Concept But Genius

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ stands as one of the most brutal and sorrowful events in human history. It marks the culmination of a life lived in perfect obedience to God, yet ending in betrayal, injustice, and intense suffering. While much Christian theology emphasizes Christ’s willing sacrifice, it’s important to examine another perspective — one that emphasizes the sheer violence inflicted upon Him by others and the physical and emotional agony He endured. From being beaten and mocked, to carrying His own cross and being hung on a tree, Jesus was forcibly subjected to one of the cruelest deaths imaginable.

The Arrest and Immediate Abuse

The events leading up to the crucifixion began in the Garden of Gethsemane. After a time of deep prayer and anguish, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and arrested by Roman soldiers and temple guards. According to the Gospels, Jesus was “sorrowful and troubled,” even saying, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He prayed fervently for another way: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39). This plea reveals the depth of His human dread regarding what was to come.

Despite His willingness to obey the Father’s will, Jesus was not seeking this torment. He did not desire torture or death; He submitted to it, but the suffering was not something He sought for its own sake. His arrest was forceful, humiliating, and unjust. Though He did not resist, He was treated like a criminal. This was the beginning of a chain of events that included physical and emotional abuse, all carried out by men determined to destroy Him.

Beaten and Humiliated

Following His arrest, Jesus was taken to the high priest’s house where He was subjected to false accusations. He was struck, spat upon, blindfolded, and mocked. The Gospel of Matthew tells us, “Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and said, ‘Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?’” (Matthew 26:67–68).

This abuse was not merely punishment; it was meant to degrade. It was an attempt to strip Him of His dignity and identity. Even before being handed over to the Romans, Jesus was already experiencing deep physical pain and public shame. The Jewish leaders who arrested Him had no legal grounds to execute Him, so they sent Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, accusing Him of claiming to be a king — a political threat to Rome.

The Roman Scourging: Torture Before the Cross

Pilate, unsure of what to do with Jesus, ordered Him to be scourged — a Roman punishment so severe that many victims died from the flogging alone. The whip used, known as the flagrum, was embedded with pieces of bone and metal, designed to rip flesh from the body.

Jesus was tied to a post and flogged repeatedly, His back torn open, His body left in ruins. Roman soldiers took the opportunity to further mock Him. They placed a crown of thorns on His head, pressed it down until the thorns pierced His scalp, draped a purple robe over His bleeding shoulders, and sarcastically hailed Him as “King of the Jews.”

He was then spat upon, struck with a staff, and ridiculed — a broken man before the crucifixion even began. The cruelty was deliberate. The soldiers did not see Him as the Son of God or even as a man worth pity. They saw Him as an object of scorn.

Forced to Carry His Own Cross

After the brutal flogging, Jesus was forced to carry the very instrument of His execution — the wooden crossbeam — through the streets of Jerusalem. This was standard Roman practice: condemned criminals were made to carry their own crosses to the place of execution as a final act of humiliation and suffering.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus, weakened from the beatings and scourging, struggled under the weight of the cross. At one point, the soldiers compelled a man named Simon of Cyrene to help carry it (Luke 23:26). This moment captures the physical exhaustion and frailty of Christ’s human body. He had no strength left, yet He was still pushed to the limit.

The streets were lined with people, some weeping, others jeering. Jesus, bloodied and exhausted, bore the shame and pain of a condemned man — stripped of all human dignity. This was not a peaceful procession; it was a violent parade toward death.

The Crucifixion: Hung on a Tree

Finally, Jesus reached Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. There, He was nailed to the cross — His hands and feet pierced through with iron spikes. The cross was lifted and set into place, leaving Him to hang in agony, exposed to the elements, the crowd, and the weight of His own body pulling on the nails.

The Apostle Peter would later write, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24), and Paul referenced the Old Testament when he said, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). The cross was more than a method of execution — it was a symbol of disgrace. To be hung on a tree was to be cursed, rejected, and reviled.

The mocking continued even as He hung dying. Passersby shouted, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself!” (Matthew 27:42). The soldiers cast lots for His clothing, indifferent to His suffering. He was offered sour wine, a bitter drink meant to prolong the pain. Above His head, a sign read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” — meant to be both a charge and a cruel joke.

A Death Inflicted by Others

Though Christian doctrine teaches that Jesus submitted to the Father’s will, it is undeniable that from a human perspective, Jesus was forced into this death. He was arrested against His will, tried unjustly, beaten without cause, mocked without mercy, and crucified by human hands. The religious leaders, Roman authorities, and the jeering crowd played roles in orchestrating and carrying out His execution.

Jesus did not desire the cruelty He endured. He prayed for another way. And yet, He did not resist. He did not call down angels or fight back. This does not mean He wanted the suffering — only that He endured it. His death was not a suicide, nor was it a passive fading away. It was an execution — brutal, public, and deliberate.

He was stripped of everything, including the comfort of His Father’s presence. In His final moments, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). This cry captures the depth of His suffering — spiritual abandonment layered on top of physical and emotional torment.

Why Does This Matter?

Understanding the forced and violent nature of Christ’s crucifixion highlights the injustice and cruelty of human sin. It also magnifies the depth of Jesus’ love — not a love that chased suffering, but a love that endured it for the sake of others.

Seeing the crucifixion as something done to Jesus — rather than something He simply allowed — helps us comprehend the full weight of the sacrifice. It wasn’t sterile or symbolic. It was real blood, real pain, real humiliation. Jesus was treated as less than human, crushed by those He came to save.

Conclusion

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was not a peaceful or dignified death. It was a savage act, forced upon Him by those filled with hatred, fear, and political ambition. He was beaten, mocked, stripped, crowned with thorns, scourged, and made to carry His own cross. Then, like a criminal, He was hung on a tree — exposed and condemned.

Though He submitted to the will of God, from a human standpoint, Jesus was the victim of violent injustice. His suffering was not only redemptive but also deeply tragic. He bore not just the sins of the world, but also the full weight of human cruelty. In doing so, He entered fully into the pain of this world — and through that pain, offered hope.