Scourge and Cross

The scourging of Jesus by Pilate and the soldiers was delivered as punishment.

But Jesus accepted it as a means of purification; not for His sins, but for ours.

Scourge and Cross

A horse is whipped to make it run faster, a dog is beaten to hasten toilet-training, and other animals might be physically slapped around to force submission. Consequently as a punishment, scourging of humans is considered by modern society as barbaric and too degrading. Corporal punishment is banned in schools, prisons and the military, and frowned upon by society as rather kinky. As a punishment, deprivation of freedom is considered more in keeping with modern thought – freedom being highly valued by society.

Ritual scourging, however, is still used - not as punishment, but as a means of purification. It is a rite to rid the person of evil spirits and used to be part of exorcisms.

Even Jesus administered whipping to the traders and money-changers in the temple (John 2:14-16) to beat away their evil deeds. The market included the sale of doves for religious purposes and benefitting financially from Divine offices is wrong. (Commercially run gift-shops are still seen in today's cathedrals and churches.)

Other biblical references to scourging away evil include: Leviticus 19:20, Deuteronomy 22:18, 25:2-3, Proverbs 20:30, Job 30, Hebrews 12:6-10, Acts 7:57-60, 21:26-31. Religious flagellation may be administered by a priest or self-inflicted.

Religious scourging in the time of Jesus, however, was not for purification. The beating Jesus received prior to His crucifixion was the type meted out to animals to enforce submission. As a punishment, thirty-nine lashes were the norm because Jewish law stated that no more than forty lashes could be given. So 39 made sure the punishers were staying within the law. In Jesus' case, however, He was inflicted with 40 lashes to emphasize that the punishment was under Roman law and not Jewish law.

It was brutal and the scourge would have been a rod, chain or lash. Lashes were whips of rope or leather containing barbs, stones or nails. Jesus prophesised that He would be beaten (Matthew 20:19, Mark 10:34 and Luke 18:32). The first scourging of Jesus was before the death sentence was passed. It was inflicted by Pilate and probably severe in an attempt to satisfy the accusers and avoid any demand for further punishment.

On the Arms of Christ, the scourge is a reminder of the beating Jesus received (Matthew 27:26-30) and the incident is marked as a Station of the Cross. Jesus was beaten and then crucified to atone for our sins, as prophesised in Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24-25.

The scourging of Jesus by Pilate and the soldiers was delivered as punishment. But Jesus accepted it as a means of purification; not for His sins, but for ours.