Scripture: As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Matthew 27:32-44 ESV
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Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, Matthew provides more detail regarding the humiliation of Christ. Having scourged Jesus, the Roman soldiers take him into the governor’s headquarters, where a larger battalion joins in mocking and jeering Jesus. Specifically, they strip him, drape a scarlet robe on him, press a crown of thorns into his skull, and place a reed in his right hand (creating a mocking parity on royalty). To complete the charade, they kneel before Jesus and hail him as the “King of the Jews.” Once their cruel sporting ends, they spit on him, strike him with the reed from his hand, remove the robe, dress him in his bloodied garment, and lead him to his crucifixion.
Today’s reading narrates Jesus’ crucifixion—heartbreaking and earthshaking. It begins with a notation the Romans found a man of Cyrene named Simon and compelled him to carry Jesus’ cross. Mark adds that Simon, a passerby, came in from the country and was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). We know nothing certain about these two sons. But Luke mentions a Jew named Alexander who sought to calm rioters in Ephesus who opposed Paul (Act 19:33), and Paul, in his closing remarks to the Roman church, cites a Jew from the synagogue “chosen in the Lord” named Rufus, who he urges the fellowship to welcome (Romans 16:13).
As the drama escalates, they arrive at Golgatha (Hebrew for “Place of the Skull”), where soldiers nail Jesus’s wrist to the horizontal beam and cross and spike his overlapping ankles to the vertical timber. The Roman soldiers then offer Jesus a drink of wine mixed with bitter gall, which he tastes and then refuses. However, this does not refer to the wine Jesus vowed not to drink again until he drinks it anew with his disciples in his Father’s kingdom (during his last supper with the Twelve, Matthew 26:29). This earlier pledge referred to the fourth cup of wine consumed during the Passover meal and, as such, alluded to the consummation of his kingdom with his return.
Matthew next notes another fulfillment of messianic prophecy when soldiers divide Jesus’ garments by casting lots (Psalm 22:18). And, unwittingly, the Romans post a sign above Jesus’ head stating Jesus’ criminal charge against Rome that ironically confirms he is the Messiah: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (v.37 ESV). John adds that Pilate ordered the citation in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and that the religious leaders begged him to redo the sign to say Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. But Pilate, likely pleased to have irritated these chief priests who continually caused him problems, dismisses their request (John 20:20-22).
As mentioned in the June 22 Daily Focus, the two other men arrested with Barabbas likely were the two men crucified on each side of Jesus. Luke adds that one was repentant and would receive Christ’s forgiveness and a place in his kingdom (Luke 23:39-43). In contrast, those who participated in the railroading of Jesus’ conviction pass by to gawk and hurl insults and taunts at him—challenging him to call on God to save him since he trusts in God.
Lastly, Matthew notes the robbers (insurrectionists, to be more accurate) next to him do the same. This seeming discrepancy between Luke’s and Matthew’s accounts does not consider the undetermined time lapse between each incident of their crucifixion narrative. Likely both began to deride Jesus, but when one heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 ESV), he believed Jesus was the Son of God, repented, and received forgiveness. Is this not how all of us come to faith? With the help of the Holy Spirit, we hear with conviction, repent, and receive forgiveness.
Takeaway: Two thousand years after this monumental Passion of Christ, a monolith outside the city walls of Jerusalem, with its shadowed recesses, takes the form of a skull with shadowy-shaped eyes, nose, and mouth. And Christian tourists flock to its location to photograph and memorialize their visit to this sacred ground. While Golgotha’s symbolism of death spurs gratitude and tears, it also reminds us of the extent of God’s extravagant love for us that transforms lives.
Granted, Jesus’ enemies celebrated his crucifixion, but men like the eleven disciples, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon of Cyrene, and Simon’s two sons Alexander and Rufus, and women like Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, undoubtedly felt deeply grieved to see their beloved Lord marred beyond recognition and hanging shamefully from a cross. But God would soon reveal his glorious redemption plan to turn their sorrows into joy. As Paul reminds the Galatian church, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14 ESV).
Our takeaway? Indeed, it’s the great exchange: Jesus remained silent and stumbled to Golgotha in his blood-stained gown to take on the shame and curse of humanity so that we who put our faith in him might clothe ourselves in his pure righteousness and not remain silent but joyfully go and tell the world what Jesus has done for us.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who exchanged his comfort and his very life for our sin-marred souls so that we might draw near you clothed in his righteousness and find his joy and peace. Still, as the mundane routines of life carry on, we can lose sight of your and his costly love for us and become busy in our affairs. So would you please help us submit to your Holy Spirit when he convicts us and reroutes us to go and tell the world with gladness and singleness of heart what Jesus has done for us? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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