CHAPTER TENSYMPATHY FOR JESUS
God works in a mysterious way. He inspires the soldiers to think
that the victim is “ dead already” so as not to break his legs,
but at the same time inspires another to lance him on the side'
with a spear, and ..... FORTHWITH came there out blood and water.
(HOLY BIBLE) )ohn 19:34
It is a Blessing of God that when the human body cannot endure
further pain or agony, unconsciousness supervenes. But im
mobility, fatigue and the unnatural stance on the cross2 must
have slowed down the blood circulation. The lancing came to the
rescue. By “blood-letting”, the circulation could regain its rhythm.
We are assured in the Encyclopedia Biblica, under the article
“ cross,” column 960, that “ Jesus was alive when the spear
was thrust.” This also confirms the statement of ]ohn that' the
flow of “ water and blood” was instantaneous. In his own
words he says: “FORTHWITH” — straightaway, immediately,
which was a sure sign that Jesus was ALIVE!
But why the “Water and the Blood?” Dr. W.B. Primrose, a senior
anaesthetist of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, gave his expert
opinion. In the “ Thinkers Digest,” London, winter 1949 issue,
he said that “THE WATER WAS A RESULT OF THE NERVOUS
UPSET OF THE BLOOD VESSELS LOCALLY DUE TO THE OVER-
STIMULATING EFFECT OF THE SCOURGING BY STAVES." This
may be an extreme case, but so was his sweating, like “ great
drops of blood, falling down to the ground,” when Jesus
was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Medical authorities
also confirm the latter phenomenon.
1, The “side” of his body and not the front.- See page 239 for illustration reproduced from “A Campus Crusade” publication where a
“born-again” cultist after 1000 hours study of the cruei-FICTION is inspired to draw
thaji caricature of |esus.