Calvary

The procession wound its way through the narrow streets of Jerusalem. It was early morning as the Roman soldiers cleared the way for the three cross bearers who were condemned to die. Before leaving the banqueting hall of the Passover, where the Lord’s Supper was instituted, Jesus had told His disciples these words: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE for you.” (John 14:2) Gethsemane and Gabbatha were now in the past, and Golgotha awaited as the procession (called the way of the cross, the way of suffering), moved closer to the hill of crucifixion. They were followed by a large crowd curious to see Jesus, of whom it could be said, “He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back, and He wore a crown of thorns upon His head, for you and me.” The weight of the cross He bore would be marked by pain on His lacerated back with every step He took. “The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows” (Psalm 129:3), and “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5), is what comes to mind as we see Him bearing the cross. The Just One would bear our judgment to its fullest extent as Exodus 21:25 says, “Burning for burning, wound for wound, STRIPE FOR STRIPE.” (see also Deuteronomy 25:1-3). The procession of shame would continue outside the city walls, as Jesus would suffer outside the gate (Hebrew 13:12). On the Day of Atonement the sin offering bore iniquities outside the camp (Leviticus 16). When the execution contingent went outside the gate (which was probably known as the Joppa (Jaffa) gate, as the road from that gate led to the Joppa port city in Israel), two things happened – the first: Simon a Cyrenian was compelled to bear Jesus’ cross (Luke 23:26; Mark 15:21; Matthew 27:32); the second: The weeping daughters of Jerusalem were warned by Jesus of the future destruction of the city of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31). Many passers-by from the surrounding regions would be entering the city for Holy Days. They would see three crosses silhouetted against the sky of Calvary. On the middle cross, the sinless Saviour of the world was paying the awful price of judgment that your sins and mine demanded! On Calvary’s brow my Saviour died, ‘Twas there my Lord was crucified; ‘Twas on the cross he bled for me, And purchased there my pardon free. O Calvary, dark Calvary, Where Jesus shed his blood for me. O Calvary, dark Calvary: Speak to my heart of Calvary. While Gethsemane (the oil press) (John 18:1 and Matthew 26:36); and Gabbatha (The Pavement – place of judgment, John 19:13), were on the path to Golgotha/Calvary, the empty Garden tomb nearby (John 19:41) was the answer to Golgotha’s ATONEMENT, and that answer was: HE IS RISEN! Dear friend, do you know Jesus paid for all your sins? (Acts 13:38,39; Colossians 2:13; Micah 7:19). Do you know he was raised from the dead to proclaim God had accepted the payment price on your behalf (Romans 4:25)? MDH, September 2026