Lance, I had a breakthrough on the nature of the twigs. I thought I remembered seeing the flagellation portrayed with bunches of twigs instead of whips. Sure enough, as I looked into it further, I came upon numerous representations of the beating being done with birch rods (a collection of birch twigs tied together). So though I was originally seeing the twigs as kindling, I am now interpreting them as means of the flogging.
Susan
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