What killed Jesus?
Technion researcher says blood clot, not blood loss, killed man Christians consider son of God
In fact, a researcher at Haifa’s Technion-Israel institute of Technology argues that that is exactly what killed Jesus.
Professor Benjamin Brenner, the head of the Coagulation Unit at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, published his findings in an international journal dealing with the topic.
Brenner contends that, contrary to popular belief, it was not blood loss that killed the savior of the Christians but pulmonary embolism.
Brenner bases his belief on the Gospels' description of the last 24 hours in the life of Jesus, and on ancient Roman documents.
“Pulmonary embolism, brought on by blood clots in the veins of the legs of the crucified victim, is more likely to bring on death when combined with dehydration, multi-trauma, orthopedic surgery and loss of movement,” Brenner concluded.
Galilee residents have a greater risk
During Jesus' last days, his body suffered intense strain as he was forced to walk five kilometers while carrying a extremely heavy crucifix, Brenner said, adding that he did not receive enough water during an 18 hour period and sustained multiple lashings causing trauma to his body.
Brenner said that Jesus' inability to move after being nailed to the crucifix by his lower and upper limbs increased the chance of blot clots developing in his legs.
His fast-paced breathing made him loose fluids quicker, causing him to dehydrate, he said.
Brenner told Ynet that additional proof substantiating his thesis is the fact that Jesus death was sudden and in a relatively short period of time - between three to six hours - indicating that blood clots spread from his legs to his lungs.
In addition, Jesus came from the Galilee where research shows that 25 percent of the population suffers from thrombophilia, an increased risk of developing blood clots in veins and arteries, he said.
"Doctors who researched the new testament and Roman documents from that period all agree that Jesus' death was quick and sudden, which substantiates my thesis," Brenner said.
In response to the possibility that his thesis may cause outrage among the Christian world, Brenner said the editor for the international journal for blot clot research is in fact Italian and accepted his article for publication immediately.
The reason for publishing such a controversial article was to increase and strengthen awareness for this dangerous illness, which is the main cause for 10 percent of most hospital deaths in recent years, he said.
