Have you ever wondered why, in historical accounts, particularly those related to ancient punishments, the number ’39 lashes’ often comes up? It’s a very specific number, isn’t it? Well, there’s a fascinating reason behind it, rooted deeply in ancient law and tradition.
Our journey starts with ancient Jewish law, specifically the Book of Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy chapter 25, verse 3, it states that for certain offenses, a person could receive a maximum of forty lashes. This wasn’t about cruelty, but about upholding dignity and preventing excessive harm.
Now, here’s where the ’39’ comes in. To absolutely ensure they never accidentally exceeded that legal limit of forty – perhaps due to a miscount – Jewish authorities developed a protective measure. They decided to administer ‘forty lashes minus one,’ which, of course, is 39. This was a ‘hedge around the Torah,’ a safeguard to strictly adhere to God’s law.
Ancient Jewish writings, like the Mishnah, even detail how these punishments were carefully supervised. And in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul himself confirms this practice, mentioning he received ‘forty lashes minus one’ from the Jews on five separate occasions.
It’s important to make a key distinction here. While the ’39 lashes’ was a Jewish practice, Roman scourging, like the one Jesus endured, did NOT follow this limit. Roman floggings were notoriously brutal, often inflicted with a vicious whip called a flagrum , designed to cause maximum damage, and could even lead to death. The number of lashes in Roman practice was often unlimited and left to the discretion of the soldiers.
So, the ’39 lashes’ isn’t just an arbitrary number. It’s a profound example of how ancient Jewish law balanced justice with mercy, creating a system that, even in punishment, sought to preserve human dignity. It was a careful interpretation to ensure strict adherence to a divine command.