try some of the other approaches, such as the view that Jesus was never crucified at all, as a substitute was found in His place at the last minute.
