Scourging, or whipping, is a corporal punishment. This form of punishment was common among the Jews. In Deuteronomy 25:1-3, judges were to justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. "Forty stripes (lashes) he (the judge) may give him, and not (to) exceed this" Forty, and no more.
There were two ways of whipping a man with a lash: one with thongs or whips made of rope ends or straps of leather, the other with rods or tree branches. Five times did Paul receive thirty-nine stripes from the Jews, 2 Corinthians 11:24. These beatings occurred in the Jewish synagogues and before the Jewish courts of judgment.
The whips with which these stripes were given consisted of three separate cords; each stroke counted as three stripes. Thirteen strikes made 39 stripes, beyond which the punishment never went. Paul also tells us that he was beaten with rods, namely, by the Roman lictors, at the command of the presiding magistrates.
This form of punishment would break almost anyone when administered even once—a strong man, possibly two or three times. But Paul was beaten five times and also struck with rods. This degree of punishment would bring most men to their knees, pleading for mercy and willing to acknowledge their crime or even one not committed. This form of excruciating pain will break the body down, as well as the will. It was for these reasons the Jews and the Romans used scourging.
But Paul did not break? No, he remained strong because of his faith in God. What is it that made Paul so strong? The Lord gave Paul a command to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles, so he remained under the protection of the Lord.
And what motivated Paul to continue? I have my thoughts on the subject. Paul had several experiences that hopefully none of us have ever had.
Galatians 1:16, Paul claims he did not confer with flesh and blood (man) but with the glorified Christ. He spoke with Him on the road to Damascus. But this is only part of his story. He claims,
2 Corinthians 12:1-5, to have been taken into the third heaven, where the Father and Son reign. He could not say if he was in the body or had an out-of-the-body experience, but there is one certainty: Paul was taken into the third heaven. He heard in heaven what he claims to be "Unspeakable words," which were not lawful for him or any other man to utter.
2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul writes that because of what he witnessed in heaven, he would have been "willingly rather be absent from his body (dead) and to be present with the Lord."
When Paul wrote the above, the Lord had already ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us.
So, whatever Paul heard and saw, God designed it specifically for him. So, Paul endured these many punishments at the hands of the Jews and Romans because he had witnessed in heaven what awaited him if he remained faithful. Thank God these unspeakable things await every devoted believer.
There were two ways of whipping a man with a lash: one with thongs or whips made of rope ends or straps of leather, the other with rods or tree branches. Five times did Paul receive thirty-nine stripes from the Jews, 2 Corinthians 11:24. These beatings occurred in the Jewish synagogues and before the Jewish courts of judgment.
The whips with which these stripes were given consisted of three separate cords; each stroke counted as three stripes. Thirteen strikes made 39 stripes, beyond which the punishment never went. Paul also tells us that he was beaten with rods, namely, by the Roman lictors, at the command of the presiding magistrates.
This form of punishment would break almost anyone when administered even once—a strong man, possibly two or three times. But Paul was beaten five times and also struck with rods. This degree of punishment would bring most men to their knees, pleading for mercy and willing to acknowledge their crime or even one not committed. This form of excruciating pain will break the body down, as well as the will. It was for these reasons the Jews and the Romans used scourging.
But Paul did not break? No, he remained strong because of his faith in God. What is it that made Paul so strong? The Lord gave Paul a command to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles, so he remained under the protection of the Lord.
And what motivated Paul to continue? I have my thoughts on the subject. Paul had several experiences that hopefully none of us have ever had.
Galatians 1:16, Paul claims he did not confer with flesh and blood (man) but with the glorified Christ. He spoke with Him on the road to Damascus. But this is only part of his story. He claims,
2 Corinthians 12:1-5, to have been taken into the third heaven, where the Father and Son reign. He could not say if he was in the body or had an out-of-the-body experience, but there is one certainty: Paul was taken into the third heaven. He heard in heaven what he claims to be "Unspeakable words," which were not lawful for him or any other man to utter.
2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul writes that because of what he witnessed in heaven, he would have been "willingly rather be absent from his body (dead) and to be present with the Lord."
When Paul wrote the above, the Lord had already ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us.
So, whatever Paul heard and saw, God designed it specifically for him. So, Paul endured these many punishments at the hands of the Jews and Romans because he had witnessed in heaven what awaited him if he remained faithful. Thank God these unspeakable things await every devoted believer.
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