Why was Jesus whipped 39 times?

Answer 1

The New Testament never says Jesus was whipped thirty-nine times.

The Law of Moses limited beatings to a maximum of forty blows, which would be cut short at 39 in case the blows were miscounted, to insure they didn't exceed the limit:

Deuteronomy 25:1-3 - "If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain number of blows. Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight."

However, Jesus was not beaten according to Jewish law; He was flogged by the Romans, who set no such limit on the number of blows that could be inflicted.