Table of Contents
Was Jesus Crucified?
Yes, The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross.
He died, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures and is alive forevermore, as mentioned in Revelation
The Lord Jesus' death on a cross in Matthew 27:45-54
45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is,“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Here's Scholarly Evidence of The Validity Of The Lord Jesus' Crucifixion and Death
| Scholar / Years / Institution | Work | Validation / Description of Jesus’ Crucifixion & Death |
|---|---|---|
| John Lightfoot (1602–1675), Cambridge University | Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae | Affirms Jesus’ crucifixion as historical; details Roman scourging, cross-bearing, and nailing; emphasizes prolonged agony and fulfillment of prophecy. |
| Adam Clarke (1762–1832), Methodist Church, England | Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible | Confirms Jesus’ crucifixion and death; scourging tore flesh, carrying crossbeam exhausted the victim, nailing caused intense pain; death by asphyxiation or shock; historically accurate. |
| E.W. Hengstenberg (1802–1869), Germany | Christology of the Old Testament | Confirms historical crucifixion and death; emphasizes prophetic fulfillment; notes Roman method and barbarity. |
| John Gill (1697–1771), England | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Crucifixion and death of Jesus are historical fact; includes scourging, cross-bearing, and nailing; emphasizes the agony and humiliation. |
| Matthew Poole (1624–1679), England | Annotations on the Holy Bible | Affirms historical crucifixion; describes scourging, carrying the crossbeam, nailing; highlights public humiliation and physical suffering. |
| C.F. Keil (1807–1888) & F. Delitzsch (1813–1890), Germany | Commentary on the Old Testament | Confirms Jesus’ crucifixion; links Gospel narrative to Roman practices; scourging, cross-bearing, and nailing highlighted; death is historically certain. |
| Richard Simon (1638–1712), Paris | Histoire critique du Vieux Testament | Recognizes Jesus’ crucifixion and death as historical; references Roman execution method; textual and historical evidence corroborates. |
| Julius Wellhausen (1844–1918), University of Göttingen | Prolegomena to the History of Israel | Treats crucifixion and death of Jesus as historically credible; distinguishes theological interpretation from factual event; Roman method respected. |
| Josephus (37–100, Rome / Jewish historian) | Antiquities of the Jews | Confirms Jesus was executed under Pontius Pilate; independent Jewish historical source validating crucifixion. |
| Tacitus (c.56–120, Rome) | Annals 15.44 | Confirms Jesus’ crucifixion under Pilate during Tiberius’ reign; Roman account corroborates Gospel narrative. |
| Lucian of Samosata (c.125–180 CE) | The Passing of Peregrinus | Mentions Christians worshipping a crucified man; indirectly confirms Jesus’ execution and public notoriety. |
| Mara Bar-Serapion (c.73 CE) | Letter to his son | Refers to a “wise king” executed by the Jews; interpreted as Jesus; affirms historical memory of execution. |
| John Calvin (1509–1564), University of Geneva | Commentary on Genesis & Harmony of the Gospels | Affirms historical crucifixion and death; emphasizes theological significance but acknowledges reality of Roman execution. |
| Martin Luther (1483–1546), University of Wittenberg | Lectures on Genesis | Affirms Jesus’ crucifixion; notes Roman barbarity and humiliation; stresses historical occurrence alongside redemptive purpose. |
| Philo of Alexandria (c.20 BCE–50 CE) | On the Embassy to Gaius | While not mentioning Jesus specifically, Roman crucifixion practices described corroborate Gospel accounts; scholars cite for method validation. |
It's important at this juncture to delve a bit deeper into the nature of a Roman Cruxifixion and how those performing it were trained to ensure humiliating death.
Roman Crucifixion
The Gospels describe Christ’s crucifixion (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19).
Roman practice involved:
Scourging or flogging (often severe, lacerating flesh).
Carrying the crossbeam (patibulum) to the execution site.
Nailing or binding to the cross.
Elevation of the cross, leaving victim to die, usually by asphyxiation, shock, or blood loss.
Josephus (37–100 CE) and Roman historians provide context for its barbaric efficiency and cruelty.
To input a bit of literary imagery, here's a table on: The Historical Nature of Cruxifixion as Performed by the Romans:
| Scholar / Years / Institution | Work | Description of Crucifixion Method / Barbarity |
|---|---|---|
| Josephus (37–100, Rome) | Jewish Antiquities | Describes Roman crucifixion as extremely cruel, used to punish slaves, rebels, and criminals. Victims were scourged, nailed or tied, and left to die in public humiliation. |
| E.W. Hengstenberg (1802–1869, Germany) | Christology of the Old Testament | Notes that Christ’s scourging and crucifixion were physically excruciating, fulfilling prophecies of suffering. Emphasizes barbaric and agonizing nature. |
| John Lightfoot (1602–1675, Cambridge University) | Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae | Explains that Romans first scourged victims severely, then forced them to carry the crossbeam, and finally nail or tie them to the cross, leaving them to die slowly, often over hours. |
| Adam Clarke (1762–1832, Methodist Church, England) | Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible | Provides detailed explanation: scourging tore flesh, carrying patibulum exhausted the victim, nails caused intense pain, death by asphyxiation or shock, calling crucifixion the most barbaric Roman execution. |
| Matthew Poole (1624–1679, England) | Annotations on the Holy Bible | Describes scourging, carrying the cross, nailing to the wood, and elevation as humiliating and torturous; stresses the cruelty of Roman execution. |
| John Gill (1697–1771, England) | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Notes that crucifixion involved extreme suffering, starting with flogging, carrying the crossbeam, and final nailing; emphasizes agonizing death over prolonged hours. |
| Richard Simon (1638–1712, Paris) | Histoire critique du Vieux Testament | Focuses on historical context, describing the method as painful, public, and humiliating, reserved for criminals and enemies of Rome. |
| Keil & Delitzsch (1807–1888 / 1813–1890, Germany) | Commentary on the Old Testament | Describe scourging, cross-bearing, nailing, and crucifixion as brutal Roman punishment, emphasizing its torturous nature and fulfillment of prophetic suffering. |
| Josephus / Roman accounts | Antiquities of the Jews & Tacitus | Roman crucifixion was systematic cruelty: whipping, carrying patibulum, affixing to cross, leaving to die slowly; used for deterrence and public shame. |
Conclusion: Yes, the Lord Jesus was crucified after ungoing Roman Crucifixion as evidenced by many scholars both in and outside of Christendom.
