And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary.
και φερουσιν αυτον επι γολγοθα τοπον ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον κρανιου τοπος
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
According to a tradition passed down from the holy fathers, Adam was laid to rest on Golgotha. It is here that the Lord was crucified, bringing healing to the fall and death of Adam, so that the ruin of death, which began with him, may also be reclaimed in this very place.
Behold Jesus on Calvary! Here He hangs as though condemned, a poignant scene, yet not devoid of faith! The descent of the heavenly beings Moses and Elijah to converse about the exodus Jesus would undertake in Jerusalem was not in vain (Luke 9:51). The crucifixion of Jesus is so profound that even the most celestial beings desired to witness it. Let us approach Golgotha with reverence, gazing upon the crucifixion of Jesus through the lens of a loving and faithful heart. They led Him to Golgotha, a location known as the place of the skull. The Hebrew term Golgoleph, and the Syro-Chaldean Gulgotha, signify the skull or forehead (4 Sam. 9:35) and refer to the elevated site outside Jerusalem’s walls, where the punishment for criminals was executed.
It is not essential to argue that this location earned its name solely due to this designation; rather, it is fitting to consider that the burial of Adam there imparted this name. Let us turn our focus to God's revelation for understanding regarding Golgotha. - The Saviour proclaimed to the Jews that the tenants of the vineyard would indeed kill the Heir outside the vineyard (Matthew 21:38, 39). And thus His words came to pass: He was crucified on Calvary. This mountain was deliberately chosen for His death by Jesus Himself. But was it without a purpose beyond what appeared? Certainly not! The apostle instructs us: ‘For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary for the cleansing of sin are burned outside the camp, Jesus also suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people by His own blood’ (Hebrews 13:11, 12). The selection of the site for Christ’s death aligns with the very nature of His death. His crucifixion, serving as an atoning sacrifice for humanity’s transgressions, was destined to occur outside the city. This is ordained in the sacred law! There the goat bearing the sins of the people was taken outside the camp, and there too, the bodies of the animals whose blood was offered for purification were burned (Lev. 16:26, 29). Thus, the location of Jesus' death signifies to the Hebrew that it reflects the death of the anticipated Messiah. This very site of Jesus’ death illustrates that He died precisely where the world’s Redeemer was prophesied to perish, according to the teachings of the old covenant. His adversaries failed to grasp this profound truth.
The Son of God, already frail in His mortal frame, is dressed in garments while enduring blows. His face is marred by spittle, and He wears a crown of thorns. He is affixed to a tree. Sour wine and vinegar are offered to quench His thirst. His garments are divided and lots are cast; each person takes what they have taken unlawfully. In the darkness, God releases the spirit from the body— in that darkness, the day trembles, and the sun has withdrawn. The daytime is overshadowed; within it lies a night as dark as ash.
Upon reaching the top of the hill, a drink mixed with wine and gall was presented to Him, as is the custom for those facing execution, intended to dull the senses and reduce pain. However, after sampling it, He chose not to consume it, determined to endure His suffering with complete awareness.
The accounts of Christ’s anguish on the cross and His death are similarly presented in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. When the procession bearing the condemned arrived at Golgotha, Christ was offered, in accordance with Jewish tradition, a drink described as ‘vinegar mixed with gall’ in Matthew and ‘wine mingled with myrrh’ in Mark. This drink, a narcotic concoction made from sour wine blended with bitter and aromatic elements, was intended to dull the senses of the suffering individual and thereby lessen their pain. However, Christ, desiring to fully experience the depth of His chosen suffering, refused to partake of the drink after tasting it. Subsequently, the soldiers crucified Christ, as noted by Mark, at the third hour.
They divided His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, and placed an inscription above His head: ‘This is Jesus, King of the Jews.’ At the same time, they also crucified two criminals alongside Him, one on His right and the other on His left, thus fulfilling the prophecy that states, ‘and He was numbered with the transgressors’ (Isaiah 53:12).
This location was known as the brow or Golgotha. The Hebrew term Golgotha translates to forehead or skull; hence, this site referred to Golgotha could also be identified as the place of the head. As per ancient Jewish tradition, it was believed that Adam was laid to rest here, which is why a human skull is often depicted beneath the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS