Testament

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is something that cannot be explained in a world that operates solely through naturalistic processes. For this reason, skeptics have used different explanations to try to deal with Jesus' resurrection. One such theory is that Jesus didn't really die on the cross, but just swooned. This page will examine this question from the historical/medical evidence available.
What is the evidence?

The New Testament provides a description of the events that surrounded the crucifixion of Jesus. The first event that impacts the question of Jesus' death was the scourging that occurred before His crucifixion. Scourging occurred as a preliminary Roman punishment in all instances of crucifixion.1 A short whip composed of several single or braided leather thongs tied to small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones was primarily used in scourging.2 The severity of the scourging depended on the individuals who were doing the scourging. Its intent was to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death.3 The Bible indicates that Jesus was scourged, although the degree to which He was punished is not detailed.4 However, a prophecy from Isaiah indicates that "His appearance was marred more than any man."5 A particularly graphic medical description of Roman scourging occurs in an article from JAMA.6

"As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim's back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues.7 Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh.2,7,25 Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.12 The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.8"

Jewish law limited the number of lashes to 39,2 although it is not known if the Romans would have abided by Jewish religious law. However, the biblical texts indicate that the soldiers assigned to scourging Jesus enjoyed mocking and torturing Him. They made a crown of thorns, put it on His head and pretended to hail Him as king.7 They continue to beat and punch and spit on Him until He was led back to Pontius Pilate.8 Such behavior indicates that Jesus' scourging was probably particularly harsh. Further evidence of the severity of the preliminary punishment could be seen in Jesus' inability to carry His own crossbar (which was customary3, 9) from the Praetorium to the crucifixion site.10
Jesus' Crucifixion

Details from the gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion match those found in secular writings. For example, A sign on which the condemned man's name and crime were displayed was placed above the man's head.9,11 The gospels describe Jesus' sign, which said, "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews."12 The religious leaders didn't like the sign and suggested it be change to "He said I am King of the Jews."13 By law, the victim was given a bitter drink of wine mixed with myrrh (gall),3,14 which is mentioned in the gospel accounts.15 The condemned man was either tied or nailed to the crossbar, with nailing being the preferred method of the Romans.3,9 The gospels describe Jesus being nailed to the cross.16 Roman soldiers could hasten death of crucifixion victims by breaking the legs below the knees.3,9 This technique was described for the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus.17 To make sure Jesus was dead, the soldiers took a spear and pierced His side.18 It seems likely most Roman soldiers were taught to thrust a spear through the right side of the chest through the lungs and heart - a fatal wound.9

The idea that Jesus just swooned on the cross and didn't die is medically impossible. Death by crucifixion occurred through exhaustion asphyxia - the victim eventually suffocated.6 The position of the body on the cross left the chest muscles used for breathing in a permanent inhalation position. In order to exhale, the victim would have to actively push his body up against the nails holding his feet to the cross. If Jesus had passed out on the cross, He would have died within 10 minutes by suffocation.9 What does the Bible tells us that happened after Jesus "swooned?" The Bible says that after Jesus had died, Joseph of Arimathea walked from Golgotha to the Praetorium to ask Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus.19 Pilate was surprised that Jesus was dead already, so he sent a messenger to Golgotha to summon the centurion for questioning.20 After the centurion arrived, Pilate determined that Jesus was dead and allowed Joseph to take the body.20 The distance from the Praetorium to Golgotha was 1/3 mile.6 The necessary trips include:

Joseph Golgotha to Praetorium 0.33
Messenger from Praetorium to Golgotha 0.33
Centurion from Golgotha to Praetorium 0.33
Joseph from Praetorium to Golgotha 0.33
Total 1.33

Even at the rapid pace of 5 mph (a very brisk walk indeed!) it would require a minimum of 16 minutes to complete all the trips. This time does not include any waiting time, which is unrealistic. Joseph would have had to wait for Pilate to be summoned, Pilate would have to wait and instruct the messenger, the messenger would have to convey the request to the centurion, and the centurion would have to report to Pilate and be questioned by him. Realistically, the entire scenario probably required over an hour. Jesus would have been dead well before that time if He had only swooned.
Conclusion Top of page

The weight of historical evidence corroborating the gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ bear strong testimony of the accuracy of the New Testament texts. If the texts are accurate, there can be little doubt that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross. The idea that He had just swooned is unrealistic. According to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association:

"Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge.

Aramaic is a member of the ancient Semitic family of languages, which includes Hebrew and Arabic (although the names are similar, Aramaic and Arabic are not the same). The Aramaic alphabet consists of 22 letters, written from right to left. Originally the language of the Arameans who inhabited northwestern Mesopotamia/Syria, the various dialects of Aramaic were eventually widely used over a vast area, from Greece to India, which included Galilee in northern Israel. Aramaic was the everyday language of Jesus Christ, along with Hebrew and Greek.

Aramaic Aramaic was evident throughout Bible History:

Jacob spoke Hebrew, while Laban spoke Aramaic (see Jacob and Laban):

"So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones," and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed." (Genesis 31:45-47 RSV)

The Assyrian forces (see Ancient Empires - Assyria) that attacked King Hezekiah of Judah (see Kings of Israel and Judah) spoke Aramaic:

"Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, "Pray, speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it; do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall." (2 Kings 18:26 RSV)

Those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Persians (see Ancient Empires - Persia) had allowed the people of Judah to return from the Babylonian captivity (see Why Babylon? and Ancient Empires - Babylon) spoke Aramaic:

"Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated." (Ezra 4:4-7 RSV)

The astrologers who served King Nebuchadnezzar spoke to the king in Aramaic. They were unable to reveal the meaning of the king's dream (see Daniel's Statue), but God revealed the meaning to Daniel:

"Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it." (Daniel 2:4 NIV)

The Writing On The Wall to Belshazzar was in Aramaic:

"Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN." (Daniel 5:24-25 RSV)

Well-known Bible Places have names in Aramaic:

"Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades." (John 5:1-2 NIV)

"When Pilate [see Pontius Pilate] heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement, which in Aramaic is Gabbatha. It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify Him!" (John 19:13-15 NIV)

"Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers [see Roman Legions] took charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross [see Cross or Stake?], He went out to the place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha [see Calvary]. Here they crucified Him [see How Did Jesus Christ Die?], and with him two others - one on each side and Jesus in the middle." (John 19:16-18 NIV)

Jesus Christ spoke in Aramaic:

"He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas which means Peter." (John 1:42 RSV) [Note: Cephas is an Aramaic name, Peter is a Greek name]

"And He said, "Abba [the Aramaic word for Father], Father, all things are possible to Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt." (Mark 14:36 RSV) (see The Fateful Night)

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried [in Aramaic] with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabach-thani?" which means, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34 RSV)

"Jesus said to her, "Mary." [see Mary of Magdala] She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" which means Teacher." (John 20:16 NIV)

Fact Finder: The sign that was nailed to the cross above Jesus Christ was written in three languages - Aramaic, Latin and Greek. What did the sign say?

 o Assyrian language and culture was once intertwined with Babylonia and Persian language and culture;
o Linguists and historians commonly understand that Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian cultures reached the Indus Valley and its civilization very early, second millenium B.C.E.;
o Christianity, very early, first through third centuries C.E., migrated through Assyria to the Indus Valley;
o The Indus pennisula is traditionally considered the 'stronghold' of belief for classical teaching on 'transmigration of the soul', including inter- and intra-species reincarnation;
o Some Hebraic Kabbalists have expressed a belief in reincarnation, frequently focused on Enoch, Michael, Elijah and/or the Messiah;
o Hellenistic culture in the form of mystery religions, the gnosis traditions and popular superstitions often integrated reincarnation in an adapted form;
o Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs intimate an orientation towards reincarnation, especially in the kingly attributes or lineages;
o Jesus spoke, according to the canonical Gospels, about John the Baptist as Elijah's return;
o The prophetic book of Malachi reads such that Elijah would return;
o The Biblical Book of Kings indicates Elijah was taken up and did not die;
o The Biblical Book of Genesis indicates Enoch was taken and did not die;
o Jesus was resurrected after suffering death and is expected to return, according to the New Testament texts;
o The Christians of the Indus Valley do not hold a belief in reincarnation and their Scriptures are the Peshitta;
o There is no support for the view of reincarnation in the writings of the Early Church Fathers, Nestorius, Ephreim and other Aramaic speaking writers in the early Church;
o The Donmeh, a Jewish messianic sect developing in the 16th and 17th centuries, believed in the reincarnation of the Messiah, who for the Donmeh was Sabbatai Zevi.
o Reincarnation or transmigration of the soul most often requires a belief in the integrity and continuity of a 'soul';
o Traditional Buddhistic philosophy, originating in the northern hills of the Indus pennisula during the prophetic period, does not teach the existence of a 'soul';
o The Aramaic/Hebrew words, in the Gospels and Malachi, for Elijah's spirit are rukha/ruach, and are not to be construde as 'soul';
o The Aramaic/Hebrew words for 'soul/self' are naphsha and nefesh respectively.

One is able to read the list of considerations to the question and decide on either side of the question. Yet other questions arise as a direct response to the decision.

o Is Elijah's spirit (rukha/ruach) given in double portion to Elisha and manifested in John the Baptist a transmigration of the 'soul'?
o Does Dr. George Lamsa understand spirit and soul as the same aspects of a human's identity? And therefore teach reincarnation?
o Did Dr. Lamsa remain consistent with the Aramaic Scriptures (Peshitta) by distinquishing rukha from naphsha, as is indicated in the teachings of Jesus from the Aramaic?
o Or, was Aramaic culture, to wit, Assyrian, Babylonian, Lebonese, Syrian and Galilean, such that reincarnation provided a natural 'fit' with the world view of the Aramaic speaking believer in Jesus?
o Do we believe Dr. Lamsa could have taught reincarnation because his Aramaic translation, commentaries and books received more immediate currency among the Unity School of Christianity, Edgar Cayce Association, Way Internatioanl and human enlightenment movements?
o And was often criticized by conventional evangelical American Christianity?

Peshitta (Aramaic Bible) is an undervalued Christian resource, also the Peshitto. Aramaic is important, being the language of Jesus. My free books will explain to you why Greek primacy (the belief in the originality of the Greek New Testament Bible) is illogical, and why Old Syriac primacy is a farce, by looking at the historical evidence, and more importantly, the linguistic evidence. This site also gives you FREE tools to study the Biblical languages and texts; the original Aramaic Bible (and an Aramaic dictionary), Hebrew, Greek, English, Peshitta, Peshitto, Old Syriac, etc. We even have the legendary George Lamsa Bible.