Scourging
Summary
A severe form of corporal punishment involving beating with whips or rods, prescribed in Mosaic law and commonly practiced by both Jews and Romans.
☩Jewish Practice
Under Mosaic law, scourging was prescribed for certain offenses including fornication and other crimes. The law limited punishment to forty stripes maximum, though in practice Jews restricted it to thirty-nine to ensure the limit was not exceeded. The stripes were administered with a leather-stranded scourge, typically by the synagogue attendant (chazzan). The supreme Sanhedrin at Jerusalem and local synagogue courts used scourging to punish secondary civil and ecclesiastical misdemeanors.
☩Roman Practice
Roman scourging was more severe and took different forms. Beating with rods was one method, while another involved the flagellum—a whip with leather lashes knotted with pieces of metal or bone. The culprit was stripped and stretched on a frame before being beaten. Roman citizens were exempt from scourging under the Porcian Law (circa 300 BC), this penalty being reserved for slaves and foreigners. Paul successfully invoked his Roman citizenship to avoid this torture.
☩Biblical Examples
Jesus was scourged before His crucifixion, fulfilling prophecy. Paul endured scourging multiple times: three times beaten with rods by Romans, and five times receiving thirty-nine lashes from Jewish authorities. Paul and Silas were publicly beaten at Philippi without trial, a violation of their rights as Roman citizens. Jesus prophesied that His followers would face such persecution.
Related Verses21 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Scourging," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 4.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 5.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 6.George Morrish, "Scourging," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 7.George Morrish, "Scourging," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 8.George Morrish, "Scourging," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 9.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 10.James Hastings (ed.), "Scourging," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 11.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Scourging," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).