seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 27:32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
Now let's look at the commentary again.
A man of Cyrene, Simon by name: This man was probably a visitor to Jerusalem, there as a faithful Jew to celebrate the Passover. Visiting Jerusalem, he was far from Cyrene in North Africa (some 800 miles/1300 kilometers away).
Him they compelled to bear His cross: Simon knew little if anything about this Jesus, and had no desire to be associated with this Man who was condemned to die as a criminal. Yet the Romans ruled, and Simon was not given a choice. Him they compelled to bear His cross. Perhaps he was chosen because he was an obvious foreigner and more conspicuous in the crowd.
Wonderfully, we have reason to believe that Simon came to know what it really meant to take up one's cross and follow Jesus. There is some evidence to suggest that his sons became leaders among the early Christians (Mark 15:21 and Romans 16:13).
"How easy it would have been to carry the cross had he known Jesus as he came to know Him afterwards!"
"How easy it would have been to carry the cross had he known Jesus as he came to know Him afterwards!"
A place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull: There was a specific place outside the city walls of Jerusalem, yet still very close, where people were crucified. At this Place of a Skull Jesus died for our sins, and our salvation was accomplished.
Golgotha - in Latin, "Calvary" (Luke 23:33) means "Place of a Skull. "It was called that because it was the established place where criminals were crucified. As a place of cruel, humiliating death it was outside the city walls, yet likely on a well-established road. It may also be that the hill itself had a skull-like appearance, as is the case with the site in Jerusalem known as Gordon's Calvary.
They gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink: It was customary to give those about to be crucified a pain-numbing and mind-numbing drink, to lessen their awareness of the agony awaiting them. But Jesus refused any numbing drug. He chose to face the spiritual and physical terror with His senses awake.
"The wine would be the sour wine or posca used by Roman soldiers. In Mark Jesus declines the drink, apparently without tasting, desiring to suffer with a clear mind."
The easy english commentary tells us about the clothes.
The soldiers kept the dying men’s clothes. Matthew’s readers would remember the words in Psalm 22:18, ‘They shared my clothes among them. They played a game to win my clothes.’ The soldiers had to stay there to guard the cross. They waited until the person on the cross had died. They prevented any friends from trying to rescue him from the cross.
The notice over Jesus’ cross said, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ The priests complained to Pilate about this. They wanted to change the words. They did not like, ‘the King of the *Jews’. Instead, they wanted the words, ‘He said that he was the King of the Jews’ (John 19:21-22). Pilate refused to change the words. So the sign remained, and it showed the truth. Jesus was really a king. The Jews were his own people, although they had refused to accept him.
The notice over Jesus’ cross said, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ The priests complained to Pilate about this. They wanted to change the words. They did not like, ‘the King of the *Jews’. Instead, they wanted the words, ‘He said that he was the King of the Jews’ (John 19:21-22). Pilate refused to change the words. So the sign remained, and it showed the truth. Jesus was really a king. The Jews were his own people, although they had refused to accept him.
Jesus didn't ask anyone to carry His cross. The Romans did it.
Jesus didn't want to be drugged.
Jesus knew what was going to happen.
