Water from the body of Jesus

Posted : 14 Dec, 2011 08:09 AM

Died of a Broken Heart?





It is commonly taught today that Jesus died of a broken heart. This idea was introduced by a Dr. Stroud about the year 1847, in the book On the Physiological Cause of the Death of Christ.



Stroud claimed that Christ died of "laceration or rupture of the heart." This idea has since been perpetuated by many Protestants today. You will find this idea explained in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, on page 489 under the article "Blood and Water."



But is this idea true? Did Christ shed His blood only after He died?



This Encyclopedia continues by saying: "It is well attested that usually the suffering on the cross was very prolonged. It often lasted two or three days, when death would supervene [that is, occur] from exhaustion. There were no physical reasons why Christ should not have lived very much longer on the cross than He did."



The question is: Why did Christ die so soon?



We know from John's account that the two thieves crucified with Jesus died sooner than usual because their legs were broken (John 19:32). But Jesus was already dead when the soldiers came. What killed Him?



What does the a prophecy of God in Isaiah 53:7-8 teach us? It says how the Messiah should die. Here is the key verse in the Old Testament that tells us how Christ would die! "He," that is, Christ, "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."





Christ died for the sins of the world.



The New Testament tells us that if you hate your brother, you are a murderer. We read in the New Testament that Paul "breathed out threatenings and slaughter" (Acts 9:1). Paul wanted to kill Christians. Paul was responsible lot murder. But Christ died for Paul. Christ died to pay the penalty of the sin of murder.



Now notice what kind of a death expiates the sin of murder. Turn to Genesis, 9:6. Here is what we read: "Whoso sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."



It does not read: "Whoso shall shed man's blood shall die of a broken heart." The only way to expiate the sin of murder is through the shedding of blood.

How did Christ pay the penalty of those who have murdered and shed the blood of Christians.? Why, he died by taking on Himself the same penalty here that would otherwise have passed on the murderer. "Whoso sheds man's blood, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED." As Christ paid the penalty of murder instead of the murderers then Christ had to shed His blood to pay the penalty for that sin! It seems plain, then, that Christ died because blood poured from His body.



Matthew 27:45, "Then from midday until three o'clock in the afternoon darkness spread over all the land; and about three o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, exclaiming. 'Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'O My God! My God! to what have You forsaken Me?' And some of the bystanders, on heating that, remarked, 'He seems to call for Elijah.' And at once one from among them ran, and taking a sponge, filled it with sour wine; and placing it upon a cane, gave Him a drink. But the others called out, 'Let Him alone! Let us see whether Elijah will come and save Him!



Now notice carefully, verses 49 and 50:



"But another taking a spear pierced His side, when blood and water came out. Jesus, however, having again called out with a loud voice, resigned His spirit."





Medical experts, historians and archaeologists have examined in detail the execution that Jesus Christ voluntarily endured. All agree that he suffered one of the most gruelling and painful forms of capital punishment ever devised by man. Here is a brief summary of some of the things we know about his last hours from history, archaeology and medicine�

Jesus had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Even before the crucifixion began, he clearly had physical symptoms associated with severe stress. The night before the execution, his disciples reported seeing Jesus in �agony� on the Mount of Olives. Not only did he not sleep all night, but he seems to have been sweating profusely. So great was the stress that tiny blood vessels were rupturing in his sweat glands and emitting as great red drops that fell to the ground (see Luke 22:44). This symptom of severe stress is called hematohidrosis. (Learn more�)

Jesus was physically exhausted and in danger of going into shock unless he received fluids (which he apparently did not). This is the man that the Roman soldiers tortured.

Having previously been beaten by the Jews, it was now the Romans' turn. The beatings administered by Roman soldiers are well known to be very bloody, leaving lacerations all over the body. Romans designed their whips to cut the flesh from their victim's bodies. These beatings were designed to be painful to the extreme. It would also cause a fluid build up around his lungs. In addition, a crown of thorns was forced into his scalp which was capable of severely irritating major nerves in his head, causing increasing and excruciating pain, as the hours wore on.

In Christ's severely stressed condition, these beatings were easily enough to kill him. His body was horribly bruised, cut and bleeding. Having had no nourishment for many hours, and having lost fluids through profuse sweating and much bleeding, Jesus would have been severely dehydrated. This brutal torture would certainly be sending him into what doctors call �shock,� and shock kills.

In addition, Jesus was forced to carry the the wooden beam on which he would die. Imagine the effect of carrying a heavy weight if you were in that condition.

Hung completely naked before the crowd, the pain and damage caused by crucifixion were designed to be so devilishly intense that one would continually long for death, but could linger for days with no relief.

According to Dr. Frederick Zugibe, piercing of the median nerve of the hands with a nail can cause pain so incredible that even morphine won't help, �severe, excruciating, burning pain, like lightning bolts traversing the arm into the spinal cord.� Rupturing the foot's plantar nerve with a nail would have a similarly horrible effect.

Furthermore, the position of the body on a cross is designed to make it extremely difficult to breathe.

Frederick Farrar described the intended, torturous effect: �For indeed a death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death can have of horrible and ghastly�dizziness, cramp, thirst, starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, tetanus, shame, publicity of shame, long continuance of torment, horror of anticipation, mortification of untended wounds�all intensified just up to the point at which they can be endured at all, but all stopping just short of the point which would give to the suffer the relief of unconsciousness.�

One doctor has called it �a symphony of pain� produced by every movement, with every breath; even a slight breeze on his skin could bring screaming pain at this point.

Medical examiner, Dr. Frederick Zugibe, believes Christ died from shock due to loss of blood and fluid, plus traumatic shock from his injuries, plus cardiogenic shock causing Christ's heart to fail.

James Thompson believed that Jesus did not die from exhaustion, the beatings or the 3 hours of crucifixion, but that he died from agony of mind producing rupture of the heart. His evidence comes from what happened when the Roman soldier pierced Christ's left side. The spear released a sudden flow of blood and water (John 19:34). Not only does this prove that Jesus was already dead when pierced, but Thompson believes it is also evidence of cardiac rupture. Respected physiologist Samuel Houghton believed that only the combination of crucifixion and rupture of the heart could produce this result.

There is no question that it was painful beyond words.

Biblically, it is clear that Jesus chose and willed His moment of death. That moment was induced not by pain, emotional stress, heart attack, or any other, but by His will. Though fully human, He is also fully divine. As God, He could not die from external sources, but only of His own volition and will.

Near the end, a criminal beside him mocked, �If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.� Little did this sinner know that the man he was speaking to hung there voluntarily. He was speaking to our Creator, capable of releasing all the power in the universe and beyond, and easily saving himself. Jesus remained in this agony and shame, not because he was powerless, but because of his incredible love for humanity. He suffered to provide the needed way of salvation for you and me.

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