Death on the Cross

Jesus prophecied that his fate would be like that of prophet Jonah.

Jesus said:
"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:39,40)

Survival — Not Revival

The sign of Jonah is related in the Bible twice which gives us greater insight on Jesus.

The Book of Jonah states
"And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights"(Jonah 1:17 RSV)

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.
The Book of Jonah states that Jonah said:
"In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry."(Jonah 2:1-2)


The sign given to the Ninevites by Jonah was he was saved from certain death. He stayed for a period of time in danger, but ultimately recovered. He went alive into the belly of the fish, stayed alive for days, and came out alive.
The same fate was prophecied for Jesus. He would enter the tomb alive, stay alive for days, and come out alive. If Jesus had died, there would be little resemblance to Jonah.
The story of Jonah is one of survival — not revival.

Short Duration
Death on the cross is meant to take days, not hours.

Death by Crucifixion Takes Days
When the news of the supposed death of Jesus reached Pilate, he was surprised to learn that Jesus had passed away so soon (Mark 15:44).

The Gospel of Mark states:
"Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died."(Mark 15:44 NIV)

His testimony is extremely important and revealing. Here was the man who probably had the most knowledge in his time of the nature of the punishment of crucifixion and likely officiated over many such crucifixions.

Though many details of the crucifixion have been lost with the end of the Roman Empire, there are ample records to show this particular punishment took at least two to three days to kill a person. For example, good testimony comes from historian Flavius Josephus in the first century A.D who described survivors of crucifixions. The writer Plutarch (c 75 A.D) mentions some individuals surviving some ten days on the cross.

The New Bible Dictionary also concluded based on the historical facts of crucifixion that "death by this method was usually quite protracted, rarely supervening before thirty-six hours, and on occasion taking as long as nine days" (1962 ed, Intervarsity Press, Page 282).

Unbroken Legs
This would have prevented death by respiratory distress.
Saved from a Fatal Blow
After Jesus supposedly 'died' on the cross a Roman soldier made a decision not to break the legs of Jesus while on the cross. The episode fulfilled a prophecy and was not without meaning.

The Gospel of John (19:36) tells us that the Scripture was fulfilled (based on Psalms 34:20) - a bone of his shall not be broken. The Roman soldier did not bother to break the legs of Jesus to hasten death since he thought he was already dead. Breaking the legs would have been devastating due to the severe trauma of blood loss and consequential hypovolemic shock by breaking one of the larger bones in the body, the tibia, in each leg.

The Gospel of John states:
"For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." (John 19:36)

The Book of Psalm relates:
"He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken" (Psalm 34:20)

The Scriptural attention to not breaking the legs can only be meaningful if the body was alive - it is a meaningless issue for a corpse. A fuller reading of Psalm 34, verses 19 and 20 underscores it:

The Book of Psalm relates:
"19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous;
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken."(Psalm 34:19-20)

Prayer in the Garden
When it appeared that there was no way to avoid the devious plans of the Jews to have him crucified, Jesus prayed fervently 'to remove the cup' of death upon the cross (Mark 14:36).

The Gospel of Mark relates that the prayer was:
And he said, “Abba, 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)

God answers prayers

Jesus had full confidence that his prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane would be accepted as he himself told his disciples.

The Gospel of Matthew relates that Jesus said:
"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”(Matthew 21:22 RSV)

The Gospel of Matthew relates that Jesus said:
"7 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?"
(Matthew 7:7-9)
We know that God answers prays and God answers the prayers of the pious.

Psalm 20:6 New International Version (NIV)
6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.


Psalm 20:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

Psalm 20:9 New International Version (NIV)
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!

This presents a huge issue for Christians. As the meaning of the Messaih is the Annoited one. So the cheif of the annointed ones, God didnt listen to his prayer even though he said he would?



This presents a huge issue for Christians. As the meaning of the word Ha mashiach or The Messiah (המשיח) is the Annoited One. So the cheif of the annointed ones, God didnt listen to his prayer even though he said he would?

God Accepted His Prayer
The prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane was the most important and grand prayer offered by Jesus and portrayed quite vividly in the Gospels. It is inconceivable that the prayer did not reach the Divine Throne, especially as Jesus taught his disciples the power of prayer.

Indeed we need not guess. The Gospels furnish evidence that his prayer was accepted.

The Gospel of Luke states an angel came from Heaven "strengthening him" (Luke 22:43). This indicates God had heard his heart-felt prayer.

The Gospel of Luke states:
“Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."(Luke 22:43 RSV)
For this verse there is a footnote saying:
Luke 22:42 Other ancient authorities add verses 43 and 44

The Gospel of Luke relates that verses 43 and 44 are:
"43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground"(Luke 22:43-44)

After his supplication in the garden, when Jesus was apprehended, one of his followers drew a sword, struck a servant of a high priest and cut off his ear. Jesus sternly rebuked him and said:

"52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:52-53).

This shows Jesus was now in perfect contentment that his prayer was accepted and all could be left now in the hands of God, with no need for active self-defence.

Finally, when death looked imminent and he was in agony on the cross he cried "Eli Eli lama sabachthani"(Matthew 27:45-46) because he did not expect that it would come to this. He fully believed the prayer would be accepted.

Pilate’s Plot
Having sympathy for Jesus, he planned to save him.

Convinced of His Innocence
It is notable in the New Testament testimony that Pontius Pilate believed Jesus to be innocent and did not want him executed. One of the influences was a dream Pilate's wife convincing her of Jesus' innocence, and the message she passed on to Pilate was "leave that innocent man alone" (Matthew 27:19).

The Gospel of Matthew states:
'Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream'(Matthew 27:19 RSV)

Pilate eventually acquiesced to the demand of the Jews that Jesus be crucified, as a riot was developing. However he then asked for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd and exclaimed "I am innocent of the blood of this man. The responsibility is yours!" (Matthew 27:24) .

The Gospel of Matthew states:
'So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.'(Matthew 27:24)

The Plan to Save Jesus
An analysis of the Gospels clearly reveals Pilate had an interest in saving Jesus' life to the best of this ability while trying to maintain official execution procedure as mandated by Roman law. Three key points may be noted:

• He set the crucifixion day just before the Sabbath, as Jewish law specifically prohibits bodies to hang on the cross by the start of Sabbath. Death would be unlikely to ensue within 6 hours (see "Short Duration")
• When the time came to remove Jesus and the two others on the cross, the Jews asked Pilate to break the legs of Jesus (John 19:31). However the centurions acting on Pilate's command did not break the legs of Jesus (John 19:33). It was because he had taken these precautionary measures that Pilate was surprised when he was told that Jesus was "already dead" (Mark 15:44).
• Roman protocol was that body would lie on the crucifixion grounds and be subjected to the elements and animals. However Pilate allowed something quite interesting to take place by deviating from standard practice. He allowed Jesus to be given to Jesus' friends not his enemies.

Blood and Water
Gushed from the spear wound, a sign of a beating heart.

Corpses Do Not Bleed
An important piece of information is mentioned in the Gospel of John which supports the view that Jesus did not die on the cross:

"One of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water" (John 19:34).