Jesus' Crucifixion - Physical and Emotional Pain

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Jesus’ Obedience

For many years I read the account of Jesus, the cross, and the events leading up to His crucifixion. I grieved over the physical torture that was thrust upon Him, brutal punishment a perfect, sinless man never deserved. The Gospels inform us that He knew ahead of time what would transpire, yet He willingly obeyed the Father’s plan to save us from our sin. Why?

Our Loved One

Let’s think about someone we love dearly. The sun rises and sets on this person. In our eyes, they are almost perfect. Would we want to see them hanging on a cross to save us or others? I imagine we all say, No. God endured giving up His flawless son for us. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8 (NASB1995) and For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. –John 3:16(NASB1995)

Flip It

Would we hang on the cross for the person we love so much? Can we imagine the kind of big love it takes to willingly do that? Think about it. Jesus died for all of us. He loves all of us who are sinners to the core and our nature is to wander away from Him. Let’s just assume we said, yes to hanging for the person we perceive as nearly perfect and who we love so much. I wonder if we would say, yes if it was for dirty rotten sinners like us who purposely sin against Him, ignore Him, revel in destruction, drum up divisiveness, and waste the life He gave us with our depravity. 

Jesus’ Physical Pain

crown of thorns

He was stripped and beaten beyond recognition. A crown of thorns was forced into his head with approximately 70 thorns at 4cm (approximately 1.5 inches) each.1 He was forced to carry a heavy wooden cross that is estimated to weigh 300 pounds. 2 It is worth noting that some believe he only carried a crossbar weighing between 70-80 pounds. Either way, we cannot comprehend the agony endured by lugging heavy wood with splintered edges, scraping across our raw shoulders and skin hanging from our body. All the while, leaving a trail of blood behind us. 

He was no doubt, thirsty, hot, and hurting in unconceivable ways. The Romans nailed him to a cross by driving four seven-to-nine-inch nails through His hands and feet to secure Him.3 Can you imagine how it sounded hearing the heavy hammer hitting the iron nails? Can you consider how the cross would have vibrated with every knock of that weighty hammer intensifying the pain?

Jesus’ Emotional Pain

Because there is so much focus on the physical carnage, we may fail to recognize the emotional pain Jesus endured. He lived daily with the knowledge that excruciating pain was imminent. Sinful people called Him names, made undue accusations, and attempted to tear down His character. Pharisees tried to trick Him multiple times so they could find a nonexistent reason to arrest Him. Disciples, who were the people closest to Him and chosen by Him, betrayed and abandoned Him. Jesus was mocked and His authority was questioned.

If that isn’t enough, He witnessed His mother’s agony as she watched this vicious treatment of her son. For any who said, yes, to my questions the first two times, do you still? Through all the physical and emotional abuse, He remained calm and in His Father’s will. He kept His dignity, displayed grace, and offered salvation to His persecutors then, and us today. 

My Reaction Your Reaction

I have also endured much emotional, verbal, and physical abuse in my life, as many of us have. I didn’t exhibit the same behavior that Jesus did. In some cases, I kept it to myself but allowed bitterness and resentment to grow and poison my heart. In other cases, I fought back or talked about those who hurt me. How about you? How do you respond when people hurt you? Our pain doesn’t reach a measurement high enough to show up on the chart for the pain Jesus suffered. Still, He didn’t behave like we do.

Our Doubt Our Option

If there is doubt in the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, be invited to believe as Thomas was. Then He said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” –John 20:27 We may not be able to physically touch Jesus to gain belief, but we have the Word of God available to our hands. Jesus is the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. –John 1:14.

Let’s keep the Word of God in our hands to find the truth. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” –John 14:6 The Lord promises we will find Him when we search for Him. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. –Jeremiah 29:13 Will we accept the invitation to believe by searching for the truth of Jesus in the Word of God?

In the end, Jesus’ reward was to rejoin His Father in heaven. We have that same option. If we accept Jesus as our Savior by turning our lives over to Him, we will also spend eternity in heaven. Let us pray like Jesus did to do the will of our Father. Will we invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives and be empowered to live differently and respond to others like Jesus did?

1 https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/06/7-facts-about-the-saviors-crown-of-thorns

2 https://www.biblword.net/what-is-the-weight-of-the-cross-that-jesus-carried/  

3 https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-we-know-about-nails-crucify-jesus.html

edited 04/20/25 2 am and reposted (Our Doubt Our Option)

© Lisa Pritchard, 2025