STRIPES OF JESUS

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” -Isaiah 53:5.

So many are times when we hear people say that Jesus received 39 stripes. I always find it difficult to understand because there is actually no biblical reference that specifically records this. So where do these people, men of God included, get this from? When they say that Jesus received 39 stripes, I have come to the conclusion that they do so only by inference.

I do not have the foggiest idea where the tale began. But it comes from the fact that Jews could only beat other Jews 39 times with a whip or lash. However, Christ was not scourged by other Jews. His scourging took place at the hands of sadistic Roman soldiers.

The Bible records in 2 Corinthians 11:24 that the Apostle Paul says, "Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one." Of course, mathematically, that amounts to 39 but why not just say "thirty-nine" rather than a "forty lashes less one"?

When Paul mentioned forty less one, he was alluding to the Jewish law that limits the maximum lashes imposed as a penalty to forty stripes only. This is commanded in Deuteronomy 25:1-3 that "If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight."

The Jews were very legalistic and since there is a commandment that 40 was the maximum that any man could receive, they were always very careful not to exceed this punishment. The sentencing judge or a witness would count the strikes as they fell; and in case someone made a mistake they stopped at 39 so as to never risk breaking the Lord's commandment. Maybe this is why Paul said "forty lashes less one" or thirty-nine and we often infer this number to the lashes that Jesus received.

“Those who arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled.” (Matthew 26:57). After Jesus’ arrest, he must have been in their custody all night because the Bible records that early the next morning, all the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sahendrin, reached a decision to put Jesus to death. So they had him bound and led him away to the palace of the Roman governor to hand him over to Pilate. (See Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66 and John 18:28)

The religious leaders had to persuade the Roman government to sentence Jesus to death because they did not have the authority to do it themselves. At that time the Romans had taken away the Jews’ right to inflict capital punishment. Politically, it looked better for the religious leaders anyway if someone else was responsible for killing Jesus. They wanted the death to appear Roman-sponsored so the crowds couldn’t blame them. The Jewish leaders had arrested Jesus on theological grounds - blasphemy.  Because this would be thrown out of a Roman court, they had to come up with something, a political reason for Jesus’ death. Their strategy was to show Jesus as a rebel who claimed to be a king and thus a threat to Caesar. Also, the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus to be executed on the cross, a method of death that they believed brought a curse from God (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). They hoped to persuade the people that Jesus was cursed, and not blessed by God.

Pilate was the Roman governor for the region of Samaria and Judea from A.D. 26-36. Jerusalem was located in Judea. Pilate himself was not popular, but the religious leaders had no other way to get rid of Jesus than to go to him. Ironically, when Jesus, a Jew, came before him for trial, Pilate found him innocent. He could not find a single fault in Jesus, nor could he contrive one. Rather, he was more concerned about political expediency than about doing what was right. He actually had no good excuse to condemn Jesus, but he was afraid of the crowd (Matthew 27:19-26, John 19:12). So instead of making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus (Matthew 27:24).

Now, let us look at a blow by blow account of the bruises, slaps and strike- the wounds or stripes he endured, recorded in the Bible. We see in John 18:22 that “When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face.”  Also in Matthew 26:67 "Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him". Pilate, the Roman governor, after releasing a murderer and hardened criminal called Barabbas to the Jews, he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified in order to satisfy the crowds (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1). “They spit on him, they took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.” (Matthew 27:30. See also Mark 15:19)

All I know is that Jesus was scourged by the Romans (Matthew 26:27, Mark 15:15). The Roman scourge was in its time regarded as one of the most painful punishments a man could receive. Heavy bleeding would result and unless the strikes were limited, a man would die from blood loss and physical trauma. Jesus would have been disfigured when he received his stripes. The spot where he was beaten would have been slick with his blood. By the time He carried the cross, his body would have been so badly cut that even bone would have been exposed through his minced flesh.

The Romans were not guided by the Jewish laws but by their own. Remember, the Jews were under their authority. So they don’t care what the Jewish laws prescribe in Deuteronomy 25:1-3 about beating an offender. So they beat Jesus as long and as many times as they liked and felt satisfied with.

I am sure all these things happened so that a once upon an unbeliever like me could see that it was only Jesus that could do what he did in order for me to be saved. If it was just 39 stripes that was inflicted on Jesus, then any Jew could have done it; countless number of them were beaten that way and still went about their businesses later. Even Paul reported in 2 Corinthians 11:24 that he was beaten that way 5 (five) times, not once. And by that standard, can we then say Paul was greater than Jesus Christ? No way! The kind of beating that I believe Jesus received could not be endured by anyone else. I am sure that Paul would have died from the pains and wounds before he even laid his eyes on the cross let alone die on it.

Frankly, I don't see anywhere in the scripture that Jesus actually received 39 stripes but I do know that whatever the number he endured; it was more painful than anything I can ever imagine. I know that what he bore for us was more than enough to cover every one of our past, present and even future sins. He bore it all, everything, and he has redeemed us from every curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). I know that by those stripes, we are healed (1 Peter 2:24). It is complete. It is done. Accomplished... and we can never thank Him enough.

Remember the reason for Easter. That Jesus was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. He died and on the third day he arose and reigns forever. “He is not here; for he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”-Matthew 28:6. So do not let this season pass away without you taking advantage of the salvation it brings.

NOTE:

YOUR REACTION IS QUITE WELCOME. AND PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR HELP HAS SCRIPTURAL BASIS TO INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOUNG CHRISTIANS LIKE ME.