Eleventh Station of the Cross

Jesus is nailed to the cross 

   Crucifixion was not intended to be a quick execution.  The Romans had perfected their methods to ensure that it would be both slow and painful.  Death often took hours or even days.  Death would finally come through suffocation.

   Those to be crucified were sometimes offered wine mixed with gall to lessen the pain.  Jesus refused to accept it.  He was not to die from poison nor was His suffering to be lessened.  He had freely chosen to take our sins upon himself and would not turn from the pain and death necessary to pay the cost for those sins.

   Jesus’ arms were outstretched on the cross.  The soldiers probably used a rope tied above His wrist to extend His arms as far as possible, holding them there while the nails were driven through.  Nails at the time of Christ’s crucifixion were not the slim shafts of steel we use today.  The points weren’t nearly as sharp and piercing.  They were typical to the time, simple and crude.  They would have been rough, rusted and more blunt than sharp.

   Since His crucifixion took place on the day of preparation for the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate that the legs of those still alive be broken to speed their death.  They didn’t want them on the cross for Sabbath.  This speaks to the corruption of the Jewish leaders of the time.  They had no problem demanding that a man be crucified by their Roman oppressors, but wanted to make sure it didn’t interfere with the Sabbath.

   How often are we concerned with appearances just as the Jewish leaders?  Do we make a show of keeping the Sabbath for others to see, but ignore it in our hearts?  Are we pious only on Sunday, leaving the rest of the week for our earthly desires?  These are questions we must ask ourselves as we contemplate Jesus hanging on the cross for our sake.