The act of crucifixion was undeniably gruesome. But how accurate are the classic portrayals of the crucifixion by artists like Michelangelo? Can science confirm our traditional assumptions behind one of Christianity's defining moments?
This Easter Sunday, March 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the National Geographic Channel goes on a "Quest for Truth" with the world premiere special "The Crucifixion."
Jesus of Nazareth died a terrible death on the cross, and his crucifixion later came to stand as a symbol of religious faith. But do we know the real story behind his suffering and death? Can we ever know the truth of the passion? Was the actual shape of the cross the same as the one familiar to millions of Christians worldwide?
"It's not just the kind of thing you can read in an ancient book," said Jonathan Reed, a leading authority on the archaeology of early Christianity featured in the special. "You have to experiment with it ... you have to talk to experts in carpentry and in medicine and then begin to shape a picture of what happened in antiquity."
"Quest for Truth: The Crucifixion" examines the facts using historical evidence and scientific experiments to learn more about Jesus' crucifixion and death. Our images of the crucifixion actually originate in the art of the Middle Ages. In fact, one of the first known icons portraying Jesus on the cross dates from about 430 A.D. and shows Jesus on the cross with no nails in his feet. Only later did artists show Jesus nailed to the cross through both his hands and feet. In fact, there's only one hint in the Bible that Jesus was nailed -- in the story of doubting Thomas, who is told by the other disciples that Jesus has risen.
Using corpses in a grim experiment, French doctor Pierre Barbet demonstrated in the 1930s that it was unlikely that nails could support the weight of the human body. But was he accurate in his experiments? And was crucifixion a method of pure torture? According to Reed, "Roman crucifixion sort of hits the fine balance between maximum pain and maximum length of time that you endure that pain."
And what about the shape of the cross? Was it a traditionally shaped Latin cross or a flat-topped "T" shape? And could Jesus have carried the weight of a traditional cross through the streets of Jerusalem? Using a wooden beam carved by hand from the hills outside Jerusalem, scientists test the theory that Jesus carried his own cross.
The film also features Dr. Frederick Zugibe, a pathologist and medical examiner, who has studied the crucifixion for more than 50 years, and has built the only medical lab in the world that contains a crucifix. Using a volunteer whose hands are tied to a cross, Dr. Zugibe tests the theory that Jesus may have died from asphyxiation -- as many have theorized -- with surprising results. Could the shock of nails going through the major nerves in the palm of the hand could be enough to kill a person? Could that account for the mystery of the final hours of the life of Jesus?
Source: National Geographic Channel
FloydMar 28th, 2005 - 00:40:23
Great job by this National Geographic team.This is a great documentary on the method of crucifixion as it ways employed by the Romans.Vary well done!Ihope they bring this one out on DVD SOON,IT'S A KEEPER!
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