The Evidence

He Was Dead

Swoon theory says that Christ did not die but merely fainted from the physical and emotional trauma of the cross and later revived in the coolness of the tomb.  The evidence, however, conclusively argues against this speculation. 

The Testimony of Scripture states that Jesus died.

 “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jn. 19:30

The Actions of the Soldiers around the cross corroborate the claims. 

“The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. “Jn. 19:32-33

                The normal cause of death in crucifixion was suffocation.  The chest cavity would collapse under the hanging weight of the body.  In order to breathe, the victim would have to push up with the legs to a more erect position.  To hurry death, the legs would be broken, thus preventing the victim for being able to breathe.  Soldiers saw that Jesus was already dead, so they did not break His legs. 

Testimony of the Physiological data supports the fact of Christ’s death.

“Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”  Jn.19:34

                When the blood’s thicker plasma separates from the thinner serum, it is a sign of certain death. 

Actions of the Burial party indicate the certainty of Jesus’ death. 

“Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. [Greek: a hundred litrai (about 34 kilograms)] Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no-one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus there.”  Jn. 19:38-42

 

                Had there been any indication of life, those preparing Him for burial would have tried to revive Him.  Instead, they embalmed the body and placed it in the tomb.  According to the burial customs of that time, a corpse was wrapped tightly with cloth in which aromatic spices were interspersed.  This covered the stench of death and formed an adhesive seal around the body.  We are told that one hundred pound of aloes and myrrh were purchased for Christ’s burial.  The tightly wrapped clothes with the gummy spices formed a mummy like cocoon, as described in the account where Jesus raised Lazarus (Jn.11:44).