Is it True that Jesus Received 39 Lashes from the Romans? A Historical Perspective

Table of Contents

Reflecting on the Scourging of Jesus

As a pastor, my heart trembles each time I meditate upon the harrowing ordeal our Lord Jesus underwent before His crucifixion mentioned in John 19:1. The Bible does not explicitly mention the exact number of lashes he endured. According to Deuteronomy 25:3, a felon should not receive more than forty strokes; hence, to avoid breaking the command unintentionally, 39 lashes were given, as practiced by the Jews. The Apostle Paul referred to this practice in 2 Corinthians 11:24.

However, we must remember that it was the Romans, not the Jews, who scourged Jesus. There’s no reason to assume that they followed Jewish tradition. The flogging was a directive by Pontius Pilate, it was not intended to kill Jesus, but to prelude the actual execution method, crucifixion.

Understanding the Suffering of Jesus

I shudder at the thought of the intense loathing it would require to cast an innocent man to such horrifying fate. Yet that’s exactly what the Jewish leaders and Pilate did, even though they knew of Jesus’s innocence. Further, the individual they consigned to whipping and crucifixion was, in fact, the Son of God. Unfortunately, the gruesome account of Jesus’s death and the immense torment He endured, which was prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 often gets overlooked due to its frequent reference in our discourses.

Jesus’ Sacrifice for Mankind

Regardless of the exact number of lashes, whether it was 39, 40, or more, it was an excruciatingly painful experience. But it served a profound purpose; it paved the way for the spiritual healing of those who believed. Isaiah compared humanity to a flock of wayward sheep, a portrayal of discord and peril. Yet all our sins were placed upon Jesus, as stated in Isaiah 53:6. Jesus, in his unfailing innocence, wisdom, and divine power, endured an undeserved, brutal death to save us, His flock. This too was prophesied by Jesus Himself in John 10:11, 15, 17–18.

The Depth of God’s Love

Jesus chose to bear our punishment, and the Father sent Him to the cross. This was all part of the divine plan to save all believers and, through Jesus’ wounds, to demonstrate the severe nature of our sin and the extent of His love.