First, we take into consideration the time before the actual crucifixion, when at Gethsemane, we have been told Jesus prayed so hard that he began to sweat blood.It has been documented, that under great emotional stress, a person may have small capillaries in the sweat glands break, mixing blood with sweat. This could result in weakness, or shock.
Then, after his arrest, Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas the High Priest, to be questioned. There he was struck on the face and head and spat upon several times. This intense questioning lasted through the rest of the night.
The following morning, Jesus was condemned to scourging and crucifixion. Jesus was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were bound above his head to a post. The shortwhip to be used on him consisted of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached to the ends. This whip was used with full force, repeatedly across his shoulders, back and legs.
At first the heavy thongs cut the skin. Then, with repeated blows, the cuts are made deeper into the subcutaneous tissues. Blood oozes from the capillaries, veins, and even the arteries begin to spurt as the muscle tissue becomes injured. When the beating is finally stopped, Jesus' back was a mass of shredded skin and torn tissue.
Continuing to torment Jesus, the soldiers place a robe over his bleeding body, place a sceptor made of a twig in his hand, and a crown made of large-thorned branches on his head. And as his tormentors continued to strike Jesus, the thorns were driven deep into his head. His face was bleeding, and as they ripped the robe back off of him, the wounds on Jesus' back were reoppened, causing serious bloodloss.
Then a heavy, rough, crossbeam was placed across his shoulders and tied to Jesus' upperarms. As he is forced to begin the journey to Golgatha, Jesus staggers and falls. Through crowds of jeering people he is forced to move on. During one of his falls, a sympathetic woman comes to wipe his brow with a cloth. When it becomes apparent that he cannot carry the beam any futher, a man is summoned from the crowd to help him.
Upon Golgatha, the place of Jesus' crucifixion, the beam is lowered to the ground, pulling him backward roughly. Heavy wrought-iron nails are driven into his wrists, and then Jesus is lifted with the beam and hung upon the upright post. There, his feet were placed, left upon the right, and pierced, as they were also nailed to the cross. The method of crucifixion left Jesus' arms and legs bent, so as to allow the victim to push up with his legs in order to relieve the pulling of the bodyweight against the arms.
Thus, alternating the focus of the pain from wrists to feet, and creating much agonizing as the crucified tries to use what strength he has left to move. When the tortured muscles of the chest and shoulders can no longer endure the strain of the body's weight, it was very difficult to draw in a breath. So, one must push the body upward to fill the lungs with air.
Enduring hours of this torment, Jesus' muscles cramped voilently, his joints throbbed in pain, his torn flesh is rubbed back and forth upon the rough wood of the cross. Body fluids begin to gather around the heart tissue, and crowd it causing extreme chestpain. As his breathing grows more difficult and his heartbeat gets more laboured, Jesus gasps, "I thirst!" A sponge soaked in rancid wine, tasting like vinegar is lifted to his lips upon a long pole.
When death was immenant, Jesus lifted himself to gather one last breath. Then he cried out, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." And when Jesus grew silent and his body went limp. To be sure that he was truelly dead, the soldiers drove a lance deep into his ribs, piercing the chest and pericardium and heart. Blood and water gushed from Jesus' side.