06-29-2008, 10:20 PM
markt Wrote:Hi Dave, thanks for all that! As you can possibly see, I came at this subject with a filter on! i.e. I have always been taught about the 'torture stake', the pole, in the contexts of wood standing up or up-stand as in 'stauros'. Having learned 'to prove all things' I found the book on Ruach Qadim to absolutely magnify and make clearer the scriptures I was having difficulty understanding! A little more probing and here we are (or here I am). While the above contributions have made my search (research) clearer they have not in a complete and infallible proof sense, if you get my drift? When I read from the Greek stauros as impale, I find it difficult to imagine how? Also, when all those poor souls were impaled on trees (6000) (on the Appian Way) did they use cross pieces?
Shalom,
Mark
Hi Mark:
The first thing that comes to me when I think of being impaled on a stake is the ignonimous position of "butt first". This excruciating position would not require nails. The sharpened stake needs nothing but to be fixed in a vertical position. Gravity does the rest. The internal organs would become infected by the released contents of the punctured bowel. The heart and lungs would not be affected till much later, but each drawn breath would only intensify the agony. Crying out would bring no relief from the excruciating pain. The body would eventually go into shock and death would follow in it's own time. The effect? A strong deterrent to would be malefactors. The Romans were probably very conservative in their use of torture implements. Why use nails if you can use the butt end of a stick, so to speak. Our LORD and Saviour was crucified with nails driven through both of his horizontally outstretched hands while conservatively, only one nail was needed for his feet. Why nails? They were needed because there was a horizontal cross-piece with a hole in the centre which sat on a narrowed end of the virtical member. Why was a nail needed for his feet? It was so he would not suddenly asphyxiate if he could not raise his body to release the crushing pressure on his diaphram. Our Saviour died prematurely while the other two needed their legs broken so they could die quickly.
The crucifixion of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ was done in haste. A stake, if it was an option, would not have allowed for a quick death. The stake, in my opinion was used when death was to be prolonged.
Kindly,
Stephen
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