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IIRC they eventually figured out to soak the sponges in soured wine (a.k.a. vinegar) as an antiseptic. Which may add some depth to this passage: > About three
by AS37 5y ago
IIRC they eventually figured out to soak the sponges in soured wine (a.k.a. vinegar) as an antiseptic.
Which may add some depth to this passage:
> About three in the afternoon [while being crucified] Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?” ... Immediately one of [those standing near] ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
- wazoox 5y agoRoman soldiers wore sponges imbibed with vinegar on a string around their neck, for drinking. The vinegar was added to keep the moist sponge from rotting. So most probably the correct interpretation is that the Roman soldier passed his own personal drinking bottle to Jesus.
- mellavora 5y agoYes, I realized the same thing the last time I read about roman toilets. Wonder why they never taught this in sunday school?
- kerev989 5y agoYeah, because there was a convenient public toilet right there and the soldier reached over its wall. Or, maybe, the "vinegar" was the ration of sour wine the soldiers carried.
- ksenzee 5y agoThe point is relevant whether that actual sponge on a stick came from a toilet or not. The contempt implicit in the giving is not at all clear if you don't know what a sponge on a stick was usually for.
- ASalazarMX 5y agoIt's not like Jesus was going anywhere if the soldier didn't come back immediately. Anyway, the text implies that the sponge was soaked first, and then put on a stick (maybe because the cross was too tall). If it had been an actual xylospongium it would have been already on a stick.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]