Stations of the Cross Series, Station #12, Friday, April 7th by Fr. Ben Daghir & Luke Daghir

[Pompeii]

One Thing, Jesus Christ.
Stations of the Cross Series, Station #12, Friday, April 7th by Fr. Ben Daghir & Luke Daghir

Editor's Note: Fr. Ben Daghir and Luke Daghir will have 14 articles based upon the stations of the cross. The 14th article will conclude on Easter Sunday.  

Article:
The 12th Station: Jesus dies on the cross.

Jesus is fully human and fully divine. Jesus’s humanity died on the cross, while His divinity did not. There is a 200 year-old theory termed the “Swoon Theory” which argues that Jesus never died humanly speaking. The theory is that Jesus passed out and then woke up days later in the tomb and then reappeared. The Swoon Theory completely undermines the love of Christ. It seeks to diminish the salvation which Christ has won for us to mere deception and avoidance of complete sacrifice. Paul tells us a different story, “[Jesus] humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philipians 2:8). 

What are the facts provided by both the New Testament and historians which point to Jesus’s death by crucifixion?

First, the Gospels and St. Paul’s letters confirm that Jesus was crucified and died. Paul’s letters were written around 55 AD. Second, even 1st century non-Christian sources point to Jesus’s crucifixion and death. Both the Roman historian, Tacitus, and the Jewish historian, Josephus, mention that Jesus was crucified. Both historians give further details of the crucifixion by mentioning the name of Pilate. 

Third, there are eyewitness testimonies. John was at the crucifixion. Even Luke mentions in his Gospel that he compiled a narrative from “those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning” (Luke 1:1-2). Fourth, the Gospel account mentions that a soldier thrusted his lance into the side of Jesus. The Roman soldiers had to break the legs of the two men crucified alongside Jesus in order to hasten death. However, John notes that Jesus had already died and, therefore, his legs were not broken. Instead, a lance was thrusted into his side which implies certainty of death. 

There is strong evidence, from both Christian and non-Christian sources, that Jesus died on the cross. Paul writes, “Because of this [the death of Jesus], God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philipians 2: 9-11). 

“We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you; because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

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Luke Daghir is a seminarian for the Diocese of Erie from St. Marys, Pa. He currently studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore.