The True Image Of The Crucifixion (explicit picture, but ya'll should see))

I first saw a picture like this in my Jesus Through The Ages class here at Capital University.  We were going over a bunch of crucifix images, trying to differentiate the styles and what is being said about them.  Many images of the crucifix that you see are a white Jesus, hanging loosely on a cross, maybe with head bowed, six-pack abs, and neat, clean cut hair with a part down the middle.  Perky pecks.  Toned biceps and triceps.  Gorgeous thighs and calves.  Toned forearms.  Masculine chin.  Images of people trying to make Jesus look sexy.  This is the image that I've always seen and pictured Jesus as.....

Then I saw this.......

I got this image from Dr. Bryant here at Capital because I couldn't find it on the internet.  It's apparently from a church in Brazil.  

I can just feel the pain whenever I see this picture.  Just look at it!  I don't think the screaming is exaggerated, (even if the lack of fat and muscle looks as if it is).  Just look at the hand!  It's writhed in so much pain! 

Experiment time.  Take two ice cubes, and clench them tightly in each hand.  Now hold your arms out like you're on a cross.  Hold that for five minutes....Is it getting tough?  Probably.  Now imagine doing that for hours.  

When you're hanging on the cross, your body is contorted.  Your raised arms are scrunching your ribcage, which in turn is scrunching your lungs.  Try doing a pull-up.  It's hard to breath while you're in the up position right?  Imagine doing that for hours on end, just holding yourself up.  

But you can just hold yourself up by your feet, right? Jesus probably did, but in doing so, the legs would get tired very fast, thus causing the body to fall back, causing the weight on the hands (or wrists as many scholars now believe, since the nails would just rip through the hands).  

In many churches, if there is a picture of Jesus on the cross, it's what I described above.  Not so much with this picture.  When you walk into one of these churches, you see people walking up to each other and chatting about the week, how the kids were, how the job's going, etc.  When you walk into this church, things are different.  You see this image above the high alter and you feel humbled.  You won't be chatting with Tammy-Lou over on the other side of the sanctuary about her grandkid's choir concert.  You'd be sitting in the pew with head bowed.  

I almost start to cry when I see this picture.  Did this man, fully human, but yet fully God, really do this for me?  I can't imagine it!  I can't comprehend it!  I think we all need to be reminded what Christianity is about.  

What do you think about these images?