I Was a Sunday-School Spy

• A study was performed to investigate modern-day perceptions of events versus written documentation of those events

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• Several people from different Christian backgrounds (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Non-Denominational) in different settings (Sunday-school class, Bible study forum) were tasked to write paragraphs regarding the crucifixion event

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• 100% mentioned nails being used to hold Jesus to the cross.

• Roughly 50% to 60% emphasized the nail issue:

• Explained details, and/or

• Described “pain” Jesus felt.  Some of these described excruciating emotions of pain, although three wrote Jesus took the pain without expression.

• How are these accounts different from the original written accounts? None of the original accounts in the New Testament say anything about Jesus being nailed to the cross.

• When confronted with this, almost all of the participants were surprised.

• Why the difference in the modern-day written accounts versus the original written accounts?

• People today are fundamentally different – probably not to that level

• Not an important aspect of the crucifixion – therefore, left out in original accounts.  If this is true, then why is it emphasized so much today and why did every modern-day writer include it?

• Neglected to include it.  How can this be true for all four original accounts (presuming they were from different writers), while none of the modern-day accounts neglected to include it?

• Some of the original accounts may have been based on hearsay and not personal witness.  True – but all of the modern-day accounts are based on hearsay.

• Is it possible the word-of-mouth perceptions of the crucifixion are different from the original event?