As they were going out, they met
a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross (Matthew
27:32). Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be
executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified
Him, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left (Luke
23:32-33).
The
soldiers took Jesus’ clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of
them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece
from the top to the bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another.
“Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the Scripture might
be fulfilled which said, ‘They divided my garments among them and cast lots for
my clothing’ (Psalm 22:18). So this is what the soldiers did—cast lots for
Jesus’ clothing (John 19:23-24).
Those
who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who
are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come
down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” And Jesus said,
“Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
In
the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked
Him. “He saved others,” they said, “but He can’t save Himself! He’s the King of
Israel! Let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts
in God. Let God rescue Him now if He wants Him, for He said, ‘I am the Son of
God.’” In the same way the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped
insults on Him (Matthew 27:39-44). And
Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
But the people near Him sneered and insulted Him all the more. They said, “He
saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came and mocked Jesus, “If you are the King of the Jews, save
yourself.” There was a written notice above Him, which read, “THIS IS THE KING
OF THE JEWS”. And Jesus said,
“Father forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing.”
One
of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t you the Christ?
Save yourself and save us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear
God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly,
for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing
wrong.” Then he turned his head to Jesus and said, “Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered Him,
“I tell you
the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”
(Luke 23:24-43).
Near
the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of
Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple
whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,
“Dear woman, here is your
son,”
and to the disciple,
“Here is your mother.”
From that time on, this
disciple took her into his home (John 19:25-27)
At
the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at
the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama
sabachthani?”
—which means,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(Psalm
22:1)
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “He’s calling
Elijah.” One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and
offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes
to take Him down,” he said (Matthew 27:45-49/Mark 15:33-36).
Later,
knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be
fulfilled, Jesus said,
“I am thirsty.”
A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they
soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of hyssop plant, and lifted it
to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said,
“It is finished.”
(John 19:28-30a)
And
then Jesus called out in a loud voice,
“Father into your hands I commit my
spirit.”
When He had said this, He breathed His last. The centurion, seeing
what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
(Luke 23:46-47)
