Oh, My Poor and Broken Heart!

The concept of dying from a broken heart is not a new one, just search for "broken heart" on google and you'll get 8,050,000 results. On a less romantic note, though, physiological evidence is strongly suggesting that one of the most defining figures in history died from exactly that. John 19.34 tells us that when Jesus died "... one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water."

Samuel Houghton MD, says "Death by crucifixion causes a condition in the lungs similar to that produced by drowning and stychnia; a copious flow of water, succeeded by a copious flow of blood following the wound would occur in a person who had, previously to crucifixion, suffered from plueritic effusion; A copious flow of blood, succeeded by a copious flow of water following the wound would occur in a crucified person, who had died upon the cross from rupture of the heart. The history of the days preceding our Lord's crucifixion effectually excludes the supposition of pluerisy, which is also out of the question if blood first and water afterward followed the wound. There remains, therefore, no supposition possible to explain the recorded phenomenon except the combination of crucifixion and rupture of the heart."

Interesting isn't it, that Jesus literally died of a broken heart to free the world from it's sin?