The Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth

May 8th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Matthew 27:32-37 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. 37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

After the horrific treatment of Jesus by the Romans, His clothes were put back on Him, and He was handed a heavy cross beam on which He would be crucified. It appears, however, that exhaustion had overwhelmed Jesus, for He was unable to carry His cross to the place of execution without the help of a certain Simon. Mark 15:21 calls him a “passer-by” from Cyrene, an African city in modern Libya. He was likely a Jewish convert who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Mark further identifies him as “the father of Alexander and Rufus.”

Now if Mark wrote his Gospel in Rome around AD 50, as is believed, it is likely that Alexander and Rufus were believers known to the church there. Paul sent greetings to Rufus in Romans 16:13 and to his mother, the wife of this Simon of Cyrene. Though Simon was probably less than eager to carry the cross of a condemned man, the fact that Simon is named by three of the Gospel writers suggests that he was known to them and to the early church. Evidently Simon was deeply moved by this Jesus, later came to faith, and evolved into a follower of Christ.

Jesus and the Roman executioners came to the edge of the city of Jerusalem to a place called Golgotha, a Hebrew-Aramaic term meaning “cranium” because the surrounding cliff resembled a skull. The Latin term for Golgotha is “Calvary,” from calvaria for skull, or cranium. When Jesus arrived, “they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall.” Mark 15:23 calls the gall “myrrh.” Myrrh is bitter to taste, and though it was presented as a gift to Jesus at His birth (2:11), here it is ironically presented to Him at His crucifixion. Crucifixion, though invented by the Persians and later used extensively by the Greeks, was perfected by the Romans. They fine-tuned this method of execution to kill victims slowly and with the utmost pain. Myrrh, as a narcotic, was therefore given to crucifixion victims to keep them from struggling violently in pain and ripping their flesh and themselves, from the cross on which they hung. It was not offered for mercy by the Romans but as a tool to allow for more pain over a longer period of time. After tasting it, however, Jesus, not wanting His senses dulled, refused it. He would thus bear all of sin’s pain for mankind.

After refusing the bitter gall, Jesus yielded to crucifixion. His crossbeam was then attached to a stake (Gr. stauros), and He was nailed to this cross—what would have looked like a T. The nails would have pierced through His palms at an angle and come out of His wrists into the wooden beam. His feet may have been nailed separately through the ankle bones on both sides of the stake. Then the cross would have been dropped into a hole in the ground with a thud—with Jesus nailed to it. Jesus was then left to suffer excruciating pain until He eventually died.

At the base of the cross, the calloused soldiers gambled with dice to see who might be the lucky one to own Jesus’ clothing. At the head of the cross was a placard that identified Jesus as “King of the Jews”—the so-called crime for which He was crucified. John 19:19 says the placard read, “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” John 19:20 says furthermore that it was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek so that all language groups could read it. John’s fuller account, identifying Jesus as a Nazarene might point to Pilate’s final dig against the Jews. Not only was their mighty King nailed to a cross like a common criminal, Pilate sarcastically added that He was a Nazarene—a nobody from the hated town of Nazareth in Galilee.

Food for Thought
Simon of Cyrene was just minding his own business when he was summoned to carry Jesus’ cross. Maybe while carrying that cross and observing Jesus’ peaceful demeanor in the midst of intense pain and persecution, he was moved deeply and transformed into a different man? That is often the way it is with salvation. It happens to folks who aren’t looking for it, but when they come face-to-face with the peaceful demeanor of one who shines forth God’s love and see themselves in comparison, they realize their need for salvation. Truly God guided Simon’s steps that day and led him to His Son—to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Truly God traces our steps to reveal Himself to us in His perfect time. Maybe God has led someone to you in order that you manifest Christ to them and thus change their lives for eternity.