How does Psalm 22:12 relate to the crucifixion of Jesus? Text and Immediate Context “Many bulls surround Me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle Me.” (Psalm 22:12) Verse 12 stands in the first stanza of Psalm 22 (vv. 11-13). The Psalmist, David, laments hostile forces closing in. The imagery of Bashan’s bulls—a region famed for fertile pasture and formidable cattle (Deuteronomy 32:14; Amos 4:1)—evokes overwhelming physical power and intimidation. Psalm 22 as a Messianic Psalm 1. Authorship and Date David, ca. 1000 BC. 2. Pre-Christian Witness Complete copies of Psalm 22 appear in 4QPsa and 11QPsa (Dead Sea Scrolls, 2nd century BC), confirming its text centuries before Jesus. 3. Internal Structure The Psalm moves from despair (vv. 1-21) to triumphant praise (vv. 22-31), matching the pattern of crucifixion and resurrection. Imagery of “Bulls of Bashan” Applied to the Crucifixion 1. Encirclement by Powerful Foes • Roman cohort (John 18:12), chief priests, elders, scribes (Mark 15:1,16-20). • Crowd dynamics: “All the chief priests and the elders … bound Him” (Matthew 27:1-2). The metaphor of muscular, snorting bulls aptly pictures aggressive, contemptuous enemies. 2. Geographical Allusion to Pagan Power • Bashan, lying east of the Jordan, symbolized Gentile might (Psalm 68:15). At Calvary, a Gentile power (Rome) and Jewish leadership jointly surround Jesus—fulfilling the poetic fusion. 3. Psychological Terror • Bulls charge with heads lowered; crucifixion victims were at eye-level or slightly elevated, exposed to spitting, jeering, and physical blows (Luke 22:63-65). First-century sources (Josephus, War 5.11.1) describe soldiers mobbing prisoners similarly. Intertextual Ties to the Passion Narratives • Psalm 22:7-8 → Matthew 27:39-43 (mocking). • Psalm 22:16 → John 20:25 (pierced hands/feet). • Psalm 22:18 → John 19:23-24 (casting lots). Verse 12 supplies the setting for those specific acts: a ring of hostile spectators. Early Christian Exegesis • Justin Martyr, Dialogue 103, cites Psalm 22 to Jewish interlocutors, focusing on the bulls image as Sanhedrin hostility. • Tertullian, Apology 16, calls Bashan’s bulls “the princes of the synagogue.” Medical and Behavioral Correlations Medical analyses of crucifixion (Edwards, Gabel, Hosmer, JAMA 255:1455-63) note sensory overload, dehydration, and heightened fear responses. Encirclement by armed men amplifies stress, mirroring the Psalmist’s visceral language (“I am poured out like water,” v. 14). Archaeological Corroboration 1. Crucifixion Nail in Yehohanan Ossuary (1st cent. AD, Giv‘at ha-Mivtar) confirms nails in the wrist/ankle, harmonizing with Psalm 22:16. 2. Pilate Stone (Caesarea Maritima, 1961) authenticates the Roman prefect named in the Passion. Theological Significance 1. Vicarious Suffering Jesus endures the violent “bulls” on behalf of sinners (Isaiah 53:6). 2. Sovereign Orchestration God foretells opposition yet brings redemptive victory (Psalm 22:22-31; Acts 2:23). 3. Apologetic Weight A millennium-old prophecy matching eyewitness Gospel details evidences divine authorship. Practical Application Believers facing hostility can identify with Christ, whose victory turned surrounding enemies into a worldwide congregation praising God (Psalm 22:25-27). Unbelievers must reckon with a prophecy verified in history, calling for repentance and faith (Acts 17:30-31). Summary Psalm 22:12’s “bulls of Bashan” foreshadows the aggressive ring of Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, and spiritual adversaries at Calvary. The verse situates Jesus’ crucifixion within a divinely scripted narrative written centuries in advance, affirming both the reliability of Scripture and the redemptive purpose of the cross. |
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