The Crucifixion

After Jesus had been scourged, and his own clothes had been put back on him, he was forced to carry the heavy beam, which was to form the cross-bar of his Cross, through the streets of Jerusalem.  But worn out and weak with loss of blood from the flogging, he fell under the weight of the beam.  The soldiers therefore ordered a passer-by called Simon, who came from Cyrene in North Africa, to carry it for him.

The place where Jesus was crucified was outside the city walls and was known as Golgotha or Calvary which means the place of a skull.  When they got there the soldiers nailed Jesus by his hands and feet to the Cross before raising it into position, but all Jesus said was, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (NRSV, Luke 23:34).  Next to him they crucified two thieves as well, one on either side. The crowd kept jeering at Jesus on the Cross, but during all the hours he hung there, Mary his mother and John his disciple stood near to keep him company.

Death and burial

In the crowd there were also two secret friends of Jesus named Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea, and they made up their minds that they would take responsibility for the burial of Jesus.  When, therefore, he died at three o’clock in the afternoon, Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and asked if he might take the body down from the Cross.  Pilate gave his permission after he had found out from one of the soldiers how they had driven a spear into Jesus’ side to make sure he was really dead. 

Joseph and Nicodemus then took the body down and carried it to a nearby garden.  There they wrapped it in specially bought linen grave cloths having first smeared it, according to Jewish custom, with spiced ointment.  After this they placed the body in Joseph’s own private tomb in the garden.  The tomb was a burial cave, cut out of the solid rock, with a ledge on which the body of Jesus was laid.  Finally they rolled a big stone against the entrance to the cave to keep any wild animals away. (1) Then they went home.

The day on which Jesus was crucified is called Good Friday, and we should always keep it as a day of sorrow.

SUMMARY

1. When Jesus had been scourged (flogged with a weighted whip) he had to carry his Cross through the streets of Jerusalem.  Simon of Cyrene helped him for part of the way.
2. Outside the city he was crucified (nailed to the Cross) between two thieves.  His mother, Mary, stayed with him all the time.

3. He died at 3pm and his body, wrapped in grave cloths, was buried in a nearby tomb (burial cave) belonging to Joseph of Arimathea.

4. This happened on Good Friday.

Reference

1. Bouquet, A.C. (1954) Everyday life in New Testament times, London: B.T. Batsford Ltd.