Section 165
Last three hours of crucifixion
Golgotha
Matthew 27:45-50
Mark 15:33-37
Luke 23:44-45a, 46
John 19:28-30
45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over the whole land. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”
33From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over the whole land. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lima sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, he is calling for Elijah.”
44Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45aThe sun was darkened,
48Immediately one of them ran, got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. 49But the rest said, “Leave him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save him.”
36Then a man ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
28After this, when Jesus saw that everything was now finished, in order to fulfill the Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was there, so they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it around a hyssop branch, and brought it up to his mouth.
50Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
37But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last breath.
46Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” After saying this, he breathed his last breath.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Notes
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Although the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (“tomb”) is now within the city walls, it was outside the walls of Jesus’ day. Various places within the church contain remains from the first century, adding credibility to its identification as the location of Calvary and the empty tomb. Up the stairs you will see bedrock at a considerable height above the current floor; this is all that remains of the outcrop of rock which is the probable location of Calvary.
In A.D. 135 Hadrian built a temple to the goddess Aphrodite directly over this outcrop of rock. In A.D. 326, when the pagan temple was razed, the workmen looked for the tomb of Christ. When they believed they had found the correct one, they dug out the bedrock around the tomb so that it now resembles a small chapel.
Next to a chapel claimed by the Armenians and the Syrians you will have access to several “kokhim”, deep horizontal niches used in first century graves. This area can therefore at least be identified as a place where first century tombs were located outside the city walls—and thus a possibility for the correct location of Jesus’ tomb.
The Garden Tomb, located north of Damascus Gate, was suggested in the 19th century as an alternative site of Calvary and Jesus’ tomb. While the setting is very suggestive of what the garden would have looked like in the time of Jesus, excavations would seem to indicate that the tomb is too ancient to have been the one built by Joseph of Arimathea. The details of the chiseled walls and the bench type of arrangement suggest a date during the Old Testament. Were it not for the New Testament statement that Joseph’s tomb was new, this would have been a possibility.
Photos
Videos
Video 31: Events of Passion Week (Mount of Olives)
Video 01: Model of Jerusalem Overview
Golgotha
Footnotes
Matthew 27,46 | Mark 15,34
Psalms 22:1
Luke 23,46
Psalms 31:5