Day 22    

John 19: 1

Flogging (John 19: 1)

There were three different forms of ‘flogging’ that could be imposed under Roman law.

fustigatio: A beating given for relatively light offences, delivered with severe warnings.
flagellatio: A brutal thrashing imposed for more serious offences.
verberatio: A terrible scourging, often associated with other punishments like crucifixion.

The prisoner to be flogged would be stripped and tied to a post so that his back was exposed. The instrument was a leather whip of several thongs, each thong fitted with pieces of lead and sharpened bone at various places along its length. In a province such as Judea, the punishment would be given by a soldier and the prisoner would be flogged until the soldier was exhausted or his officer called a halt.

In a straightforward way John states the facts and make no attempt to play on the emotions of his readers.