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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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May 28, 2017
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Contents:
1) Facing and Undergoing the Torment of the Cross (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Facing and Undergoing the Torment of the Cross
Tom Edwards
Though God in human flesh (Jn. 1:1,14; Matt. 1:23), yet Jesus was
not exempt from the human frailness of that flesh. For He still
became “hungry” (Matt. 4:2), “thirsty” (Jn. 19:28), “wearied” (Jn.
4:6), “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:
15) — and He could feel pain! But exchanging His glorious heavenly
“form” for an inferior human body was necessary “because of the
suffering of death...so that by the grace of God He might taste
death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9); and “...that through death He might
render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
and might free those who through fear of death were subject to
slavery all their lives” (vv. 14,15).
In realizing what Jesus was up against in facing and undergoing the
cross, we should be able to better appreciate the determination He
had in going to that extreme to carry out His Father's will. Paul
also speaks of this in Philippians 2:8, when saying that Jesus
“...humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, EVEN
DEATH ON A CROSS” (emphasis mine). Of all the ways to die, being
nailed to a cross to suffer for hours in excruciating torment would
be a most difficult way to go. Yet, the Lord willingly went through
with it! And this He indicates in John 10:17,18: "For this reason
the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take
it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My
own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My
Father." It is also in this same chapter that Jesus says of
Himself, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His
life for the sheep” (v. 11).
Prior to His crucifixion, just the mere thought of it had led to an
inner torment for the Son of God. For instance, on the night of His
betrayal, only hours away from being severely scourged and nailed to
the cross, Jesus “began to be very distressed and troubled. And He
said to them, 'My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death...'”
(Mark 14:33,34). He, therefore, “went a little beyond them,
and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible,
the hour might pass Him by” (v. 35). Three times He prayed
concerning this: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from
Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:43). The Hebrew
writer also speaks of the Lord's impassioned appeals to His Father
when “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and
supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him
from death, and He was heard because of His piety” (Heb. 5:7).
Notice, too, what Luke's account brings out about this time in the
garden: “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His
sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground”
(Luke 22:44).
Various versions refer to this sweat as being “like” drops of blood.
But could that be said because it was not 100% blood, but a somewhat
mixture of blood with sweat? If so, and which various scholars
agree, it is then indicating that Jesus was actually experiencing
hematidrosis, which is also sometimes written as
hemathidrosis,” “hematohidrosis” and “hemidrosis.” It is defined as
“a condition in which capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat
glands rupture, causing them to exude blood, occurring under
conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress” (Dr. Frederick
Zugibe). Only in the gospel of Luke, who was a physician, is mention
made of the Lord's sweat becoming “like drops of blood.” According
to Segen's Medical Dictionary, Hematidrosis is “An extremely rare
condition characterized by the sweating of blood, which is said to
occur when a person is facing death or other highly stressful
events. It has been seen in prisoners before execution and occurred
during the London Blitz. ... Hematohidrosis is attributed to rupture
of the capillaries surrounding sweat glands, with oozing of blood
into the glands and out the sweat ducts.”
As we had previously seen, Jesus was under extreme pressure while
realizing His crucifixion was just hours away. And something else
that indicates that, which we might have failed to take into
consideration, is that it was not an overly warm night that was
causing all that sweating. For just the opposite was true! It
was a night cold enough for the need of warmth, as seen in John
18:18: “Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having
made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming
themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming
himself.”
So could it be that it was “like” drops of blood because it was not
100% blood; but, rather, would have been a slight mixture of blood
to the sweat, which then gave it a bloody appearance?
Another effect from hematidrosis is that it causes the skin to
become “extremely tender and fragile” and, thus, even more sensitive
toward pain. So that would certainly intensify the suffering on a
cross also!
And what else would make the suffering even more difficult?
Would it not be the prior flogging that was carried out most
severely? According to Unger’s Bible Dictionary, “Crucifixion
was preceded by scourging with thongs, to which were sometimes added
nails, pieces of bone, etc., to heighten the pain, often so intense
as to cause death.”
Incidentally, the word “excruciating,” which we use to express a
most intense pain or torture, has its etymology around A.D. 1560-70
from the Latin “excruciatus,” which is a past participle of excruciare
and means “to torment, torture.” The root of that word, “cruciare,”
is derived from crux, which means “cross” (Webster's Random
House College Dictionary). So, again, we see the cross in connection
with extreme pain.
We recall that after the Lord’s scourging, He was initially the One
who was “bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a
Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha” (Jn. 19:17).
According to the custom of that time, it would not have been
the entire cross, which might weigh over 300 pounds, but just the
upper crossbeam that would be carried, and with the upright portion
of the cross already in the ground where it would permanently
remain. But even that lighter crossbeam, which could be from
about 75 to 125 pounds (New World Encyclopedia), Jesus was not able
to continue carrying, due to the intense scourging, loss of blood,
and physical weakness it had led to. So Simon of Cyrene was
“pressed into service” to bear the Lord’s cross (Matt. 27:32).
Simon was “a passer-by coming from the country” (Mark 15:21), and
they “placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus” (Luke 23:26).
About 1,000 years prior to the Lord's crucifixion, the means of His
death was already indicated in prophecy. Numerous verses in Psalm 22
foretell the crucifixion scene. And though at that time the Law of
Moses spoke of execution by the sword (Exod. 32:27,28), by fire
(Lev. 21:9), and by stoning (Lev. 20:2), yet Psalm 22:16 indicates
the future way that Jesus would be executed: “For dogs have
surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced
my hands and my feet.”
Herodotus, the “father of history,” who was born about 484 B.C. and
a contemporary of Socrates, speaks of crucifixion as originating
with the Persians (Hist. i.128.2; iii. 132.2, 159.1). The
Britannica Encyclopedia states that “In 519 BC Darius I, king of
Persia, crucified 3,000 political opponents in Babylon.”
Rome’s use of crucifixion, which they picked up and “perfected” from
the Persians, is said to have not been until the first century B.C.
But, as we have seen, God knew even before the world began how
Jesus would be put to death and the events surrounding that.
So may the Lord's willingness to submit to such extreme agony in
order that an atonement could be made for every lost soul cause us
to realize even more the great love that God has for us and His
desire for all to be saved! By His death, Jesus made it
possible that our greatest need, which is the forgiveness of sins,
can be met! And that must have been one of the reasons why the
Hebrew writer says about Christ that “for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). Jesus’ love for
us could not be hindered even though it would involve torturous
sufferings! He loved us that much — and still does!
(All Scriptures from the NASB.)
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"But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed
for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone
astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has
caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and
He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is
led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its
shearers, So He did not open His mouth" (Isa. 53:5-7, NASB).
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-2-
News & Notes
Folks who can use prayer:
Lexi Crawford had to be moved back into the hospice house
Saturday morning. It was said yesterday afternoon that “She
has been unresponsive for the past day and a half as far as eating,
drinking, and taking meds.” Prayer is requested for this
difficult time.
Randy Bartlett (Danny's brother) will be having surgery this
Tuesday, pertaining to his kidney.
Carole Drain had a biopsy done last Thursday for three
nodules on her thyroid, and is to hear the results this coming
Thursday. The possibility of it being malignant is very slim:
only 1% chance for those who have not had cancer before, and a 5%
chance for those who have. Still, we want to keep her in prayer.
Shirley Davis will be having several doctors’ appointments in
June and still has two more to go in May — for this coming Tuesday
and Wednesday. From her right shoulder to her elbow and also in her
legs, she has been experiencing some pain, due to her recent
fall. It has also made it a little awkward for her in using
that arm.
Judy Daugherty is doing better, following her heart surgery,
and is now undergoing physical therapy.
Let us also continue to remember the following in prayer: Ronald
Renfrow, Mary Lou Prevatt, Misty Thornton, Gary Cradick, Kay
Byars, Jim Lively, Mary Vandevander, Kelli Fleeman, Michelle
Rittenhouse, Rachael Gerbing, LaDonna Andrews, Buddy Gornto, Sunny
Nichols, Billy Lowe, Tom Haney and his wife.
WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/the-gospel-observer-may-28-2017/
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17;
John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark
16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living for the Lord; for, if not,
salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m.
(worship)
Tuesday: 7 p.m. (Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel Observer website with
pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go (Older version of Gospel Observer
website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)