Medical Aspects of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

(PowerPoint Presentation coordinated with this study in Media area.)

John 3:16 : For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

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Compiled by David Terasaka, M.D. ©1996. All Rights Reserved, David Terasaka, M.D.

However, permission is hereby granted to copy and distribute free of charge for non-commercial purposes only.

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Heb 12:2 - “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In the last few hours of Jesus’ life what did He endure, and what shame did He suffer?

EXCRUCIATE: to cause great agony, torment; Latin: ex: out of, from cruciate: cross

“from the cross”

The tone of this presentation can best be summarized in the word “excruciate”, (the root of the word “excruciating”) which refers to something which causes great agony or torment. The Latin roots of the word are :“ex”, meaning from or out of, and “cruciate”, meaning cross. The word “excruciate” comes from the Latin for “from, or out of, the cross”.(Websters)

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Jesus spent the last hours before the crucifixion at several places in Jerusalem. He started the evening in the Upper Room, in southwest Jerusalem. At the Last Supper, He told the disciples that His body and His blood were to be given for them. ( Matt 26: 26-29 ) He went outside of the city to the Garden of Gethesemane. He was then arrested and brought back to the to the palace of the High Priest. where He was questioned by Annas, a former High Priest, and Caiaphas, Annas’ son in law . Afterwards, He was tried by the Sanhedrin, and found to be guilty of blasphemy by proclaiming Himself the Son of God. He was sentenced to the death penalty. Since only the Romans were able to execute criminals, He was sent to Pontius Pilate at the Antonia Fortress. Pilate, not finding anything wrong, sent Him to King Herod , who returned Him back to Pilate. Pilate, submitting to the pressure of the crowd, then ordered that Jesus be flogged and crucified. He was finally led out of the city walls to be crucified at Calvary.

THE HEALTH OF JESUS AND DEMANDS OF THE ORDEAL

It is reasonable to assume that Jesus was in good health prior to the ordeal that He faced in the hours before His death. Having been a carpenter and traveling throughout the land during His ministry would have required that He would be in good physical condition. Before the crucifixion, however, He was forced to walk 2.5 miles over a sleepless night, during which He suffered great anguish through His six trials, was mocked, ridiculed and severely beaten, and was abandoned by His friends and Father. (Edwards)

THE UPPER ROOM OR CENACULUM

The ordeal began in an upper room of a house at what we now call the Last Supper, where Jesus, in giving the first communion, predicted that His body and blood would be given. ( Matt 26:17-29 ) Today in Jerusalem, one can visit the Cenacle or Cenaculum (Latin for dining hall), a room which is built over what is believed to be the site of the Upper Room, (Kollek) which was located on the southwestern aspect of the old city.

GETHESEMANE : oil press

Luke 22:44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. “the Spirit of God ….crushed”

Of medical significance is that Luke mentions Him as having sweat like blood. The medical term for this, “hemohidrosis” or “hematidrosis” has been seen in patients who have experienced, extreme stress or shock to their systems. (Edwards) The capillaries around the sweat pores become fragile and leak blood into the sweat. A case history is recorded in which a young girl who had a fear of air raids in WW1 developed the condition after a gas explosion occurred in the house next door.(Scott)) Another report mentions a nun who, as she was threatened with death by the swords of the enemy soldiers,” was so terrified that she bled from every part of her body and died of hemorrhage in the sight of her assailants.”(Grafenberg) As a memorial to Jesus’ ordeal, a church which now stands in Gethesemane is known as the Church of the Agony. (also called the Church of the Nations because many nations donated money to its construction.(Kollek)

PILATE’S VERDICT

Mark 15:15 - “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”

The Sanhedrin met early the next morning and sentenced Him to death. ( Matthew 27:1 ) Because the Jews were not, and the Romans were, able to carry out an execution, Jesus was brought before Pilate. The charge was now changed to an allegation that Jesus claimed to be King and forbade the nation to pay taxes to Caesar. ( Luke 23:5 ) In spite of all the charges, Pilate finds nothing wrong. He sends Jesus to Herod. Jesus is speechless before Herod, except to affirm that He is King of the Jews. Herod sends Him back to Pilate. Pilate is unable to convince the crowds of Jesus’ innocence and orders Jesus to be put to death. Some sources state that it was Roman law that a criminal that was to be crucified had to be flogged first.(McDowell) Others believe that Jesus was flogged first by Pilate in the hope of getting Him off with a lighter punishment .(Davis) In spite of his efforts, the Jews allow Barabbas to be released and demand that Jesus be crucified, even crying that ,“His blood be on us and on our children!” ( Matthew 27:25 ) Pilate hands Jesus over to be flogged and crucified.

It is at this point that Jesus suffers a severe physical beating. (Edwards) During a flogging, a victim was tied to a post, leaving his back entirely exposed. The Romans used a whip, called a flagrum or flagellum which consisted of small pieces of bone and metal attached to a number of leather strands. The number of strikes is not recorded in the gospels. The number of blows in Jewish law was set in Deuteronomy 25:3 at forty, but later reduced to 39 to prevent excessive blows by a counting error. (Holmans). The victim often died from the beating. (39 hits were believed to bring the criminal to “one from death”.) Roman law did not put any limits on the number of blows given. (McDowell) During the flogging, the skin was stripped from the back, exposing a bloody mass of muscle and bone (“hamburger “ : Metherall). Extreme blood loss occurred from this beating, weakening the victim. perhaps to the point of being unconscious.

ROMAN SOLDIERS MOCK AND BEAT JESUS

Matthew 27:28-30 (The soldiers) stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. Jesus was then beaten by the Roman soldiers. In mockery, they dressed Him in what was probably the cloak of a Roman officer, which was colored dark purple or scarlet .(Amplified Bible) He also wore the crown of thorns. Unlike the traditional crown which is depicted by an open ring, the actual crown of thorns may have covered the entire scalp.(Lumpkin) The thorns may have been 1 to 2 inches long. The gospels state that the Roman soldiers continued to beat Jesus on the head. The blows would drive the thorns into the scalp (one of the most vascular areas of the body) and forehead, causing severe bleeding.

THE CROWN OF THORNS AND THE ROBE

Genesis 3:17-18 : “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” The significance of the scarlet robe and crown of thorns is to emphasize Jesus’ taking the sins of the world upon His body. The Bible describes sin by the color of scarlet ( Is 1:18 ) and that thorns first appeared after the fall, as a sign of the curse. Thus, the articles that He wore are symbols to show that Jesus took on the sins (and the curse) of the world upon Himself. It is not clear that He wore the crown of thorns on the cross. Matthew describes that the Romans removed His clothes after the beating, and that they put His own clothes back on Him. ( Matt 27:31 )

THE SEVERITY OF THE BEATING

Isaiah 50:6 : “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”

Isaiah 52:14 : “….. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—”

The severity of the beating is not detailed in the gospels. However, in the book of Isaiah, it suggests that the Romans pulled out His beard.( Isaiah 50:8 ) . It is also mentions that Jesus was beaten so severely that His form did not look like that of “a son of a man” i.e. that of a human being. The literal translation of the verse reads, “So marred from the form of man was His aspect, that His appearance was not as that of a son of a man.” People were appalled to look at Him ( Isaiah 52:13 ). His disfigurement may explain why He was not easily recognized in His post resurrection appearances.(Missler) Today, one can visit a site known as the Lithostrotos, traditionally believed to be the floor of the Antonio Fortress.(although recent excavations may cast doubt on this theory (Gonen)) The floor is marked for games once played by the Roman soldiers

From the beating, Jesus walked on a path, now known as the Via Dolorosa or the “way of suffering”, to be crucified at Golgotha. The total distance has been estimated at 650 yards. (Edwards). A narrow street of stone, it was probably surrounded by markets in Jesus’ time. He was led through the crowded streets carrying the crossbar of the cross(called a patibulum) across His shoulders. The crossbar probably weighed between 80 to 110 pounds. He was surrounded by a guard of Roman soldiers, one of which carried a titulus, a sign which announced His crime of being “the King of the Jews” in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. On the way, He was unable to carry the cross. Some theorize that he may have fallen while going down the steps of the Antonio Fortress. A fall with the heavy patibulum on His back may have led to a contusion of the heart, predisposing His heart to rupture on the cross. (Ball) Simon of Cyrene (currently North Africa (Tripoli)), who apparently was affected by these events, was summoned to help.

The present Via Dolorosa was marked in the 16th century as the route over which Christ was led to His crucifixion.(Magi) As is the location of Calvary, the true location of the Via Dolorosa is disputed. Much tradition as to what happened to Jesus is encountered on the Via Dolorosa today. There are 14 stations of ‘events’ that occurred and 9 churches on the way today. The stations of the cross were established in the 1800’s. (Magi) Today, there is one section of the path where one can walk on the stones which were used during Jesus time.

SUFFERING ON THE CROSS

Psalm 22:16-17 : Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.”

The crucifixion event is prophesied in several places throughout the Old Testament. One of the most striking is recorded in Isaiah 52:13 ,where it says that , “My servant will act wisely (or prosper) .He will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.” In John 3, Jesus talks about His fulfillment of that prophecy when He says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” He refers to the events recorded in Numbers 21:6-9 . The Lord had sent a plague of fiery serpents on the people of Israel and they bit the people so that many of the people died. After the people confessed their sin to Moses, the Lord for gave them by having a bronze serpent made. Bronze is a symbol for judgment and the serpent is a symbol of the curse. Whoever was bitten by a serpent and then looked at the bronze serpent, was saved from death.. These verses are prophecies that point to the crucifixion, in the Jesus would be (lifted up ) on the cross for the judgment of sin, so that whoever believed in Him should not die (an eternal death), but live an eternal life. II Cor 5 :21 amplifies this point, in that “He (the Father) made Him who knew no sin (the Son) to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”(Pink) It is interesting that the sign of Aesculapius which is the symbol of the medical profession today, had its roots from the making of the bronze serpent.(Metherall) Indeed, Jesus is the healer of all! Jesus is led to the place of the skull (Latin Calvary, Aramaic :Golgotha) to be crucified.

The actual location of Calvary is also in dispute. At the end of the Via Dolorosa, there is a “T intersection”. If one turns left, we go to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. If one turns to the right, one goes to Gordon’s Calvary. The Church of the Holy sepulcher has long been believed to be the traditional site of the crucifixion.

Gordon’s Calvary has a possible prophetic reason for being the actual site of the crucifixion .In Genesis 22, Abraham is tested by God to sacrifice Isaac on the top of a mountain. Realizing that he is acting out a prophecy, that “God Himself will provide a Lamb” , Abraham calls the place of the event “Jehovah Jireh”, meaning “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” If we take this as a prophetic event of Jesus’ death, then Jesus’ died on the high ground of Jerusalem. Gordon’s Calvary is the highest point of Jerusalem, 777 meters above sea level.(Missler: Map from Israel tour book) Today, at Gordon’s Calvary, caves in the rock are situated which give the site the appearance of a skull.

Jesus was then crucified. Crucifixion was a practice that originated with the Persians and was later passed on to the Carthaginians and the Phoenicians. The Romans perfected it as a method of execution which caused maximal pain and suffering over a period of time. Those crucified included slaves, provincials and the lowest types of criminals. Roman citizens, except perhaps for soldiers who deserted, were not subjected to this treatment. (McDowell)

The crucifixion site “was purposely chosen to be outside the city walls because the Law forbade such within the city walls…for sanitary reasons … the crucified body was sometimes left to rot on the cross and serve as a disgrace, a convincing warning and deterrent to passers by.” (Johnson) Sometimes, the subject was eaten while alive and still on the cross by wild beasts. (Lipsius)

The procedure of crucifixion may be summarized as follows. The patibulum was put on the ground and the victim laid upon it. Nails, about 7 inches long and with a diameter of 1 cm ( roughly 3/8 of an inch) were driven in the wrists . The points would go into the vicinity of the median nerve, causing shocks of pain to radiate through the arms. It was possible to place the nails between the bones so that no fractures (or broken bones) occurred. Studies have shown that nails were probably driven through the small bones of the wrist, since nails in the palms of the hand would not support the weight of a body. In ancient terminology, the wrist was considered to be part of the hand. (Davis) Standing at the crucifixion sites would be upright posts, called stipes, standing about 7 feet high.(Edwards) In the center of the stipes was a crude seat, called a sedile or sedulum, which served a support for the victim. The patibulum was then lifted on to the stipes. The feet were then nailed to the stipes. To allow for this, the knees had to be bent and rotated laterally, being left in a very uncomfortable position. The titulus was hung above the victim’s head.

There were several different types of crosses used during crucifixion. In Jesus’ time, it was most likely that the cross used was a T shaped (or tau cross,), not the popular Latin, or t shaped cross which is accepted today.(Lumpkin)

PHYSICAL SUFFERING ON THE CROSS

Psalm 22:14-15 : “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.”

Having suffered from the beatings and flogging, Jesus suffered from severe hypovolemia from the loss of blood. The verses above describe His dehydrated state and loss of His strength.

When the cross was erected upright, there was tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints.(Metherall) The arms, being held up and outward, held the rib cage in a fixed end inspiratory position which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. The victim would only be able to take very shallow breaths.(This may explain why Jesus made very short statements while on the cross). As time passed, the muscles, from the loss of blood, last of oxygen and the fixed position of the body, would undergo severe cramps and spasmodic contractions

ABANDONED BY GOD — SPIRITUAL DEATH

Matthew 27:46 : “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

With the sin of the world upon Him, Jesus suffered spiritual death (separation from the Father ). Isaiah 59:2 says that sins cause a separation from God, and that He hides His face from you so that He does not hear. The Father must turn away from His Beloved Son on the cross. For the first time, Jesus does not address God as His Father.(Courson)

DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION : SLOW SUFFOCATION

Shallowness of breathing causes small areas of lung collapse.

Decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide causes acidic conditions in the tissues.

Fluid builds up in the lungs. Makes situation in step 2 worse.

Heart is stressed and eventually fails.

The slow process of suffering and resulting death during a crucifixion may be summarized as follows:

“…it appears likely that the mechanism of death in crucifixion was suffocation. The chain of events which ultimately led to suffocation are as follows: With the weight of the body being supported by the sedulum, the arms were pulled upward. This caused the intercostal and pectoral muscles to be stretched. Furthermore, movement of these muscles was opposed by the weight of the body. With the muscles of respiration thus stretched, the respiratory bellows became relatively fixed. As dyspnea developed and pain in the wrists and arms increased, the victim was forced to raise the body off the sedulum, thereby transferring the weight of the body to the feet. Respirations became easier, but with the weight of the body being exerted on the feet, pain in the feet and legs mounted. When the pain became unbearable, the victim again slumped down on the sedulum with the weight of the body pulling on the wrists and again stretching the intercostal muscles. Thus, the victim alternated between lifting his body off the sedulum in order to breathe and slumping down on the sedulum to relieve pain in the feet. Eventually , he became exhausted or lapsed into unconsciousness so that he could no longer lift his body off the sedulum. In this position, with the respiratory muscles essentially paralyzed, the victim suffocated and died. (DePasquale and Burch)

Due to the shallow breathing, the victim’s lungs begin to collapse in small areas. causing hypoxia and hypercarbia. A respiratory acidosis, with lack of compensation by the kidneys due to the loss of blood from the numerous beatings, resulted in an increased strain on the heart, which beats faster to compensate. Fluid builds up in the lungs. . Under the stress of hypoxia and acidosis the heart eventually fails. There are several different theories on the actual cause of death. One theory states that there was a filling of the pericardium with fluid, which put a fatal strain on the ability of the heart to pump blood (Lumpkin). Another theory states that Jesus died of cardiac rupture.” (Bergsma) The actual cause of Jesus’ death, however, “may have been multifactorial and related primarily to hypovolemic shock, exhaustion asphyxia and perhaps acute heart failure.”(Edwards) A fatal cardiac arrhythmia may have caused the final terminal event. (Johnson, Edwards)

A LAST DRINK OF WINE VINEGAR

John 19:29-30 “A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.” When he had received the drink, Jesus said, `It is finished’. “With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Having suffered severe blood losses from His numerous beatings and thus in a dehydrated state, Jesus, in one of His final statements, said “I thirst.” He was offered 2 drinks on the cross. The first, which He refused, was a drugged wine (mixed with myrrh).

He chose to face death without a clouded mind. Edersheim writes:

“It was a merciful Jewish practice to give to those led to execution a draught of strong wine mixed with myrrh so as to deaden consciousness” (Mass Sem 2.9; Bemid. R. 10). This charitable office was performed at the cost of, if not by, an association of women in Jerusalem (Sanh. 43a). The draught was offered to Jesus when He reached Golgotha. But having tasted it….He would not drink it. ….He would meet Death, even in his sternest and fiercest mood, and conquer by submitting to the full….(p.880).

The second drink, which He accepts moments before His death, is described as a wine vinegar. Two points are important to note. The drink was given on the “stalk of a hyssop plant”. Remember that these events occurred at the Feast of the Passover. During this feast, ( Exod 12:22 ) hyssop was used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to the wooden doorposts of the Jews. It is interesting the end of this hyssop stalk pointed to the blood of the Perfect Lamb which was applied to the wooden cross for the salvation of all mankind. (Barclay) In addition, the wine vinegar is a product of fermentation, which is made from grape juice and yeast. The word literally means “that which is soured” and is related to the Hebrew term for “that which is leavened”. (Holmans) Yeast or leaven, is a Biblical symbol of sin. When Jesus took this drink, (i.e. a drink which was “leavened”) it is thus symbolic of His taking the sins of the world into His body.

JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE

John 10:17-18 “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Luke 23:46 “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The average time of suffering before death by crucifixion is stated to be about 2-4 days(Tenney), although there are reported cases where the victims lived for 9 days.(Lipsius) The actual causes of death by crucifixion were multifactorial, one of the most significant would have been the severity of the scourging. (Edwards) Jesus died a quick physical death (Pilate was surprised that He had died so soon.(Mark 15:44)). While many of the physical signs preceding death were present, one possibility is that Jesus did not die by physical factors which ended His ability to live, but that He gave up His life of His own accord. His last statement, “Into your hands I commit my Spirit” seems to show that Jesus’ death occurred by giving Himself up. In John 10, He states that only He has the power to lay down His life. He proved His power over death by His resurrection. Truly, God is the one who has power over life and death

DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION:

HASTENED by the breaking of the legs, so that the victim could not push up to take a good breath.

John 19:32-33 : The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

CONFIRMED by a spear thrust into the right side of the heart.

John 19:34 : Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. Death in crucifixion was hastened by the breaking of the legs of the victim. This procedure, called crurifracture, prevented the ability of the victim to take in a good breath. Death would quickly occur from suffocation. In Jesus’ case, He died quickly and did not have His legs broken. Jesus fulfills one of the prophetic requirements of the Passover Lamb, that not a bone shall be broken.( Exodus 12:46 , John 19:36 )

To confirm that a victim was dead, the Romans inflicted a spear wound through the right side of the heart. When pierced, a sudden flow of blood and water came Jesus’ body . The medical significance of the blood and water has been a matter of debate. One theory states that Jesus died of a massive myocardial infarction, in which the heart ruptured (Bergsma) which may have resulted from His falling while carrying the cross. (Ball) Another theory states that Jesus’ heart was surrounded by fluid in the pericardium, which constricted the heart and caused death.(Davis) The physical stresses of crucifixion may have produced a fatal cardiac arrhythmia. (Johnson)

The stated order of “blood and water” may not necessarily indicate the order of appearance, but rather the relative prominence of each fluid. In this case, a spear through the right side of the heart would allow the pleural fluid (fluid built up in the lungs) to escape first, followed by a flow of blood from the wall of the right ventricle.(Edwards) The important fact is that the medical evidence supports that Jesus did die a physical death.

The story, of course, does not end here. The greatest event that separates Jesus from all others is the fact that He rose again and lives today. He intercedes for those who follow Him at the right hand of the Father.( Heb 7:25 )

APPEARANCE IN HEAVEN

Revelation 5:6 : Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

In eternity, Jesus will bear the marks of His crucifixion. Rev 5:6 suggests that He appears in heaven with the marks as a Lamb “looking as if it had been slain”. We know that when He appeared to Thomas that He bore the scars of the nails and the spear in His side.(John 20:26-28) It is also worth considering reasons as to why He was not immediately recognized after His resurrection. In John 21:12 , it is stated that the disciples did “not dare to ask Him His identity, because they knew that it was the Lord.” It is possible that His resurrection body still has the marks of His beatings. “The body of His glorification will be the body of His humiliation.” (Missler)

References:

Ball, D. A. “The Crucifixion and Death of a Man Called Jesus”. J Miss St Med Assoc 30(3): 77-83, 1989.

Barclay, William. “The Gospel of John Volume 2” Westminister Press, Philadelphia , Pa. ,. 1975.

Bergsma, Stuart. “Did Jesus Die of a Broken Heart?”. The Calvin Forum, 14:165, 1948.

Bible, Amplified version. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids , Michigan , 1964.

Bucklin, R.. “The Legal and Medical Aspects of the Trial and Death of Christ”. Med Sci Law. 10:14-26, 1970.

Courson, Jon. “Why Psalms 22?” (tape) Firefighters for Christ, Westminister California .

Davis , C.T. “The Crucifixion of Jesus :The Passion of Christ from a Medical Point of View”. Ariz Med 22:183-187, 1965.

DePasquale, N. P. and Burch, G.E. “Death by Crucifixion”, Am Heart J 66(3):. 434-435, 1963.

Edersheim, A. “TheLife and Times of Jesus the Messiah”. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Peabody , Massachusetts , 1993.

Edwards, W.D., Gabel, W.J and Hosmer, F.E. “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” JAMA. 255 (11), pp. 1455-1463, 1986.

Gonen, R. “Biblical Holy Places : an illustrated guide”,Palphot Ltd. Israel 1994

Grafenberg, J. S..”Observ.Medic.,” Lib.III. p.458.

Holman’s Bible Dictionary, Holman Bible Publishers, 1991.

Johnson, C..”Medical and Cardiological Aspects of the Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus, the Christ”, Bol Asoc Med P Rico 70 (3) :97-102, 1978.

Kollek, T. and Dowley, T. , “Next Year in Jerusalem “, Harvest House, Eugene , Oregon , 1995.

Lipsius, Justus. “De Cruce. Libri tres, ad sacram profanamque historiam utiles. (3rd part Tom III. Opera Omnia. Antwerp , 1614)

Lumpkin,R..”The Physical Suffering of Christ”, J Med Assoc Ala 47: 8-10, 1978.

Magi, G. ” Israel “. Casa Editrice Bonechi, Florence , Italy , 1992.

McDowell, J. “The Resurrection Factor”. Campus Crusade for Christ, Nashville , Tenn. , 1981.

Metherall, A.. “Christ’s Physical Suffering” (Tape) Firefighters for Christ , Westminister, Ca.

Missler, C. “Isaiah 53” (Tape) Firefighters for Christ, Westminister, Ca.

Missler, C. ” Israel Tour Book” 1995 Edition.

Pink, A. “The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross”, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids , Michigan , 1958.

Scott, C.T. “A Case of Haematidrosis”, Br Med J .1: 532-533, 1918.

Strong, J. “Strong’s Concordance”, MacDonald Pub Co., McLean , Va.

Tenney, S.M. “On Death By Crucifixion”, Am Heart J .68(2) :286-287, 1964.

Websters Dictionary, Grosset and Dunlap , New York , 1974.

(c) Copyrighted material. All rights reserved by the copyright holder.

Used herein by permission.

The Attitude of Survival

Your attitude is the predisposition of your entire mental state toward the world at large and toward specific people, places or things. It is what you believe about situations, ideas, persons, relationships, etc. Attitude is everything and everything is attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude. Most of the time, we don’t recognize our attitude until it is pointed out to us or until we figure it out on our own.

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Corinthians 4 [13] We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

We tend to accept whatever attitude we have as our genuine, authentic views about life. Whatever we like, we like. We don’t need an explanation for it. Even when something is bad for us, we like it anyway. Whatever we dislike, we dislike. We don’t want to surrender it for anyone or anything.

Many people won’t come to church because their attitude is negative about it. Many people never strive for victory or excellent because of their attitude. I can’t make people like me. This is especially evident in dealing with young people.

What does this mean to us? We cannot ascribe our failures to outside forces. Your spiritual DNA is written within your own heart. If it were possible to blame our failures on someone else, can you imagine the scenario at the final judgment?

“Not guilty by reason of insanity.”

“Not guilty by reason of undue and pernicious influence by others.”

[1] “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. [2] But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. [3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6 ] Who will render to every man according to his deeds .” Romans 2:1-6

(The following list comes from “The Attitude of Survival” by Chris Conway.)

“A wilderness emergency could possibly happen to anyone, anywhere. When confronted with an unexpected survival situation man has the potential to overcome many challenges, beat incredible odds, and come out a survivor. But just what is survival anyway? Survival is the art of surviving beyond any event. To survive means to remain alive; to live. Survival is taking any given circumstance, accepting it, and trying to improve it, while sustaining your life until you can get out of the situation. And most importantly, survival is a state of mind .

• Survival depends a great deal on a person’s ability to withstand stress in emergency situations. Your brain is without doubt your best survival tool .
  
• One definitely must be in the proper frame of mind to survive an unplanned survival situation .
  
• A positive attitude has a very strong influence on the mentality and motivation necessary for setting a goal to live .
  
• While in your survival situation you will be confronted with many problems that you will need to overcome .
  
• To keep your body alive you must react to your body’s problem indicators and defend yourself against the major enemies of survival .
  
• Loneliness is a survival enemy that can hit you without warning .
  
• Make sure to avoid fatigue .
  
• Cold and heat are other enemies of survival .
  
• Hunger and thirst are enemies that can really depress your positive mental attitude .
  
• Fear is a big enemy to guard against .
  
• Do your very best to control your fears .
  
• A more dangerous enemy than fear is panic .
  
• Keeping a positive mental outlook is for certain the most important aspect of survival .”
  

(The Attitude of Survival, from Chris Conway, rec_re8@hotmail.com )

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/falls/9200/survival_attitude.html

Much of our success in living for God depends upon how well we manage our attitude.

[17] And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
[18] And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
[19] Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
[20] And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
[21] Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
[22] And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
[23] Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
[24] But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
[25] And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
[26] Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
[27] For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Anatomy of the New Man

We begin with the new birth.

John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38-39; 1 Peter 1:23

We understand that the watch word or code word for the believer is new.

• New doctrine
• New testament
• New creature
• New tongues
• New man
• New covenant
• New and living way
• New commandment
• New name
• New song
• New heavens
• New earth
• New Jerusalem
• New everything

Is the old always bad and the new always good?

No, if the old is ordained of God and the new is man’s invention.

• Old paths
• Old truths

Yes, if the old is man’s way and the new is God’s promise.

• Old man
• Old covenant
• Old commandments
• Old master

Sometimes, it is not right or wrong, but favorable and unfavorable.

Better or worse

Heading up or heading down

We must understand the contrast between the old and the new.

• Adam and Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:45-50
• Old Testament and New Testament. Hebrews 8:6-7, 13.
• Old man and new man. Ephesians 4:22-24

The Galatian Problem

• Galatians 2:4. The Judiazers imposed the Old Covenant on the believers.
• Galatians 2:16-21. The Apostle Paul corrected the error.
• Galatians 3:1-3. Setting the vision for the future.
• Question: Why did the Galatians have such a difficult time transitioning from the old to the new? Answer: Because our natural tendency is to revert to the way we were first taught.

Does the statement, “We’ve always done it like that” ring any bells?

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s a very odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way they built them in England , and English expatriates built the US Railroads. Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that’s the gauge they used. Why did “they” use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.  

Okay! Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England , because that’s the spacing of the wheel ruts. So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England ) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.

The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. And bureaucracies live forever. So the next time you are handed a specification and wonder who came up with it, you may be exactly right, because the Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back ends of two war horses.

Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory at Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses’ behinds. So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world’s most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of the back end of a horse. 

The fact that we are born again does not mean that living for Christ is automatic. A child needs to learn many new things in order to survive in life. Galatians 4:1-2. We have all had to go through orientation and training for a new job.

Many times, in order to learn something new, we have to unlearn something old.

Consider QWERTY…the typewriter keyboard…the Universal User Interface….

It makes no sense. It is awkward, inefficient and confusing. We’ve been saying that for 124 years. But there it remains. Those keys made their first appearance on a rickety, clumsy device marketed as the “Type-Writer” in 1872. Today the keyboard is a universal fixture even on the most advanced, sophisticated computers and word processors electronic technology can produce.
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How could we get stuck with something so bad?
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In this case, the answer lies in the old proverb about the early bird catching the worm. As far as the typewriter keyboard is concerned, being first was the whole ball game.

• 1878 Typewriter Patent Drawing, featuring the QWERTY Keyboard. Years after its introduction, it was considered important enough to include in a patent.
• The name “QWERTY” for our typewriter keyboard comes from the first six letters in the top alphabet row (the one just below the numbers). It was the work of inventor C. L. Sholes, who put together the first commercial typewriter in a Milwaukee machine shop back in the 1860’s.
  
• When Sholes built his first model in 1868, the keys were arranged alphabetically in two rows. At the time, Milwaukee was a backwoods town.
  
• The crude machine shop tools available there could hardly produce a finely-honed instrument that worked with precision. The first typewriter clashed and jammed when someone tried to type with it. But Sholes figured out a way around the problem simply by rearranging the letters.
  
• Looking inside his early machine, we can see how he did it.
  
• The first typewriter had its letters on the end of rods called “typebars.” The typebars would tend to clash into each other when typed in succession. So, Sholes rearranged the keyboard to separate the keys used most frequently. His solution did not eliminate the problem completely, but it was greatly reduced.
  
• In 1932, Professor August Dvorak, of Washington State University, set out to develop the ultimate typewriter keyboard once and for all.
  
• Dvorak created a home row using all five vowels and the five most common consonants: AOEUIDHTNS. With the vowels on one side and consonants on the other, a rough typing rhythm would be established as each hand would tend to alternate.
• With the Dvorak keyboard, a typist can type about 400 of the English language’s most common words without ever leaving the home row. The comparable figure on QWERTY is 100. The home row letters on Dvorak do a total of 70% of the work. On QWERTY they do only 32%.
  
• Dvorak’s keyboard failed to take hold. No one wants to take the time and trouble to learn a new keyboard, and it never got used enough to prove that it was convincingly superior to the old.

Unlearning the old man, learning the new man.

In contrast to the keyboard controversy, there is no question about the superiority of the new man of the Spirit over the old man of the flesh. Even though we have a new spirit and a new heart working inside of us after the new birth experience, we still have the baggage of the old man to contend with.

Let’s go to Ephesians 4:22-32 and find out some practical things we need to unlearn so we can replace them with the new.

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Lying. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

The sin of lying stems from the old nature. Why do people lie? They have something to hide; they fear the repercussions from telling the truth. Everyone knows that you shouldn’t tell a lie. But what about really small lies, like when you’re asked, “Does this dress make me look fat?” And what about really important lies, like when you’re asked, “Are you hiding the man I want to murder?” Are these really lies? If they are lies, is it okay to tell them? If they aren’t lies, then what are they? Do we even have a meaningful definition of a lie?

Telling the truth does not mean being harsh, mean or ignorant. We can use a soft answer. We can use diplomacy. We can use kindness. We can be gentle. We can choose words that are less offensive or less shocking. We cannot, however, engage in deliberate deception, misleading people, fabricate stories that will hurt or destroy others, or gain advantage by falsifying the facts. The following statements are wrong:

• I had to lie because you can’t handle the truth.
• I had to lie to get out of trouble.
• I had to lie because it was the best choice for everyone.

Prov 12:17-23 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. 18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. 19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellers of peace is joy. 21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. 22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. 23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

Anger. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Anger in this verse means to become provoked or exasperated. In other verses, it means to be irritable or enraged.

If you find yourself constantly in the grip of anger, you need to do some deep soul-searching.

1. Accept that most things in the world are out of your control.
2. Accept that it is your choice to get angry about those things.
3. No one makes you angry.
4. Life is unfair. Waste no energy lamenting or trying to change that fact.
5. No one likes to be around an angry person. No one feels like helping an angry person.
6. So why be angry? Maybe you really don’t want your problems solved. Maybe you just want to complain and wail and gnash your teeth.
7. Take stock of yourself. What do you want?
8. You should smile more. Your face won’t break.
9. Anger is a weed; hate is the tree. -St. Augustine
10. Anger makes a rich man hated and a poor man scorned. -Thomas Fuller

Yield to temptation. 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Place or room, opportunity and scope for acting in and through you. Stopping the activity of the devil demands vigilance and self-control. The devil always tries to get a foothold in your life.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Don’t go looking for sin. Draw boundaries for yourself. Get help though a friend or mentor to whom you can be accountable.

One of our members gave me this example from his experience in construction: When working on a platform three feet off the ground, safety belts were not needed. When working on a platform 30 feet high (even though the chances of falling off were theoretically the same), safety belts were required; all workers had to be attached by rope to something secure. When working on a large flat roof, safety ropes were not required unless the worker was within 12 feet of the edge. In other words, the requirements were adjusted according to risk and the seriousness of the consequences.

The safety rules were particularly interesting for working on a large domed roof. At the top of the roof, where the surface is nearly level, the chances of falling down are practically nil, and the chances of injury are low. One could even go 20 feet out from the center, and the slope would still be quite gentle; even if somebody tripped and fell there would be no danger.

However, one could go about halfway out and still stand up, but there, the roof has a steep slope and a small stumble might cause a person to fall off the building and die. But there was no identifiable point where danger started. Consequently, workers had to be safety-roped no matter where they were on the roof. No specific “edge” made the dome dangerous, because no one could see where the danger zone started. Lives were at stake, and the only sensible precaution was to require everyone, even people on the flat part of the roof, to be safety-roped.

Stealing. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Corrupt communication. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Grieving God. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Contention. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Mind Games

• Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind , and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
• Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind , that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
• Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you , which was also in Christ Jesus:
• 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We have often said that the real battle for a Christian is in the mind. These scriptures establish the fact that our minds play a huge role in our relationship with God and the overall direction of our lives.

Here are the New Testament definitions of the mind from the Greek language: NT:3563;  nous (nooce); probably from the base of NT:1097; the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning:

NT:5426; phroneo (fron-eh’-o); from NT:5424; to exercise the mind, i.e. entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication, to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively, to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience): - set the affection on, (be) care (-ful), (be like-, + be of one, + be of the same, + let this) mind (-ed), regard, savour, think.

Brain Teasers: (Illustrate with several brain teasers or examples of optical illusions.)

Mind Games

1. An act or series of acts of calculated psychological manipulation, especially in order to confuse or intimidate. Often used in the plural.
2. An activity that provides entertainment and challenges the intellect.

Mind games comprise the social and psychological agenda for almost every aspect of human relations: courtship, engagement, marriage, parenting, buying and selling, working, schooling, playing, conversing and the list goes on.

Why is this true? Why do we do such things as lie, deceive, fib, distort, shade, exaggerate, downplay, hide, distract and gloss over? Why can’t we just be up front and honest with everything we do? Because we have agendas.

There are things we want to do and we don’t want to be told no.
There are things we don’t want to do and we don’t want to be forced to do them.
There are things we want others to do…or that we don’t want others to do.
There are things we want to know.
There are things we don’t want others to know.

Look at the many acts of deception in the Bible:

Satan deceived Eve.
Eve deceived Adam.
Both Adam and Eve tried to deceive God.
Jacob deceived Esau and got his birthright.
Jacob deceived Isaac and stole Esau’s blessing.
Laban deceived Jacob and made him work seven more years.
David deceived Uriah to cover his own adultery and sent him to his death.
Joab deceived Abner and assassinated him.
Annanias and Sapphira lied to the Apostles and to the Holy Ghost.
Simon the Sorcerer deceived the people.

Spiritual Brain Teasers

If we, as human beings, regularly engage in mind games, we should know that Satan has perfected it to an art. But much of our anguish and anxiety in our relationship with God does not result from swallowing Satan’s lies, but in constantly playing mind games with ourselves.

How do we get trapped in our own mind games? By questioning, doubting, surmising, speculating, figuring, hashing and rehashing, jumping to conclusions, rushing to judgment, guessing and trying to play everything “by ear.”

Mind games that lead to discouragement and spiritual stagnation:

Glorifying the past. “I wish I could go back to the way I used to be.”
Lost innocence, lost relationships, lost perspectives will never be recovered.
Don’t place an impossible burden on yourself to recreate who you used to be.
Your present “you” is just as valuable as your past “you”.
Start now—-with where you are and who you are.
This is the meaning of the new birth.

Overestimating the opposition. “This is too hard.”
Do not grant omnipotence to the devil.
In all of his wiles and deceptions, he is a grand failure.
He is a defeated foe.
God always provides an escape.

Fraternizing with the enemy. “This relationship won’t hurt me.”
Satan is cold-hearted. He never comes over to your side.
You must be the spiritually strongest in every relationship.

Misunderstanding the miracle. “God has to do this for me.”
Expectation versus expectancy.
When you define what you think God must do, you never get it right.
What was the miracle for Shadrach et. al.? Daniel? Paul and Silas?
When God doesn’t do what you think he ought to do, your faith gets attacked.

Fear of failure. “I will think less of myself if I fail, so I won’t risk it.”
Don’t quit before you even start.
This is a variation of pride.
Fear of failure is already failure.
“I probably won’t make the basket, so I won’t take the shot.”
“I’ll probably just swing and miss, so I won’t swing.”

Minimizing the importance of success. “It doesn’t really matter that much.
This may be a subtle form of rebellion.
Dismissing your importance is actually a criticism of God for creating you.

Obsessing on details. “I’ve got to make sure that every little thing is just right.”

Blaming others. “If it weren’t for him, her, this, that…”

Intellectualizing failure. “There are complicated reasons why I can’t.”

Changing direction. “I’m opting for a better plan.”

Creating chaos. “I’m tearing everything up and starting over.”

Phil 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 12:1-2 TLB And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy-the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.

When an archer misses the mark he turns and looks for the fault within him/herself. Failure to hit the bull’s-eye is never the fault of the target. To improve your aim, improve yourself.

Spiritual Power and Spiritual Authority

Philippians 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Ephesians 1:15,16,18,19,20-23 “Therefore I [Paul] … mak[e] mention of you in my prayers … that you may know … what is the exceeding greatness of His power …which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

In explaining the nature of spiritual authority, it is useful to examine the difference between the words ‘authority’ and ‘power,’ as they are used in the following statement made by Christ - “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19).

The Greek word translated as ‘authority’ here is ‘exousia,’ and its basic meaning is to have the right to rule or govern, as one whose will and commands ought to be submitted to and obeyed.

In contrast the Greek word translated ‘power’ in this reading is ‘dunamis,’ which means to have the inherent strength or actual ability to bring about a desired purpose.

A modern illustration of these two different meanings is provided by the roles of a truck driver and a traffic officer. An eighteen wheeler has inherent strength and so its driver has direct or ‘dunamis’ power at his disposal to perform his task. While a traffic officer has insufficient physical power to stop a truck, he does have delegated or ‘exousia’ authority at his disposal. When the traffic officer puts up his hand the truck driver stops his vehicle, because behind that gesture lies the whole weight of the Police Department.

This distinction between the two Greek words is not always made clear in English translations. For example the Authorized or King James Version renders the above reading as, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” In order to discern the true meaning of the word translated as ‘power’ in the KJV, it is necessary to be aware of which Greek word is actually being translated - whether ‘exousia’ or ‘dunamis.’

Examples of the word authority in the Bible.

• Matthew 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
• Matthew 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
• Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
• John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
• Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Examples of the word power in the Bible.

• Luke 9:43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
• John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
• Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem , and in all Judaea , and in Samaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO USE JESUS’ NAME

When the statement in Luke’s gospel is correctly translated, it becomes clear that Christ has not given us direct or ‘dunamis’ power to overcome the power of Satan. Instead He has entrusted us to wield the authority that is attached to His name, the name which is the greatest in all creation.

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Key Bible Reading ).

We are entitled to exercise the authority contained in the name of Jesus over the power of Satan as those who must be obeyed. For instance we may, in the name of Jesus, cast out demons, or bind the powers of darkness away from our circumstances, or loose those who are held in bondage to the enemy.

However it is important to see that our authority to use the name of Jesus is closely linked with our spiritual state of union or relationship with Him. Just as the traffic officer in our example is stripped of his authority if he steps outside of his jurisdiction, so too we lose our authority when we are no longer in an abiding relationship with Christ our Lord.

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5).

Before we can wield the authority of the name of Jesus we must be united and one with Him—so bound and yoked to Him that we are of one mind and one heart with Him. He must initiate, and we must respond in obedience. He then confirms our legitimate use of the authority of His name by instructing the Holy Spirit to perform the works that we have commanded.

Satan understands the real basis of our authority. He knows that he does not have to submit to any lawless or presumptuous use of the name of Jesus.

In fact those who are lawless in this matter may place themselves in extremely hazardous circumstances, as did “some … itinerant Jewish exorcists” reported in the book of Acts ( 19:13 ). They “took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’”

But because they were not united and one with the Lord Jesus, their lack of real authority was obvious to the demons they were attempting to cast out. “And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:15-16).

PROGRESSIVE AUTHORITY

God is the supreme head of all authority and power. Beneath Him exist many different levels of delegated spiritual authority, which when joined together in descending order, make up what is called ‘progressive authority.’

An example of progressive authority, or ‘a chain of authority’ is provided by the Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians: “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Cor 11:3).

The case of the centurion who sought healing for his servant provides a more detailed example of progressive authority in operation. “And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel !’” (Matt 8:7-10).

When the centurion said, “For I also am a man under authority,” he was identifying his position with that of Jesus, in that both of them were part of progressive authority.

He knew what it was like to be under authority.

Above him was:

• the Tribune of the Legion,
• the Governor of the Province, and above them all,
• Caesar.

Below him was a company of soldiers and various household servants. And when the centurion gave an order to those below him he knew it would be obeyed, because he spoke with the authority of those above him. His words were upheld by the weight of the entire Roman Empire .

The centurion was also acknowledging Christ’s position in a chain of authority. He understood that Jesus was the Almighty God, and that Christ had to “only speak a word” and his servant would be healed.

And so it was. “Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” (Matt 8:13 ).

AUTHORITY IS INEFFECTIVE WITHOUT OBEDIENCE

Obedience is the key to successful operation of progressive authority. If there is obedience throughout the chain, then each link is upheld by the authority of the links above it. However if one link in that chain is disobedient, then its authority can no longer be upheld by those above it, and the chain is effectively broken.

The authority of Christ was always upheld because He was always one with the Father, and He was perfectly obedient to His will. Jesus was therefore able to say to Philip, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14:10).

We understand that Jesus was referring to the subjection of the flesh to the Spirit. In this light, Jesus (the Flesh) commanded as the Father (the Spirit) directed Him, and His Father verified those commands by doing the works that fulfilled His words. Similarly, if we use the authority of the name of Jesus only as He directs us, then we can be assured that He will respond by performing the appropriate works.

Now compare progressive authority in obedience, to the breaking of the chain of authority because of disobedience in today’s world. Jesus predicted a general climate of lawlessness in Matthew. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt 7:22-23).

Notice that Jesus is addressing those who consider themselves to be Christians. They had “prophesied,” “cast out demons,” and “done many wonders,” and all in the name of Jesus. But one thing was missing. They had in effect denied the sovereign Lordship of Christ by failing to seek, and then be obedient to His will. Instead they had presumed that works initiated by their flesh would meet with His approval.

The Lord’s condemnation of their presumption is severe. It does not matter that ‘prophecy,’ ‘deliverance,’ and ‘miracles,’ appear worthy ministries in themselves. The point is that they have used His name to do their works. So He disowns them and their works. “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

God is the supreme head of all authority. His ultimate omnipotence cannot be disputed. The words of King Jehoshaphat clearly express this: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?” (2 Chronicles 20:6).

God is invincible, and no one can withstand His purposes. Despite this fact, it is necessary to recognize that His authority is not upheld by force, but by willing obedience. And since all authority hinges on obedience, where there is no obedience there is no real authority in a practical sense.

In order to appreciate how disobedience has diminished God’s practical authority over man, we shall go on to explore the significance of mankind’s initial disobedience in the Garden of Eden.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FALL

God gave man a clear command in the Garden of Eden. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat the fruit of it you shall surely die.’” (Gen 2:16-17).

A direct consequence of ‘the fall’ is that in choosing to obey Satan rather than God, Adam and Eve unwittingly gave Satan a legal right to contest God’s authority over mankind.

Satan, in the guise of a serpent, then seized the opportunity to entice Eve to disobey God. “And the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Gen 3:4-5).

Eve had a clear choice. She could obey God, or she could obey Satan. She chose to eat the forbidden fruit, and Adam consented to join her in disobedience.

The problem is not that we don’t understand the situation. It’s that we don’t like the situation! We understand the choices given. We just think there should have been more choices!

• I only want to taste the fruit of the tree to see if it’s good.
• I want to make a preliminary decision about eating the fruit without consequences!
• I want to choose another tree to avoid.
• It is unfair to be put in this kind of strait-jacket.
• I don’t want to be told what I can and cannot do.
• To submit to these parameters is to give up my rights and my free will.
• If you loved me, you wouldn’t limit me.

Do not minimize this account as questioning taste, looks, procedure and process. This was, is, and always will be about God’s authority over our lives.

This was a crucial episode that decided the fate of mankind. Adam and Eve represented mankind. At issue here was whether man would consent to obey God his Creator, or use his free will to rebel and submit to Satan. The tragic outcome is that when given a clear choice, man chose to obey Satan rather than God. And because authority hinges on obedience, when man obeyed Satan, he gave him a legal right to impose his evil influence on human life.

Satan’s authority over mankind is not absolute. It is proportional to the degree to which man chooses to disobey God. Because of the depravity and rebelliousness of fallen man, the apostle John conceded that, “…the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19). Jesus also recognized the extent of Satan’s authority over fallen mankind, referring to him as “the ruler of this world” on at least three occasions (John 12:31 , 14:30 , 16:11 ).

• John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
• John 14:30 “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
• John 16:11 “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

The Greek word for “prince” is archon, meaning one who is first in rank or power. The fact is that we are not just dealing with Satan as a deceiver, a liar, an evil spirit, etc. We are dealing with him as one who is in authority over this present world. The only way an individual can be delivered from the authority of Satan is to submit to an authority that is higher than Satan!

Colossians 1:12-13 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

Again, we can illustrate this principle by looking at the way governments operate today. No one can travel to another country without a passport or an agreement between countries. All kinds of issues come up in this relationship, like “Do I have to obey the laws here? Can the authorities here steal my money and throw me in jail? Will my native country get me out if I get in trouble here?” No person is an authority unto themselves. Regardless of where we are, someone has authority over us, usually depending upon our citizenship.

Partial Obedience Does Not Lead to Full Authority

This is where many people become confused and operate under false assumptions about their relationship with God. Is it possible to be a little bit obedient and a little bit disobedient? Absolutely. This position cannot last forever, but temporarily, it can seem to work.

For example, an illegal alien can come into the USA and exchange some money. The inscription on our money says that this note is a legal tender and can be used to purchase whatever is for sale. He can go into a restaurant and have the authority to buy a meal. He can go into a clothing store and buy a shirt and a pair of pants. He has enough authority to conduct business on a small scale.

Beyond that, however, he starts to have trouble. He cannot vote. He cannot expect the full protection of the law in our justice system. He cannot draw a social security check. He cannot purchase a firearm. If he makes the mistake of thinking that some money in his pocket qualifies him for all the privileges of a citizen, he may end up being deported.

Now, here’s the mistake that people make who try to mix a little obedience with their disobedience. They do a lot of right things:

• They pray.
• They come to church.
• They read the Bible.
• They do some good deeds.
• They give in offerings and even pay their tithes.

In doing these things, a person receives limited benefits in return. Whatever good things anyone does in the name of Jesus will get the favor of God for that particular act. It’s the same as being a guest in a club or association or being a full-fledged member. 2 Timothy 3:5 says, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The problem is, however, their prayers are without true faith; they come to church with no intentions of being changed by the church service; they read the Word with a closed mind; they do some good deeds to convince themselves and others that they have a good heart; they give in offering and tithes to buy their way into the favor of God. All of this is an attempt to manipulate God into doling out his blessing without getting full obedience in return.

It all boils down to authority: The story of Saul.

1 Sam 15:16-23

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel , and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel ? 18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

As a result of his continuing disobedience of God’s will, man in his unredeemed state is subject to Satan’s authority. Paul writes, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [who is Satan], the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Eph 2:1-3).

Under obedience to God and the authority of God, you are promised protection. You have full recourse to the provisions of God. In disobedience and without God’s authority, you are fully exposed to the wiles of Satan.

The OBEDIENCE of the SON

Since obedience is at the heart of all true authority, it was appointed to Jesus to become a sacrificial offering, as an atonement for the sins of mankind. It was the ultimate display of obedience.

God’s requirement was that Christ should redeem mankind back to Himself. The Scriptures say of Christ that “…by Him [ie Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth … All things were created through Him and for Him.” ( Col 1:16). As the Creator of mankind, Christ was required to become their representative. In obedience He willingly agreed to bear the punishment for the sins of mankind in their stead, allowing the full weight of all their evil consequences to fall upon Himself.

Jesus went to the Cross as the representative of all mankind. He received their sentence and bore the fullness of their punishment until the very last demand of justice had been met. The mocking abuse, the beatings and scourging, the agonizing death on the cross, were all the price of restoring man’s right relationship with God.

But before He could be mankind’s atoning sacrifice, Christ had first to be a perfect expression of obedience and righteousness, witnessed by man and God, and all in Satan’s kingdom. It was only then that He could truly be “a lamb without blemish and without spot,” (1 Pe 1:19 ), to be presented as a guilt offering for the sins of mankind.

The cost of Christ’s obedience is beyond human understanding. We can only catch a glimpse of it as we contemplate the words in the first Key Bible Reading.

Jesus relinquished His position of equality with God. He let go “…the glory which [He] had with [God] before the world was.” (John 17:5). And He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Even before He took upon Himself the mantle of human flesh, Jesus knew the enormity of the sufferings that awaited Him. As the time of His crucifixion drew near He prayed, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ‘Father, glorify Your name.’” (John 12:27-28).

He prayed “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me..” (Matt 26:39). But then, because of His commitment of obedience, He prayed “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matt 26:42).

Finally, as Jesus hung on the cross, “knowing that all things were now accomplished … He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:28,30). His task of redeeming mankind was complete - a perfect work done in perfect obedience.

By accomplishing His perfect work, Christ has laid the foundation for re-establishing God’s authority on earth.