The Scourging

Article #11 on the Passion of Jesus Christ

(Matt. 27:26, Mk. 15:15, Lk. 23:16, 22, Jn. 19:1)

“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” – Matt. 20:18-19

“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” - Luke 18:31-33

“…And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.” - Mark 10:33-34

Scourging was a notorious form of torture used by the Romans that was greatly feared by ancient society. As demonstrated in the Gospels, it regularly preceded the crucifixion of condemned prisoners. However, it was also used to extract information and punish criminals, even when men were not condemned to die; but some would end up dying in the exercise because of the horrific damage inflicted upon the body.

The Romans possessed tremendous power over the nations under their rule because of these frightening public chastisements by the scourge (Lk. 23:16, 22). The demonstration of brutality and cruelty was so traumatizing, just the threat of scourging was often all that was needed to silence an angry mob, because it had the ability to bend and break the stoutest of rebels among the people.  

A historical and medical analysis of scourging brings clarity to exactly what physically happened, allowing for us to know how the flagrum was employed by the torturers for smiting, and how the blows of each stroke cut, bruised, and wounded the subject, and how the onslaught of repeated stripes would inflict more and more damage to the human body.

“In the time of Christ’s earthly life, a greatly feared practice in Rome was the scourging of political insurgents and other types of criminals and rebels. The scourge itself, also known as a flagrum, or flagellum, was a whip with leather thongs containing small metal balls and/or sharp animal bone fragments (Maslen (2006)). The individual would be stripped bare, and whipped on the back, buttocks, legs, and sometimes on his front. In the Roman Law, there was no limit to the number of floggings, but in the Jewish Law there was a limiting to 39 lashes. Lashes were given in an arc like pattern by one or a few soldiers, and with periodic shifting of position."

"The damage done through the scourging process took place over the sequence of repeated blows, each one tearing away at skin, tissue, nerves, and blood vessels on the backside, and in measures reaching to the front of the subject depending on the position of flagellation. The metal balls, often comprised of lead, would inflict deep contusions (bruises), and the leather and bone fragments would cut first into the skin and subcutaneous tissue (Edwards (1986)). After skin laceration and bruising took place through the initial blows, capillaries and veins of the skin would be broken. With subsequent blows, debilitating damage would be incurred which may include rib fracture, bruising or puncture of the lung (pneumothorax), puncture of visceral organs such as the liver and spleen, and bleeding in the chest cavity. Eusebius of Caesarea said, “For they say that the bystanders were struck with amazement when they saw them lacerated with scourges even to the innermost veins and arteries, so that the hidden inward parts of the body, both their bowels and their members, were exposed to view” (Ecclesiastical History, Book 4, chap. 15)."

"Profuse bleeding would often occur as large blood vessels, or even arteries, were punctured and began to hemorrhage. If sharp bony fragments were 1 centimeter long and the flagrum was swung with force by a Roman soldier, within 10 blows, depending on the impact, the blood vessels and inner organ systems could be easily exposed. The coronary arteries which traverse the back of the heart could easily be exposed by the blunt force of blows upon a back exposed a few centimeters deep. Deep flagellations, when the flesh had already been penetrated a few centimeters deep, reaching around the arms and neck could easily reach the radial, brachial, subclavian, and carotid arteries. Femoral and iliac arteries are also a few centimeters deep and could be reached with deepening lacerations on the legs and back. Victims were noted to vomit periodically, experience tremors, seizures, profuse sweating, and at times undergo hypovolemic shock through loss of blood and the diaphoresis of exhaustion. (Davis, 1997)"

"The process was intended to greatly weaken its subject through severe wounding and bleeding. It is reported that subjects of scourging at times underwent syncope, or suddenly died of vasovagal cardiac arrest (Retief (2003)). When blood loss through arterial rupture was profound, the subject would likely undergo hypovolemic shock. Scourging is considered by historians as a normal practice prior to crucifixions (Habermas (2021), Nicolaides (2019), Snedecor (1973)). According to Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ was scourged prior to the release of the criminal Barabbas by Pilate just prior to his crucifixion (Matt. 27:26, Mk. 15:15, Jn. 19:1).” – Dr. Preethi Morris

As the empire of Rome expanded through war and conquest, their grip on the people under their rule was strong because of such brutal forms of punishment. However, when this torture device was turned upon the Christians of the Early Church, things didn’t turn out as the heathen expected.

“Christian martyrs in Smyrna were so torn by the scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles, sinews, even entrails, were exposed.” (Westminster Dictionary of the Bible page 538)

“…others were scourged till their sinews and veins lay bare, and after suffering the most excruciating tortures that could be devised, they were destroyed by the most terrible deaths.” (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs)

Even a brief survey of martyrdom in history reveals the winner of this conflict (for more details see the historical accounts of martyrdom recorded in the former section). Without controversy, Rome easily conquered heathen criminals with the scourge, but it had no power to conquer Christianity! This begs the question: What really happened to Jesus Christ at the hands of Rome? While employing the same tactics of brutality and torture, Rome dominated the heathen and was defeated by Christianity. Therefore, what could Rome possibly do to the Champion of Christianity? What Rome did to heathen criminals is one thing, and what Rome couldn’t do to Christian martyrs is another thing; furthermore, what Rome did & didn’t do to Christ is something else altogether.

“Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above…” - John 19:11

The power of Rome over heathen criminals through acts of violence needs no explanation (Rom. 13:1-7). Contrastingly, the victorious testimony of Christianity over Rome has been explained in the pages of history; namely, how even the most horrendous forms of torture and death failed to silence the songs of rejoicing coming from cheerful martyrs! Nevertheless, no such behavior was seen in Jerusalem on the day that Jesus of Nazareth was seized, tortured, and killed. Therefore, let the eyes of earnest inquirers look with fascination upon the Man at the block in Jerusalem who suffered an unprecedented scourging at the hands of Roman soldiers.

“I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” – Isa. 50:6 (Mk. 10:34)

As two Roman soldiers take turns flogging the Son of God in rapid succession, one on the right side and the other on the left…what do you see? According to the eyewitness accounts, Jesus Christ was emotionally stricken with unspeakable sorrow and agony during the whole ordeal, from Gethsemane to Calvary (Isa. 53). Literally, the Evangelists never recorded even one moment of joy or rejoicing at all: not even one word or facial expression of any semblance of happiness. Why? Isaiah foresaw this very moment at the scourging block through prophecy, when the Messiah said, “I gave My back to the smiters” (Isa. 50:6). Isaiah bore witness to the fact that not even the Roman scourge was capable of submerging the Son of God into the throes of sorrow and agony. Had it not been that the LORD, Jehovah, was doing the smiting, then things would have been different.

“…I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” – Matt. 26:31 (Mk. 14:27, Jn. 8:28-29, 16:32; Zech. 13:7)

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” – Isa. 53:5 (1 Pet. 2:24; see Lk. 23:16, 22)

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; [Jehovah] hath put [Christ] to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin…” – Isa. 53:10

“Sooner than He would tarnish His Justice, He bound His only-begotten Son to the pillar and scourged and bruised Him! Sooner than sin should go unpunished, He put that sin upon Christ and punished Him – oh, how tremendously and with what terrific strokes! Christ can tell you, but probably if He did tell you, you could not understand all that God thinks about sin, for God hates it, loathes it and must and will punish it! And upon His Son He laid a tremendous, incomprehensible weight, till the griefs of the dying Redeemer utterly surpassed all our imagination or comprehension!” – C.H. Spurgeon, Christ Made Sin

Physically speaking, in the process of smiting - the scourge increasingly bruised and wounded the subject with cutting lacerations, as stripes across the body. However, the Son of God was not beaten by mere men. Marvelously, the bruises, wounds, and stripes inflicted upon the body of Christ were directly coming from the Father as the wielder of the scourge. Therefore, the situation at the scourging block should be viewed as a spiritual arena where the Father was immediately present in the act, as one who possessed the power to transcend both the men and angels at work in real time, making the situation infinitely more profound than anyone realized. This was a breathtaking event that deserves some pause. For, as the hand of the Father bore down upon the body of Jesus Christ, blow by blow, audible cries could be heard erupting from the tormented body and soul of the Son of God.

“Every sin that we have ever committed made a gory furrow upon His precious back! Those black and blue bruises that alternate upon His sacred shoulders were caused by the cruel scourging to which each of us contributed our share by our transgressions.” – C.H. Spurgeon, Majesty in Misery

The Romans were masters at tormenting and killing men in a way that brings about the maximum amount of suffering possible before they expired in death. The torturers and executioners were capable of making the hardest of men howl for mercy! It was not uncommon for the toughest and most terrible sinners to weep tears while gnashing their teeth in sorrow. Nevertheless, how much more terrible would the experience become when the wrath of God overshadowed the soldiers of Rome and enforced upon the body of a Man the stripes of eternal anger? One must look beyond Rome to spiritually see the Passion of Jesus Christ in these awful moments at the scourging block.

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the Tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” – 1 Pet. 2:24

Remember, Rome couldn’t even cast down the countenances of the tender and weak saints of history who died a martyr’s death in times of persecution. Instead of begging for mercy from the executioners, these courageous believers pitied them as murderers and prayed for their forgiveness. Cheerfulness could be seen flashing throughout the dark exercise. Instead of howling in shear misery, their cries were mixed with shouts of joy and songs of worship until they went unconscious. Indeed, if the power of the scourge conquered heathen criminals, but it had no power to conquer Christians, what power could it enforce upon the Son of God? In reality, howbeit invisibly, a greater power was at work in the Passion of Jesus Christ. The power of divine condemnation immersed the Son of God in sorrow and agony (Rom. 8:3)!

“And I say unto you My friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.” – Luke 12:4-5

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” – Matt. 10:28

If Rome could crush society’s criminals through torture and hereby submerge them in sorrow, making them regret their crimes and loath their existence, how much more capable is God at making sinners feel thus in the afterlife? Surely, you have heard it said: “…there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:12, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30, Lk. 13:28). No torture on earth could compare to that of Hellfire (Matt. 18:8-9)! Even so, how much more capable is God at making Jesus Christ feel sorrow at the scourging block in Jerusalem?

“In His body there were the wounds, and the fever which the wounds produced. And in His soul there was an exceeding heaviness even unto death, and an agony which no tongue can tell, for we have no words in which to speak of it. We believe that this agony was commensurate with the agonies of the lost in Hell. Not the same agony, but an equivalent for it. And remember, not the equivalent for the agony of one, but an equivalent for the Hells of all that innumerable host whose sins He bore – condensed into one black draught to be drained in a few hours. The miseries of an eternity without end, miseries caused by a God infinitely angry because of an awful rebellion – and these miseries multiplied by the millions for whom the Man Christ Jesus stood as Covenant Head. What a draught was that, men and Brethren! Well might it stagger even Him!” – C.H. Spurgeon, Christ – Perfect Through Sufferings

God, the Creator, is also a destroyer (Gen. 6:5-7; Lk. 17:26-30). The LORD who gives life also kills (Deut. 32:39, Ps. 68:20). The maker of Heaven’s unapproachable light is also the creator of Hell’s gross darkness (1 Tim. 6:16; Isa. 45:6-7)! The builder of Paradise is also the sustainer of Hell. The giver of mercy is also the enforcer of justice (1 Jn. 1:9). El-esh-oklah, God the Consuming Fire, is the One who keeps Hell burning forever and ever. Literally, Hell is hot because God is there! God is angry with sinners and meets them in Hell for the enforcing of divine justice for an eternity (2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 14:10-11). Even so, the divine wrath that powers Hell was poured out on Jesus Christ – blow by blow it was spiritually felt through the scourge!

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29

What do you think about the “stripes” of Jesus Christ? Is there no healing balm in Gilead? Hurting sinners should look here in deep reflection upon the word, “by whose stripes ye were healed.” (Isa. 53:5, 1 Pet. 2:24). Not enough attention is given to all that happened from Gethsemane to Calvary, and due emphasis is made in Scripture to direct the eyes of believers here to the scourging block in Jerusalem. This is an important episode in the ongoing work of Atonement that would soon be finished on the Cross.

Remember, without even a scratch upon the body of Jesus Christ, the Son of God almost died under a crushing sense of divine wrath in the Garden of Gethsemane. The sorrow, travail, grief, agony, and heaviness that moved the Son of God to strongly cry with tears in the Garden of Gethsemane only continued unto this very moment, at the scourging block, as divine wrath was much more intensified in what was taking place (Isa. 53:3, 10, 11, Matt. 26:37-38, Heb. 5:7)! Blood through Hematidrosis was shed in Gethsemane. Yes! But much more blood was shed at the scourging block! Therefore, let all believers everywhere listen and hear, perhaps for the very first time, the loud outcries of passion that were sounding forth as the scourge lacerated the body of the Son of God and made His precious blood to pool upon the ground.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” - John 5:25

Salvation isn’t cheap! The forgiveness of sinners was bought and paid for by Jesus Christ. Let the sound of these cries create faith in your heart, as you realize how divine justice is hereby satisfied. Contrastingly, the everlasting torment of thirty billion sinners in Hell cannot ever satisfy the justice of God, nor solicit any compassion from the heart of the Father, so that the fires of eternal torment continue to burn without intermission for ever and ever! Literally, the eternal cries of billions in a constant roar of unquantifiable volume cannot ever quiet divine anger, nor reduce the force of divine wrath, even for a moment, for a timeless eternity (Prov. 30:15-16)! Clearly, this is because there is no merit in the sound of tormented sinners as they are crying in the afterlife. However, in this respect, the cries of Jesus Christ while chained to the scourging block in Jerusalem were louder than the billions that echo in the vast domain of Hell! For, the meritorious cries of this most precious and royal Man were able to silence the thunder of Heaven and bow the heart of the Father (Heb. 12:24).

“As many were astonied at Thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men:” – Isa. 52:14

Jehovah lifted up His scourge,
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore smitten of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

 The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me.

Just one glimpse of Jesus Christ is able to save the vilest of sinners (Isa. 45:22)! Considering the circumstances, we know exactly why the Roman soldiers were so furious in the scourging process, insomuch that they marred the visage of the Son of God more than any other man (Isa. 52:14). What an astonishing sight! This marring speaks of how the physical appearance of Jesus Christ was distorted through an overspreading of bruises, wounds, and stripes all over the body, and especially the shoulders, back, buttocks, and legs, not excluding the front of the body. This marring does not speak of the depth of the lacerations inflicted upon the body, because many men were cut so deep that they died at the scourging block. In other words, Jesus Christ was bruised, wounded, and stripped until He was visibly unrecognizable! Can you imagine it? Behold, the broken body of Jesus Christ! This is where it happened. Nevertheless, upon being unchained from the scourging block, the Son of God courageously stood to His feet and walked out of that place, even though the skin and flesh of his body were utterly destroyed.

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” – 1 Cor. 11:23-24

If so much as a scratch or dent is made on the cherished vehicles of Americans, the owners keenly recollect the exact location, surroundings, and seriousness of the damage. The hearts of the same are stricken with pain and remorse to see the beauty of their vehicles tarnished even just a little bit. Meanwhile, there are millions of so-called “Christians” in America who can’t remember (nor do they have the desire to learn about) the scratches, cuts, bruises, wounds, and stripes upon the body of Jesus Christ. No wonder! Unbroken hearts don’t have time to think about the broken body of Jesus Christ.

If you don’t ever think about it nor will you ever remember it. According to John 19:36, not a single bone in the body of Jesus Christ was broken! Quoting from Psalm 34:20, John was making the point that Jesus was the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:46). This begs the question: What could Jesus possibly be speaking about in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24? Foremost of all, our Lord is calling us to remember how His body was broken-up with bruises, cuts, wounds, and stripes from front to back, on His upper body and lower body, so that His image was marred to the point that He was unrecognizable! Therefore, the broken body of Jesus illustrates how His skin, capillaries, veins, and flesh were sorely broken and mangled. The body of this sinless Man was hurt for our healing (1 Pet. 2:24).

Now we must turn our attention to the ongoing episodes of intensifying divine wrath, culminating in the Cross; and, as you will soon see, Jesus Christ had a sound mind until the very end. This means that the Son of God never succumbed to shock through blood loss as a result of the scourge. Nor did the Crucifixion bring about death through suffocation. Rather, while exhibiting consciousness and coherency to the very end, Jesus Christ died of a broken heart as He suffered Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy.