so that it extended above the head. This sign with its staff nailed to the top of the cross would have given it somewhat the characteristic form of the Latin cross." 16The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia article continues:The suffering of death by crucifixion was intense. In addition to exposure to the weather and insects (and sometimes animals), the body suffered from the intensifying damage of the wounds and from the stretching caused by the strained position. Some think that headache and convulsions added to the agony. The ultimate cause of death has been debated; generally it is considered the result of gradual suffocation brought about by fatigue. The length of this agony was wholly determined by the constitution of the victim and the extent of the prior flogging, but death was rarely seen before thirty-six hours had passed. . . . Death was sometimes hastened by breaking the legs of the victims. . . 17The Suffering and Death of Jesus ChristWe will now review the final hours of Jesus' life, starting with the conclusion of His last Passover and ending with His burial. Scriptural quotations are used to describe the flow of events. Intermixed with these Bible verses, are quotations from the article A Physician Testifies About the Crucifixion by Dr. C. Truman Davis.20 In his article, Dr. Davis describes what Jesus physically experienced during these final hours.The Passover service ends with a final hymn. Jesus and his disciples depart for the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. Time: Tuesday night 9:00 pm21 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for there mission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I d...
