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The Crucifixion
(Mark 15: 21-47)
Dramatis Personae
(In order of appearance)
Jesus
Simon of Cyrene
Mary Magdalene
Roman soldiers
Salome
Jesus executioners
Two revolutionaries
Joseph of Arimathea
Passers by
Pontius Pilate
The Crucifixion
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a
Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the
father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
(15: 21)
The Trial
Jerusalem
Cyrene, Libya
Egypt
Titian. Christ and Simon of Cyrene Carrying the Cross (oil on canvas), c. 1565-1570.
The Prado Museum, Madrid.
James Tissot. Simon of Cyrene and His Two Sons, Alexander and Rufus
(opaque watercolor over graphite on gray woven paper), c. 1896.
Brooklyn Museum, New York.
The historian Tacitus records that in Rome the place of execution was in the
Sessorium, outside the Esquiline Gate, which led to Romes graveyard. There,
he says, upright beams were permanently fixed in the ground, suggesting that
those who were crucified carried the crossbeam, not the entire cross.
The Crucifixion
They brought him to the place of Golgotha (which is
translated Place of the Skull). They gave him wine
drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they
crucified him and divided his garments by casting
lots for them to see what each should take. It was
nine oclock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read, The
King of the Jews. With him they crucified two
revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left.
(15: 22-28)
The Trial
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Jesus was likely crucified in a manner similar to this, not tied by the arms, but with his
wrists nailed to the crossbeam, supporting his weight. Notice, too, that his heels
would have been nailed to the sides of the upright through the heel bones.
Heel bone of Jehohanan, a crucified man in the 1st century, whose ossuary
was discovered in 1968 in east Jerusalem. Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Photography by Ana Maria Vargas
Temple
(not visible from this angle)
Antonia Fortress
Place of Crucifixion
Damascus Gate
Old Citv
Holy Sepulcher Church
Temple
(Dome of the Rock today)
Jesus was crucified near the Damascus Gate. One of seven gates leading into the Old City, it is
the busiest. The road outside the gate leads to Nablus and from there to Damascus, 135 miles
north. The current gate (above) was built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1537.
Eastern Wall
Jesus tomb beneath the rotunda in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The Aedicule was originally
built in 1555 by the Franciscans, rebuilt in 1810 after a fire destroyed the original,
and reinforced by iron scaffolding since 1947.
The Emperor Constantine and his mother St. Helena built the original Church of the Holy Sepulcher
in A.D. 326. It has been destroyed/damaged and rebuilt many times throughout history.
The Crucifixion
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads
and saying, Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming
down from the cross. Likewise the chief priests ,
with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and
said, He saved others; he cannot save himself Let
the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from
the cross that we may see and believe. Those who
were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
(15: 29-32)
The Trial
26
Hieronymus Bosch. Christ Carrying the Cross (oil on panel), between 1510 and 1535.
Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent.
The Crucifixion
At noon darkness came over the whole land until
three in the afternoon. And at three oclock Jesus
cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lema
sabachthani? which is translated, My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me? Some of the
bystanders who heard it said, Look, he is calling
Elijah. One of them ran, soaked a sponge with
wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink,
saying, Wait, lets see if Elijah comes to take him
down. Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to
bottom.
(15: 33-38)
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30
The Tabernacle
Holy of Holies and the presence of God
Veil separating the
Holy Place from the Holy of Holies
Holy Place
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32
The Crucifixion
When the centurion who stood facing him saw how
he breathed his last he said, Truly this man was the
Son of God! There were also women looking on
from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene,
Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses,
and Salome. These women had followed him when
he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were
also many other women who had come up with him
to Jerusalem.
(15: 39-41)
The Trial
33
Matthew and Mark mention three women by name at the cross and
refer to many *other+ women. Luke mentions none individually. John
mentions four, including Jesus mother Mary.
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3)
4)
Mary, the mother of Jesus (at the cross, John 19: 25);
Mary Magdalene (at the cross, Matthew 27: 56, Mark 15: 40, John 19: 25);
Mary, the wife of Clopasthe other Mary, the mother of James the
younger and Joseph (at the cross, Matthew 27: 56, Mark 15: 40, John 19:
25);
Mary Salome, (Jesus mothers sister) and the mother of James and John,
Zebedees sons (at the cross, Matthew 27: 56, Mark 15: 40, John 19: 25);
Mary Magdalene
Other Marys
Apostle John
Jesus mother Mary
The Crucifixion
When it was already evening, since it was the day of
preparation, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of
Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council,
who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came
and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the
body of Jesus. Pilate was amazed that he was
already dead. He summoned the centurion and
asked him if Jesus had already died. And when he
learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to
Joseph.
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The Crucifixion
Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,
wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb
that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a
stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary
Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched
where he was laid.
(15: 42-47)
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Rogier van der Weyden. The Descent from the Cross, (oil on panel), c. 1435-1438.
Prado Museum, Madrid.
Tomb of Jesus inside the Aedicule at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem.
Although the Church of the Holy Sepulcher has a greater claim to authenticity
as the tomb of Jesus, the Garden Tomb (seen here) makes a much better visual
aid!
Photography by Ana Maria Vargas
Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, opposite the Garden Tomb, Jerusalem
Photography by Ana Maria Vargas
Salvador Dali. Christ of St. John of the Cross [detail], (oil on canvas), 1951.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.
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