Happy Good Friday everyone. I know it has been quite a while since I have written a blog, but I have been in a season of rest and stillness. It is with the holiday that I wanted to share an apologetic that is very close to my heart and very appropriate for this day. As Easter approaches this weekend many of us have plans to attend Easter Service with family and friends. This is the time of year that we remember the resurrection of Jesus, for it is the resurrection of Christ which is the ultimate foundation of the Christian faith. Many of us have learned of this event as young children in kid’s ministry year after year, and we will go over it again this weekend. But what if I told you there are several religious groups that not only dismiss the resurrection of Jesus, but his actual death on the cross. Did Jesus of Nazareth die on the cross? Because if Jesus didn’t die on the cross our faith is a house of cards that can easily be toppled! In this message I will be going over the validity of the death of Jesus on the Cross.

As I mentioned earlier there are several religious groups that deny the death of Jesus on the cross. I won’t go over each and every one, they are known as the Swoon Theory. To sum up their theories they all believe that Jesus although severally wounded either swooned/fainted to appear to be dead, had co-conspirators such as his disciples, Joseph of Arimathea, a physician, the Roman Soldiers, and his female followers all to create a ruse. The reason for this deception was to create a narrative that Jesus died on the cross and arose on the third day to prove he was the Messiah. It is at this point that they begin to differ. One theory states that Jesus avoided death at the cross, but later succumbed to his injuries after the lie of his death and resurrection began to spread. Another theory states Jesus escaped to India and lived to be 120 years old. Lastly, another states that he married Mary Magdelene and became a rebel where he fought in the revolt in A.D. 66. Is it possible that Jesus survived the cross? I will present three points of factual evidence that proves that Jesus did in fact die on the cross.

Evidence

A. Scientific Evidence: Our scientific evidence which begins with the Last Supper. (Luke 22:14-20)

1. In celebrating the Passover, tradition has a three- course wine service. theologians believe Jesus drank two out of the three cups of wine. The point of Jesus drinking wine the night before is significant to his death because wine is a blood thinner. The wine contains polyphenols that thin out the blood and prevents it from clotting. This can lead to heavy bleeding when injured. The blood thinning effects of the wine can last between 24-48 hours after the last drink. History records Jesus was crucified within 12 hours from his wine consumption.

2. The next point leads us into the Garden of Gethsemane. Scripture states in Luke 22:44 that Jesus being in such agony knowing what was at hand, prayed so earnestly that he sweated blood. This is a rare but real medical condition called hematidrosis. This condition would make the skin throughout the body extremely fragile and sensitive during the flogging the next day, which would increase the bleeding in addition to the wine thinning out the blood.

3. This then leads us to the flogging. Flogging was a savage act that was given to punish and torture criminals. Thirty-nine lashes would be given by a big, muscular Roman soldier that would use a leather whip called a flagrum that would be braided and have metal, broken pottery, and sharp bones within the multiple straps. With each lashing the objects would break and anchor into the flesh. Then with the momentum of pulling the flagrum back it would tear away the flesh to cause great bodily injury to the shoulders, back, kidneys, buttocks and legs. The massive muscle tissue damage would induce a critical condition called rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) and would have worsened through the suspension of the cross. Rhabdo symptoms are excruciating body pain, muscle spasms, weakness, vomiting, confusion, rapid heart rate, and multi-system organ failure. In addition to this condition, Jesus would have also experienced hypovolemic shock due to significant blood and fluid loss. This condition would have rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, headache, kidney failure and thirst due to such dehydration. These simultaneous conditions explain why Jesus was unable to carry his cross to Golgotha the whole way.

4. When Jesus got to Calvary, he was laid on the ground where the soldiers drove spikes through his wrists and feet. He was then hoisted up, nailed to a cross. The position of the nails in his wrist area would cause an electrical pain throughout the arms when in a full standing position. When relaxed to prevent the pain in the arms the gravity pulling on the body of Jesus would have led to difficulty and rapid breathing and would have locked his diaphragm in an inhaled position. Jesus would have had to push himself up which would prove to be exhausting and excruciating to try to exhale. Ultimate death would be due to asphyxiation and cardiac arrest. Meaning he couldn’t get enough air to feed his body at a cellular level and his heart stopped beating due to being overworked. Jesus died on the cross before he was removed from it.

B. Historical Evidence: Now moving on to the historical evidence.

1. The Romans were known as well-trained killers throughout the known world at the time. This is how they conquered the Greeks and controlled one of the largest empires in the history. The Romans would confirm death of the condemned, because if they failed in this aspect then they would face capital punishment themselves. Death was confirmed with a spear through the side of Jesus.

2. In addition to the soldiers manning the cross, Mark 15:43-45 speaks of how Pilate summoned a centurion to confirm the death of Jesus before the body was granted to Josheph of Arimathea.

3. The Roman soldiers at the tomb would have the same standard of expectation to complete their jobs as ordered. There would be no incentive for the soldiers at the cross, the tomb and the Centurion to conspire with the Jewish Council. If they did it would have been a suicidal wish.

4. Many theories claim that there were a number of co-conspirators including the disciples. The disciples adamantly lived out their claim that Jesus died on the cross and three days later resurrected. If they were lying at least one of them would have slipped up and divulged their deceit as it is human nature. Yet not one of them recanted what they publicly stated even in the face of brutal death, which ten of the eleven where savagely executed, and John was tortured and later banished to the island of Patmos for his testimony of Jesus Christ. NO one is going to willingly die for a lie that doesn’t result in fame, fortune or increase of social status.

C. Impossibilities: the last point is looking at the impossibilities of The Swoon Theory.

1. The first impossibility is Jesus experiencing blood thinning from the wine, exhaustion from lack of sleep, and multi-beating from the police of the high priest, the 39 lashes from the flogging by the Roman soldiers, the rhabdomyolysis, hypovolemia shock, asphyxiation, cardiac arrest, and a stab wound to the chest cavity with a spear and still surviving. Now for argument’s sake let’s say Jesus did in fact survive ALL of these injuries and was placed in the tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. The question arises of how he could have survived for three days. There is no water source to quinch the thirst that was brought on by dehydration. The only cure for dehydration is rehydration. Medical technology was not advance to having IV hydration of saline and electrolyte replacement as we do today. There was no chest compressions or cardiac defibrillation offered to get a normal heart rhythm. There were no antibiotics to fight off the infection that would have developed from the dirty whip, the ground, and the rugged cross embedding into open flesh. There was no respiratory support to help with dyspnea, tachypnea and a collapsed lung. Injuries such as these would be nearly impossible to treat even today with our advances and technologies being treated in a level 1 & 2 trauma center, with a full medical staff that results in survival, much less these injuries being treated in a tomb in the 1st century without these medical advances. It is impossible to claim Jesus survived these injuries. Even David Struss an opponent of orthodox Christianity claimed that it was impossible that Jesus could have survived the injuries he obtained.

2. The last point that would be impossible, is Jesus walking with the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). These theories don't deny that Jesus was brutally beaten. The injuries that he obtained would be visual to his head, face, body, hands and feet. These injuries would show bruising, swelling, broken skin, inability to walk with the trauma to the feet from the nails, a stab wound to the side, difficulty breathing. Yet believers of the Swoon theory believe Jesus walked seven miles away toward Emmaus appeared perfectly normal of a man without any injuries to promote the deception that he resurrected only three days after his crucifixion. It would be impossible to recover from these injuries with all the technology available in a month’s time let alone in three days.

In conclusion, as I mentioned at the beginning the Christian faith is based on the resurrection of Christ as it should be. But in order to have a resurrection you need to have a death. These are the facts that prove Jesus did in fact die on the cross so three days later he could resurrect. On this Good Friday, let us not forget the brutal humiliation, torture and death he endured to show his love for each and every one of us. God bless you all, and I pray for all Christians around the world as we celebrate that we are protected against any evil that may want to harm us.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 15:13