Vorkosigan

Actually, that Greek is very funky, and uses the word "fist" which could refer to the motion, or a measure. From my notes:

The RSV omits the unintelligible phrase "with a fist" which occurs after the word "hands." In v4 it changes the actual word accepted by scholars, "sprinkled," to the word "purify." In other words, some translations smooth out the passage and make it seem more coherent than it is. "Sprinkled themselves," which is what was originally written, is just plain wrong. "With a fist" may refer to a handful of water, rubbing with a clenched fist, or perhaps it is used as a unit of measure (Donahue and Harrington 2002, p221)

Jaguar Prince

Mel Gibson showed Christ being attached to the cross with ropes, which would have made it possible for him to nailed in the palms without any problem.

There are important acupuncture points in the center of the palm, which is also a crucial place for the laying on of hands, an essential ritual in Christianity, be it for ordination or healing. Therefore, both theologically and artistically, it makes much more sense to locate the nails there, rather than at the wrists.

offa

Well, if you read the Gospel of Peter you will be told by an old source (VI. 21) And then they plucked the nails from the hands of the Lord and laid him upon the earth:.

In the Gospel of Peter bones are not broken and, apparently, his feet were
not pierced. That would make it a lot easier for him to walk soon after.

offa

mirage

This explains a bit. There have been several medical analyses of this published. The article suggests that the words for hand and wrist was the same in many languages. I don't know how this relates to the "palm" translation.

You could bash a spike between the carpals without breaking any of them, ( and certainly between the radius and ulna more proximally) but you wouldn't do them much good either.

Amaleq13

So much for a "literal" translation. :banghead:

Sparrow

Well if he was a deity, walking on feet with holes in them shouldn't have presented a problem anyway. We're talking about some one who can restore sight to the blind, raise the dead (Lazarus) and perform many other miracles. How would some nail holes have been a difficulty?

Jayhawker Soule

It's mostly a problem when walking on water.

spin

Liddell & Scott give as one definition of pugmh, "the distance from the elbow to the knuckles", so the phrase is simple and not strange: "...if they don't up to the elbows wash their hands ..."


spin

spin

With the exception of a questionable verse in a Lucan resurrrection story (24:40), the synoptics don't indicate that Jesus was nailed to the cross, do they? Isn't this a Johannine innovation?

Anyone tell me how well attested Lk 24:40 is?


spin

Eldarion Lathria

Ropes are used in movies because it's not legal to actually crucify anybody. Also, actors are vain about their appearances and I can't imagine one saying yes should Mad Mel say, "I'm making a movie about the crucifixion of Jesus, and I want to be totally realistic. So, we're really going to sink nails into your wrists."

Eldarion Lathria