The Crucifixion: Nailing Christ to the Cross

Were Jesus’ bones dislocated?

In the book The Mystical City of God, author Sr. Mary of Ágreda recalls the Virgin Mary’s revelation of the events of Christ’s crucifixion. Our focus today is on how Jesus was nailed to the cross.

What do we know from the Gospels? Not too much as far as the specifics.

Matthew 27:35

35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots;

Mark 15:24 24 And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.

Luke 23:33 33 And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.

John 19:18 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

Not much detail to be certain. Historically, the nails of the period required pilot holes that were installed using an auger. After driving the nails through the victim and the wooden beams of the cross they would be bent over on the reverse side.

The Virgin Mary revealed the details to Sr. Mary: “671. In order to find the places for the auger-holes on the Cross, the executioners haughtily commanded the Creator of the universe, (O dreadful

temerity!), to stretch Himself out upon it. The Teacher of humility obeyed without hesitation. But they, following their inhuman instinct of cruelty, marked the places for the holes, not according to the size of his body, but larger, having in mind a new torture for their Victim. This inhuman intent was known to the Mother of light, and the knowledge of it was one of the greatest afflictions of her chastest heart during the whole Passion. She saw through the intentions of these ministers of sin and She anticipated the torments to be endured by her beloved Son when his limbs should be wrenched from their sockets in being nailed to the Cross. But She could not do anything to prevent it, as it was the will of the Lord to suffer these pains for men. When He rose from the Cross, and they set about boring the holes, the great Lady approached and took hold of one of his hands, adoring Him and kissing it with greatest reverence.”[i]

The Blessed Virgin Mary is forever teaching us through example. Here she’s able to see the actions and the plans of her Son’s tormentors and observing in quiet sorrow. Understanding that permitting this action was the will of her Son, and as painful as it was for her to observe, she did just that in the most holy way.

She continues, “672. Having bored the three holes into the Cross, the executioners again commanded Christ the Lord to stretch Himself out upon it in order to be nailed to it. The supreme and almighty King, as the Author of patience, obeyed, and at the will of the hangmen, placed Himself with outstretched arms upon the blessed wood.”[ii]

Sr. Mary refers to these things as “terrible and most hidden judgement of the Lord.” She’s right. And as you might imagine it gets worse, “673. Presently one of the executioners seized the hand of Jesus our Savior and placed it upon the auger-hole, while another hammered a large and rough nail through the palm. The veins and sinews were torn, and the bones of the sacred hand, which made the heavens and all that exists, were forced apart. When they stretched out the other hand, they found that it did not reach up to the auger-hole; for the sinews of the other arm had been shortened and the executioners had maliciously set the holes too far apart, as I have mentioned above. In order to overcome the difficulty, they took the chain, with which the Savior had been bound in the garden, and looping one end through a ring around his wrist, they, with unheard of cruelty, pulled the hand over the hole and fastened it with another nail. Thereupon they seized his feet, and placing them one above the other, they tied the same chain around both and stretched them with barbarous ferocity down to the third hole. Then they drove through both feet a large nail into the Cross. Thus the sacred body, in which dwelled the Divinity, was nailed motionless to the holy Cross, and the handiwork of his deified members, formed by the Holy Ghost, was so stretched and torn asunder, that the bones of his body, dislocated and forced from their natural position, could all be counted. The bones of his breast, of his shoulders and arms, and of his whole body yielded to the cruel violence and were torn from their sinews.

674. It is impossible for human tongue or words of mouth to describe the torments of our Savior Jesus and what He suffered on this occasion.”[iii]

Unimaginable pain suffering and yes cruelty.

Roman nails were very different in design from contemporary nails (see image - top is a Roman style forged nail, the middle is machine nail made centuries later and bottom is a modern nail made from wire).

There is a Biblical reference for elements of this event. Jesus himself delivers it from the Cross. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matt 27:46, Mark 15:34) We know that Christ was reciting a well-known piece of scripture, Psalm 22. His Jewish audience would have known immediately what he was referring to having studied and read the Psalms since childhood. When you read the Psalm the prophecy of the crucifixion is offered in great detail:

Psalm 22

“1 * My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? †

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

and by night, but find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 In you our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 To you they cried, and were saved;

in you they trusted, and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm, and no man;

scorned by men, and despised by the people.

7 All who see me mock at me,

they make mouths at me, they wag their heads; †

8 "He committed his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him,

let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;

you kept me safe upon my mother’s breasts.

10 Upon you was I cast from my birth,

and since my mother bore me you have been my God.

11 Be not far from me,

for trouble is near and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me,

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

13 they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax,

it is melted within my breast;

15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Yes, dogs are round about me;

a company of evildoers encircle me;

they have pierced my hands and feet–

17 I can count all my bones–

they stare and gloat over me;

18 they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots. †

19 But you, O LORD, be not far off!

O my help, hasten to my aid!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword,

my life from the power of the dog!

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion,

my afflicted soul from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brethren;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: †

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!

all you sons of Jacob, glorify him,

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or abhorred

the affliction of the afflicted;

and he has not hidden his face from him,

but has heard, when he cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD!

May your hearts live for ever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the LORD;

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before him.

28 For dominion belongs to the LORD,

and he rules over the nations.

29 Yes, to him shall all the proud of the earth bow down;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

and he who cannot keep himself alive.

30 Posterity shall serve him;

men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,

31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,

that he has wrought it.[iv]

I included the entire Psalm because I love it. It's also a good practice as not to take a verse out of context. What starts off as a question, a seeming break down of faith, concludes as a promise and as a bold statement. So, when you’re contemplating the Sorrowful Mysteries while praying your Rosary, recall that there may have been more great and still unknown sufferings that Our Lord offered up for our sake. Amen.

[i] Page 648 – Mystical City of God, Vol. III - The Transfixion

[ii] Page 649 – Mystical City of God, Vol. III - The Transfixion

[iii] Page 650 - Mystical City of God, Vol. III - The Transfixion

[iv] Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition