Does the Bible say that Jesus' feet were nailed?
2007-12-04 06:13:19 · 10 answers · asked by Jereme K 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Roman empire used crucifixion as a means of torture and humiliation. The cross-beam was fastened to an upright beam (or even a tree). The nails of crucified victims were regarded as some of the most powerful charms, or amulets, in the ancient world. Ordinary people prized them highly. So immediately after crucified victims were cut down from their crosses, the nails would be removed from their bodies.
In Israel in1968 archaeologists found the bones of a man who had been crucified. They found a rusty nail lodged in his ankle bone. This proves that at least one nail would have been used to pin the feet into position. Two nails would have been necessary to pin the arms into position. Some think Jesus' arms were positioned above his head but that would have resulted in very quick asphyxiation - and Jesus survived for 3 hours. So, we have the typical cross-beam to support both arms, and the feet against the upright.
Three nails, minimum. And no, the Bible does not specify the number of nails. Why do you ask?
2007-12-04 08:18:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
In a word, no!
Most of the answers above are good. Three nails, at least and no broken bones. Death by suffocation. Pain by lifting body with feet and arms to allow breathing, hanging painful to but more pain when getting a breath. Broken legs (the two thieves) meant no possibility of breathing.
We don't know about the whip which was used or the thorns in the crown from the bible, but we can get ideas from history.
2007-12-11 20:46:40 · answer #2 · answered by jemhasb 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, the bible does not tell its readers the number of nails used to impale Jesus.
There is some reason to believe more than one nail was used for the impalement of Jesus, although some scholars suggest that Thomas intended to pluralize merely the number of imprints (one in each hand), rather the number of instruments used to create them.
...(John 20:25) [Thomas] said to them: “Unless I see in [Jesus'] hands the print of the nails... I will certainly not believe.”
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979, Volume 1, page 826) comments: “The exact number of nails used...has been the subject of considerable speculation. In the earliest depictions of the crucifixion Jesus’ feet are shown separately nailed, but in later ones they are crossed and affixed to the upright with one nail.”
The questioner's secondary question reminds one that there is a long tradition of depicting Jesus' feet as also being nailed to the stake. There is strong Scriptural support for this tradition.
...(Luke 24:38-39) [The resurrected Jesus] said to them: “Why...is it doubts come up in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see
...(Psalm 22:16) The assembly of evildoers themselves have enclosed me. Like a lion they are at [literally "bored into" according to LXXVg] my hands and my feet
It is actually quite interesting to recognize just how limited the details are concerning the instruments of Christ's impalement. For example, the bible does not even offer proof that the torture stake was a cross of two intersecting beams. The actual facts of the bible may be enlightening to examine...
You may be interested to see how your own copy of the bible translates Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, and Acts 10:39. The King James, Revised Standard, Dyaglott, and Jerusalem Bible translate the instrument of Christ's death simply as "stake" or "tree" because the original wording simply does not support the idea that this was more than a piece of upright wood. The English word "cross" is an imprecise translation of the Latin word "crux". Note this image of crucifixion performed with a "crux simplex", such as seems to have been used to execute Jesus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Justus_Lipsius_Crux_Simplex_1629.jpg
It is also eye-opening to examine how the first-century Christians felt about idols of any kind, much less one that glorified an instrument of death.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/200604a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/20050508a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19960715/article_01.htm
2007-12-10 09:09:01 · answer #3 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the bible doesn't give a number,
Thomas said: "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails,"
So there were at least two nails used.
.
2007-12-04 06:50:56 · answer #4 · answered by TeeM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Where The Nails Were
2016-11-07 04:25:53 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, don't believe so.
But since Jesus was killed by the local politicians who used engineers to do it, the engineers would have used the principle of redundancy (two instead of one) meaning two nails for the two hands and feet (together) of Jesus meaning six nails total.
That was needed to pass the city code inspection for lawful executions paid for by Jerusalem taxpayers.
2007-12-04 06:19:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
It does say that the marks are in his hands and feet so i would guess that they where nailed...
2007-12-04 06:16:37 · answer #7 · answered by nik 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes 3
2007-12-04 06:15:49 · answer #8 · answered by glamour04111 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
one in each hand, feet together with one.
Peter is wrong- you need to re read the account- Jesus did not have any broken bones...
2007-12-04 06:25:00 · answer #9 · answered by Seeno†es™ 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes his feet and hands were nailed and his arms were broken
2007-12-04 06:17:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋