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Although the Giv'at ha-Mivtar finding does not add any new information about Jesus' life, it may give added dimension to his final suffering. In classical religious art, the crucified Jesus is usually shown in an erect position, fastened to the cross by nails driven through his outstretched hands and through his feet. To some scholars, however, that interpretation of the Crucifixion has long seemed highly implausible. With the bulk of his weight suspended from his hands, the victim's body would sag; it would become extremely difficult for the breathing muscles to function, and death would almost surely follow rapidly. According to Haas' reconstruction of Yehohanan's crucifixion—which could well have been typical of those in ancient Palestine —the nails were driven through the forearms to provide greater support and the victim's legs were twisted to one side and folded up. Haas calls this a "compulsive, unnatural position." But, he explains, it would have served the purposes of the executioners very well: it would have prolonged both the victim's life and his agony.
*In fixing the date for the start of the Christian era, the 6th century Scythian monk Dionysius Exiguus introduced an error of at least four years in calculating the year of Jesus' birth. Furthermore, the Gospels do not give a precise date for either Christ's birth or death.