The sadistic reality of crucifixion was all too well known in the ancient world. Martin Hengel’s definitive work entitled Crucifixion (Fortress Press, 1977) will be our time machine. Hengel’s concern in Crucifixion is strictly for the historical and physical aspects of crucifixion. We begin today, and will continue tomorrow, with a handful of quotes from Crucifixion.

“The heart of the Christian message, which Paul described as the ‘word of the cross’ … ran counter … to the whole ethos of religion in ancient times …” (p.5)

“… Josephus, who as Jewish adviser to Titus during the siege of Jerusalem was witness to quite enough object lessons of this kind, describes crucifixion tersely and precisely as ‘the most wretched of deaths’ …” (p.8)

“As a rule, books on the subject say that crucifixion began among the Persians. … However, according to the ancient sources crucifixion was regarded as a mode of execution used by barbarian peoples generally …” (pp.22)

“We have very few … detailed descriptions … the passion narratives in the gospels are in fact the most detailed of all. No ancient writer wanted to dwell too long on this cruel procedure.” (pp.24-25)

“Even in the Roman empire, where there might be said to be some kind of ‘norm’ for the course of execution (it included some kind of flogging beforehand, and the victim often carried the beam to the place of execution, where he was nailed to it with outstretched arms, raised up and seated on a small wooden peg), the form of execution could vary considerably: crucifixion was a punishment in which the caprice and sadism of the executioners were given full rein. All attempts to give a perfect description of the crucifixion in archaeological terms are therefore in vain …” (p.25)

It was not the nails that held our Lord to the cross.