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What Christ Suffered: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion
What Christ suffered during his Passion — for you — is a powerful source of reflection and meditation.
While we know that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem around A.D. 33, the details of his sufferings and death have been confused and obscured over the past two millennia. In What Christ A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern provides the most accurate, up-to-date understanding of the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ, drawing on ancient Greek and Latin literature about crucifixion, discoveries of ancient images, archaeology, medical reenactment studies, and medical case reports. This volume corrects decades of myths and misunderstandings presented in books and articles and on websites — myths the author himself disseminated for years until he reanalyzed the data utilizing twenty-first-century advances in modern medicine and archaeological discoveries.
This medical investigation of the Passion allows readers to enter more fully than ever into the reality of what Jesus suffered for our redemption. Drawing on the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II in Salvifici Doloris, this book invites the reader to a deeper understanding of the meaning and value of human suffering — and how to practically apply it in their lives. By his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus has won salvation for the whole world, redeeming even our sufferings through his incredible act of love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native of Escanaba, Michigan, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern completed his M.D. at Mayo Medical School. His eight years in the U.S. Army included two years of infectious disease and vaccine research and a dermatology residency at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Denver. He trained in Mohs surgery and Cutaneous Oncology at the Yale University School of Medicine and has practiced Mohs Surgery and Reconstruction for skin cancer in Fort Wayne since 2000. He serves on the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) national board and chairs the Young Member Advisory Committee. He is “living the dream,” cohosting Doctor, Doctor, the official weekly radio program of the CMA, which airs on EWTN and is available as a podcast. He and his wife of 30 years, Sally, are raising seven homeschooled children who gladly get a break from his “dad jokes” when he speaks at conferences.
While we know that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem around A.D. 33, the details of his sufferings and death have been confused and obscured over the past two millennia. In What Christ A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern provides the most accurate, up-to-date understanding of the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ, drawing on ancient Greek and Latin literature about crucifixion, discoveries of ancient images, archaeology, medical reenactment studies, and medical case reports. This volume corrects decades of myths and misunderstandings presented in books and articles and on websites — myths the author himself disseminated for years until he reanalyzed the data utilizing twenty-first-century advances in modern medicine and archaeological discoveries.
This medical investigation of the Passion allows readers to enter more fully than ever into the reality of what Jesus suffered for our redemption. Drawing on the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II in Salvifici Doloris, this book invites the reader to a deeper understanding of the meaning and value of human suffering — and how to practically apply it in their lives. By his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus has won salvation for the whole world, redeeming even our sufferings through his incredible act of love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native of Escanaba, Michigan, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern completed his M.D. at Mayo Medical School. His eight years in the U.S. Army included two years of infectious disease and vaccine research and a dermatology residency at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Denver. He trained in Mohs surgery and Cutaneous Oncology at the Yale University School of Medicine and has practiced Mohs Surgery and Reconstruction for skin cancer in Fort Wayne since 2000. He serves on the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) national board and chairs the Young Member Advisory Committee. He is “living the dream,” cohosting Doctor, Doctor, the official weekly radio program of the CMA, which airs on EWTN and is available as a podcast. He and his wife of 30 years, Sally, are raising seven homeschooled children who gladly get a break from his “dad jokes” when he speaks at conferences.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 29, 2021
"What Christ Suffered" is some serious Lenten reading.
There was so much I learned and appreciated from this book. Dr. Thomas W. McGovern at one time use to travel the country giving lectures based on the well-known "A Doctor of Calvary" by Pierre Barbet M.D.
There were several things that brought him to reconsider what was taught in that book and he stopped giving these lectures while reaccessing this.
There was considerable research done in this book taking knowledge from other experts regarding the history of crucifixion, archeological studies involving this, graffiti, and other depictions of the crucifixion, and literary references to this practice. He masterfully takes all this information and takes us on a journey regarding what we know, what we don't know, and what we can postulate. He also weaves all this information interspersed with selections and his thoughts on Saint John Paul II's "Salvifici Doloris." As far as possible he has taken his information from original sources.
The main narrative is an exploration of what Christ suffered medically along with theological reflections on this. His reassessment of the data convinced him that most of what we had been taught about the crucifixion and how the death occurred is mistaken. Prominently that asphyxiation was not the cause of Christ's death in particular, but also not the cause of death for those who were crucified. There were also discussions regarding how breaking the legs of those who were being crucified could hasten death.
What I appreciated most about this book is how he presented the information and his conclusions. This was done in a manner where he charitably considered contrary conclusions and also did not present his conclusions as to be the only possible answer.
It is rather amazing how little we actually know about the crucifixion and how little has been carried down to us in history. We have no manuals on how the Romans did this and it likely varied by location. Also, that what little we generally know about this is wrong.
There was so much I learned where I can never look at Jesus on the cross the same way again knowing more of the details. Yes, it is annoying knowing that pretty much every image of this is wrong in some aspect as presented in art.
Like I said this is some serious Lenten reading and I am very glad to have read it. I would not suggest this book to everyone. If you want to learn more about how Jesus died, and don't shy away from some of the gruesome details, then yes highly recommended.
There was so much I learned and appreciated from this book. Dr. Thomas W. McGovern at one time use to travel the country giving lectures based on the well-known "A Doctor of Calvary" by Pierre Barbet M.D.
There were several things that brought him to reconsider what was taught in that book and he stopped giving these lectures while reaccessing this.
There was considerable research done in this book taking knowledge from other experts regarding the history of crucifixion, archeological studies involving this, graffiti, and other depictions of the crucifixion, and literary references to this practice. He masterfully takes all this information and takes us on a journey regarding what we know, what we don't know, and what we can postulate. He also weaves all this information interspersed with selections and his thoughts on Saint John Paul II's "Salvifici Doloris." As far as possible he has taken his information from original sources.
The main narrative is an exploration of what Christ suffered medically along with theological reflections on this. His reassessment of the data convinced him that most of what we had been taught about the crucifixion and how the death occurred is mistaken. Prominently that asphyxiation was not the cause of Christ's death in particular, but also not the cause of death for those who were crucified. There were also discussions regarding how breaking the legs of those who were being crucified could hasten death.
What I appreciated most about this book is how he presented the information and his conclusions. This was done in a manner where he charitably considered contrary conclusions and also did not present his conclusions as to be the only possible answer.
It is rather amazing how little we actually know about the crucifixion and how little has been carried down to us in history. We have no manuals on how the Romans did this and it likely varied by location. Also, that what little we generally know about this is wrong.
There was so much I learned where I can never look at Jesus on the cross the same way again knowing more of the details. Yes, it is annoying knowing that pretty much every image of this is wrong in some aspect as presented in art.
Like I said this is some serious Lenten reading and I am very glad to have read it. I would not suggest this book to everyone. If you want to learn more about how Jesus died, and don't shy away from some of the gruesome details, then yes highly recommended.
April 26, 2021
Wow! I was expecting this to be an uncomfortable read. But I greatly underestimated to what extent. But also, what an incredible read. This book came highly recommended by two men I greatly respect, Mike Aquilina and Jeff Miller, aka the Curt Jester. This book took me a while to read. I had planned on reading it over holy week, but it was a little too intense. And ended up finishing it on Easter Sunday. It is an excellent book to read anytime, but very powerful to read during Lent and specifically Holy Week. This book might not be an easy or comfortable read but one I will likely return to again next Lent.
The description of this volume is:
“What Christ suffered during his Passion — for you — is a powerful source of reflection and meditation.
While we know that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem around A.D. 33, the details of his sufferings and death have been confused and obscured over the past two millennia. In What Christ Suffered: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern provides the most accurate, up-to-date understanding of the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ, drawing on ancient Greek and Latin literature about crucifixion, discoveries of ancient images, archaeology, medical reenactment studies, and medical case reports. This volume corrects decades of myths and misunderstandings presented in books and articles and on websites — myths the author himself disseminated for years until he reanalyzed the data utilizing twenty-first-century advances in modern medicine and archaeological discoveries.
This medical investigation of the Passion allows readers to enter more fully than ever into the reality of what Jesus suffered for our redemption. Drawing on the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II in Salvifici Doloris, this book invites the reader to a deeper understanding of the meaning and value of human suffering — and how to practically apply it in their lives. By his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus has won salvation for the whole world, redeeming even our sufferings through his incredible act of love.”
And the chapters are:
Foreword
Introduction
What Is Suffering?
The Setting for the Cosmic Sacrifice
Bloody Sweat
Sufferings in the Night
Scourging
Royal Treatment
The Way of the Cross
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The Death of Jesus
Post-Crucifixion Events
Our Response to Suffering: Personal and Relational
Appendix 1: What Ancient Literature Reveals about Crucifixion
Appendix 2: What Archaeology, Graffiti, Epigraphy, and Art Reveal about Crucifixion
Bibliography
Notes
The book received the:
Nihil Obstat
Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.
Censor Librorum
Imprimatur
Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
September 1, 2020
In the forward Bishop Conley states:
“A few years after I converted to the Catholic Church during my undergraduate years, someone gave me a copy of the slim little paperback work entitled A Doctor at Calvary, by Pierre Barbet, MD. Dr. Barbet, a surgeon who served on the battlefields of World War I, had access to photographic negatives from 1898 of the Holy Shroud of Turin, upon which he based a forensic analysis of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
That groundbreaking book opened my eyes to the sufferings of the Lord. Dr. Barbet wrote his book in 1950.
Given the advances in science over the past seventy years, I have long hoped an updated study might be written. Dr. Thomas McGovern has done just that. His scientifically up-to-date analysis of the Lord’s Passion and death has also incorporated the Christian anthropology of Saint John Paul II as it is articulated in his 1984 apostolic exhortation on suffering, Salvifici Doloris.”
A few people who have mentioned this book, prior to my picking it up had mentioned that previous volume. One stating they read it every year during lent. Further along Conley states:
“Dr. McGovern does not stop with the physical sufferings of the Lord. He also reflects upon the mental and emotional sufferings of the Lord. He describes how the Lord experienced fear, sorrow, anxiety, and mental distress. Because the Lord is true God and true man, he willingly chose, in his Passion and death, to suffer the human sufferings that we all experience.”
There is much to be learned and gleamed from this volume. Even with taking my time and reading it over a week. I know that I missed things in my first read through. There is so much information. This book is incredibly well researched. It is written in a way that often presents numerous sides to specific points and is charitable to each of them. McGovern clearly presents the information and his conclusions. He also is clear on points where a definitive conclusion is not possible. The research into the medical issues would be daunting enough. But McGovern delves into the historical, social and emotional aspects of the events as well.
Last year during Lent I read Praying the Crucifix Reflections on the Cross by Julien Chilcott-Monk. And it was deeply moving. I plan to go back and reread it now, based on the knowledge gained from this book and it will be a very different experience. I am certain I will never look at a crucifix in the same way again. This book has touched my heart deeply. And that impact will last my lifetime.
The descriptions at times are visceral, gruesome, and gory. You cannot help but see them in your minds eye. That is both a strength and weakness of this work. It is not for all readers. But those who do tackle it will be changed, and be blessed.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!
The description of this volume is:
“What Christ suffered during his Passion — for you — is a powerful source of reflection and meditation.
While we know that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem around A.D. 33, the details of his sufferings and death have been confused and obscured over the past two millennia. In What Christ Suffered: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Passion, Dr. Thomas W. McGovern provides the most accurate, up-to-date understanding of the physical sufferings of Jesus Christ, drawing on ancient Greek and Latin literature about crucifixion, discoveries of ancient images, archaeology, medical reenactment studies, and medical case reports. This volume corrects decades of myths and misunderstandings presented in books and articles and on websites — myths the author himself disseminated for years until he reanalyzed the data utilizing twenty-first-century advances in modern medicine and archaeological discoveries.
This medical investigation of the Passion allows readers to enter more fully than ever into the reality of what Jesus suffered for our redemption. Drawing on the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II in Salvifici Doloris, this book invites the reader to a deeper understanding of the meaning and value of human suffering — and how to practically apply it in their lives. By his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus has won salvation for the whole world, redeeming even our sufferings through his incredible act of love.”
And the chapters are:
Foreword
Introduction
What Is Suffering?
The Setting for the Cosmic Sacrifice
Bloody Sweat
Sufferings in the Night
Scourging
Royal Treatment
The Way of the Cross
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The Death of Jesus
Post-Crucifixion Events
Our Response to Suffering: Personal and Relational
Appendix 1: What Ancient Literature Reveals about Crucifixion
Appendix 2: What Archaeology, Graffiti, Epigraphy, and Art Reveal about Crucifixion
Bibliography
Notes
The book received the:
Nihil Obstat
Msgr. Michael Heintz, Ph.D.
Censor Librorum
Imprimatur
Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
September 1, 2020
In the forward Bishop Conley states:
“A few years after I converted to the Catholic Church during my undergraduate years, someone gave me a copy of the slim little paperback work entitled A Doctor at Calvary, by Pierre Barbet, MD. Dr. Barbet, a surgeon who served on the battlefields of World War I, had access to photographic negatives from 1898 of the Holy Shroud of Turin, upon which he based a forensic analysis of the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
That groundbreaking book opened my eyes to the sufferings of the Lord. Dr. Barbet wrote his book in 1950.
Given the advances in science over the past seventy years, I have long hoped an updated study might be written. Dr. Thomas McGovern has done just that. His scientifically up-to-date analysis of the Lord’s Passion and death has also incorporated the Christian anthropology of Saint John Paul II as it is articulated in his 1984 apostolic exhortation on suffering, Salvifici Doloris.”
A few people who have mentioned this book, prior to my picking it up had mentioned that previous volume. One stating they read it every year during lent. Further along Conley states:
“Dr. McGovern does not stop with the physical sufferings of the Lord. He also reflects upon the mental and emotional sufferings of the Lord. He describes how the Lord experienced fear, sorrow, anxiety, and mental distress. Because the Lord is true God and true man, he willingly chose, in his Passion and death, to suffer the human sufferings that we all experience.”
There is much to be learned and gleamed from this volume. Even with taking my time and reading it over a week. I know that I missed things in my first read through. There is so much information. This book is incredibly well researched. It is written in a way that often presents numerous sides to specific points and is charitable to each of them. McGovern clearly presents the information and his conclusions. He also is clear on points where a definitive conclusion is not possible. The research into the medical issues would be daunting enough. But McGovern delves into the historical, social and emotional aspects of the events as well.
Last year during Lent I read Praying the Crucifix Reflections on the Cross by Julien Chilcott-Monk. And it was deeply moving. I plan to go back and reread it now, based on the knowledge gained from this book and it will be a very different experience. I am certain I will never look at a crucifix in the same way again. This book has touched my heart deeply. And that impact will last my lifetime.
The descriptions at times are visceral, gruesome, and gory. You cannot help but see them in your minds eye. That is both a strength and weakness of this work. It is not for all readers. But those who do tackle it will be changed, and be blessed.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!
March 12, 2021
Wonderful Lenten reading. An up-to-date study of Christ's Passion and death from a scientific standpoint that does not neglect spiritual reflection in light of the science. Thorough, scholarly, but accessible, it will make the faithful reader even more appreciative of the suffering Jesus went through for our sake. The author uses sources both ancient and modern to develop his best theories on how Jesus was tortured and killed and what effects it had on the Victim. Plenty of photos, diagrams, and maps help the reader to appreciate the text even more. Finally, two appendixes explore crucifixion in ancient literature, art, archaeology, and graffiti. An important companion to spiritual works on the Passion.
April 16, 2023
Really helpful to understand the reality of Christ’s suffering. It’s really helped my prayer when I’m meditating on the passion. It does get a bit overly technical in some parts—at least for someone who’s not a physician—but even that information helps in understanding the overall picture.
March 8, 2024
*4.5 stars
This book was such an interesting read!
1) it presented completely new ideas about everything I have ever heard about Jesus’ Passion and I’m convinced after reading the evidence in this book that some of those things I believed about His death were indeed wrong.
2) It gave me a great deal to meditate on when I pray and meditate on Our Lord’s sufferings.
3) I lived everything included about the grace of suffering, the goal of suffering, and the advice on suffering well.
I’ll definitely re-read in the future!
This book was such an interesting read!
1) it presented completely new ideas about everything I have ever heard about Jesus’ Passion and I’m convinced after reading the evidence in this book that some of those things I believed about His death were indeed wrong.
2) It gave me a great deal to meditate on when I pray and meditate on Our Lord’s sufferings.
3) I lived everything included about the grace of suffering, the goal of suffering, and the advice on suffering well.
I’ll definitely re-read in the future!
July 1, 2025
BEST BOOK EVER on the crucifixion of our Lord! Moving, informative, enlightening.
April 2, 2024
How did Christ actually die? What are the facts of what we have heard and what is quasi-fact? I was not expecting the author to go into an essay on the nature of suffering, both early in the book and at the end. I did appreciate that he has scoured other writing of the ancient Roman time in order to understand terms and practices of that time. He relies heavily on the Shroud of Turin, which itself cannot be confirmed that it bears an image of Christ. McGovern is a medical doctor. Some of his explanations were a bit beyond me. I got this to read during Lent but it did not pull at my heart strings like I expected. It was pretty clinical.
July 20, 2025
I loved this book. It was perfect for the season of Lent to better understand what Jesus went through during His crucifixion. I loved reading it from a medical and Catholic perspective. I definitely recommend this to anyone who is in the medical field, Christians, and especially Catholics who are curious about what happened during His death.
August 23, 2024
A very detailed book about the crucifixion of Christ. This is not a book for the faint of heart. It is a hard book to take in and I had to put it down several times because of the horror that was inflicted on our Savior.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews