The Cruelty of The Cross

Written by: Jadrien Sebastian

The cruelty of the cross was not just in the act of crucifixion itself, but in the brutal series of events that led up to it. The entire process was a public spectacle designed to inflict maximum pain, humiliation, and terror.

The Events Leading to the Cross

• The Scourging: Before being led to the cross, a condemned person was subjected to scourging. This was an exceptionally brutal form of flogging using a whip known as a flagrum (or flagellum). The whip had several leather thongs, often with pieces of bone, metal, or lead balls attached to the tips. The Roman guards would repeatedly strike the victim’s back, often tearing away skin and muscle tissue down to the bone. This act was so severe that some victims died from the shock and blood loss alone.
• The Crown of Thorns: Jesus was mocked by the soldiers, who wove a crown from long, sharp thorns and pressed it onto his head. This caused immense pain and bleeding from the many puncture wounds. The act was a grotesque parody of a king’s crown and was meant to humiliate him further.
• The Via Dolorosa: The condemned was forced to carry the heavy crossbar (patibulum) through the streets to the site of the crucifixion. The route, known as the Via Dolorosa (“Way of Suffering”), was a public procession meant to serve as a warning to anyone who defied Roman authority. Weakened by the scourging and loss of blood, the victim would often collapse under the weight of the wood.

The Act of Crucifixion

• The Nailing: The act of nailing a person to the cross was designed to cause an agonizingly slow death. Nails were driven through the victim’s hands (or more accurately, the wrists) and feet, severing nerves and causing excruciating pain with every movement.
• The Slow Agony of Suffocation: Death on the cross was primarily caused by asphyxiation. The position of the body made it extremely difficult to breathe. The victim had to push up on the nailed feet and pull up on the nailed wrists to take a shallow breath. Over time, exhaustion would set in, making it impossible to lift the body. The person would slowly suffocate as the lungs filled with fluid.
• Public Humiliation: Crucifixion was a public execution. The condemned was stripped naked, adding a layer of shame and humiliation to the physical torment. It was a complete degradation of the individual in front of a crowd.

The cruelty of the cross was a carefully orchestrated process of physical torture and psychological torment. It was not just a method of execution but a tool of political control and a symbol of total dehumanization. For Christians, understanding the full extent of this brutality highlights the depth of Christ’s sacrifice—his willingness to endure the most horrific death imaginable out of love for humanity.

The Old Rugged Cross

1 On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

2 O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. [Refrain]

3 In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. [Refrain]

4 To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. [Refrain]