Hi friends, welcome to this blog, which is a continuation of the
previous blog, where we dealt with certain objection raise by some to the
resurrection of Christ: the conspiracy theory, held primarily by the Jews that
the disciples of Jesus came and stole the body away. Then we learnt about the
substitution theory, held by Muslims that Jesus was not killed on the cross and
that it only appeared so, while Allah took Jesus away! We also saw the
impossibility of such theories. In this blog we will see, among other things
the ‘Swoon theory.’
Swoon (means ‘to faint’) theory was proposed by one Karl
Bahrdt in the 19th century, some 1900 years after the incident of
Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. That itself should tell you how reliable
it is! The far removed a theory or assumption to the incident, the least
reliable it is as a fact. This theory proposed that Jesus did not die on the
cross but just fainted; when he was kept in the dark and damp tomb, the burial
place, he revived and escaped. So it was a case of not resurrection but
resuscitation, according to him! He further speculates that Pilate was bribed
to let Jesus’ disciples to take Jesus down from the cross before he died. Many
books have been written on this theme in the 20th century, some of
them best sellers even.
The question is, whether Jesus could have survived the Roman
flogging and the crucifixion? Is it possible that the soldiers and the
Centurion who were in charge of the execution had failed to assess whether
Jesus died or not? Is it possible to bribe Pilate in such a serious and
political case of conviction? What do you think?
Let’s first see what the medical science tells us about
surviving the flogging and crucifixion. Jesus had prayed all night at
Gethsemane the night before his trial and flogging. Luke tells us in his gospel
that sweat fell as blood drops from Jesus’ face. Luke 22:44. In medical terms
such a condition is known as hematidrosis,
wherein because of the huge psychological stress that Jesus was under, the
capillaries in the sweat glands burst and it is possible for a small quantity
of blood to come out along with the sweat. This would have made his skin
fragile and more sensitive.[1]
Now coming to the Roman flogging, consisting of 39 lashes, it
was terribly brutal; the whip with which the condemned was flogged was made of
braided leather thongs and had metal balls woven into them, and pieces of sharp
bones as well at the end. By the time the whipping was over the flesh from his
back and body would be hanging by strips. Have you watched Mel Gibson’s movie,
‘The Passion of Christ?’ The cruelty of the flogging, you would see faithfully
portrayed there. The loss of blood would be so much, no wonder Jesus collapsed
and couldn’t even carry the cross up the hill Calvary and the soldiers had to
compel Simon from Cyrene to bear the cross.
Jesus would then have been laid on the wooden horizontal
beam, his hands stretched and nailed on the wrists (not on the palms, which
will not be able to bear the weight of the body and will tear off and the
victim would fall off the cross). The nails were like tent pegs, some 5-7”
long. The pain would have been unbearable and the word ‘excruciating’ comes
from such an unbearable pain of the crucifixion (‘out of the cross’). Jesus
died a slow death, in the last stages, not even able to breathe properly, and
in extreme agony. Is it possible at all for him to have just fainted and walk
away from the cross or from the tomb? Unimaginable! It is a medically an impossible
feat.
Then again, the Centurion was in charge of the execution. He
had to make sure that the condemned died or else his job and life would be in
danger. If he let the criminal walk away, he will be executed! When Jesus’
followers, Joseph Arimathea went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, he
calls the centurion to confirm, whether Jesus had died or not. Mark 15:44. Only
after ascertaining from the centurion that he was dead, Pilate handed over the
body to his followers. In today’s executions, a medical doctor is always called
to ascertain and certify that the condemned has died, whether it is through
electrical chair or injection of lethal medicines. There is no way the
Centurion and his soldiers who executed Jesus would have failed to affirm that
Jesus, their victim, was dead.
Moreover, the soldiers coming to check whether the three
crucified victims were dead or not, saw that Jesus was already dead and hence
didn’t have to break his feet, but one of them just tested it to be sure by
thrusting his spear pierced the side of Jesus. John, who wrote the fourth gospel,
says he witnessed the flow of blood and water from the body of Jesus, when the
soldier pierced the body thus. John 19:33-34. In medical terminology, such collection
of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion) and around his lungs (pleural
effusion) would have happened; this is what flowed as water and blood when the
soldier pierced his side.
My dear friend, do you see now, how impossible it was for
Jesus to be alive after such an ordeal? And how systematically the soldiers who
crucified him and the Governor who ordered the crucifixion verified that he was
dead before handing over his dead body to his followers? Well, so much for the
swoon theory and those who thought Jesus lived to see another day. But He did
live to see another day, in a totally different manner; He rose from the dead
on the third day, as witnessed by His disciples. Shall we turn to this now?
We have many positive factors to indicate that resurrection
of Jesus Christ as witnessed by his disciples is the truth. 1. From day one,
from the earliest day of resurrection onward, the disciples of Jesus preached
the risen Christ. It formed the core of Christian faith and the religion
Christianity. Peter and Paul and the others emphasized the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus in all their preaching and teachings, in Acts 3:15; 1
Corinthians 15:3, 4 and many more. Paul, the greatest evangelist of the 1st
century, would say in 1 Corinthians 15:16-17, “And if Christ is not risen, your
faith is futile.” Without resurrection there was no Christianity! Church emerged
out of such a preaching. And it is still going strong, based on this one fact,
the resurrection.
2. Something happened to change the disciples from the
scarred and huddled up disciples to the bold Apostles, proclaiming the gospel
even at the risk of their lives. What happened to transform them? Something
happened; that life-transforming event was resurrection; there is no other way
of explaining this transformation.
3. Paul, writing within 20 years of resurrection in 1
Corinthians 15:5-8, indicates the people who had witnessed the risen Christ –
first Peter, then the twelve disciples, then 500 brothers at once, then by
James, then by all the apostles and finally by Paul also. Is it possible that
these people were hallucinating? Let me tell you, in the medical history of the
world there is no case of mass hallucination, then or now!
If you think the disciples told a lie, what could have been
the motivation for the disciples to tell a lie? Money, position and authority,
fame and name? Did anyone of them get any of these? All disciples died
penniless, hunted down like criminals, murdered and killed on the cross,
beheaded or thrown to the wild animals in the Roman circus. They gained nothing
by telling such a lie. That alone proves that they must be telling the truth
only. They believed it so strongly that they were willing to die for the cause;
they had bet their lives on that truth. Do you still doubt? No, my friend, do
not be so hard-hearted. When facts speak to you, embrace it; that is
intellectual integrity.
This fact of resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope, even
today, after some 2000 years after the incident, a hope that the adherents of
the other religions do not have. The assurance is, if we are in Christ, then
even though we die, we will still live, because Christ lives and we will inherit
eternal life. We have the hope that we will meet our dear ones who had
proceeded earlier in death, if they had died in Christ. That is also the
urgency why we need to spread the Gospel and pray for our family and friends
who are yet to accept Christ as their Lord and Master.
My beloved friend, have you accepted Christ? Do you have the
assurance that you will live beyond the grave, like Jesus did? There is a great
hope in it and a great joy. Do come into the joy of the Lord and enjoy not only
this life, but the next too.
God bless you and be with you. Amen.
[1]
For details of these medical narratives read Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the
Evidence for Jesus, pp.194-195
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