If you attended (or have taught) Sunday school, you’ve probably heard this question dozens of times: “Where did Jesus die?” Ask some people and they will tell you “the place of the skull”. Others say “Calvary” or “Golgotha.” The three titles mark the place where Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, more than two millennia ago. This place has much greater historical significance throughout the Bible and was not chosen randomly. We’ll explore the meaning of the name Golgotha, what the Bible says about this place, and dive into some facts you may not know about the place of Jesus Christ’s death. Where did Jesus die? Golgotha, the place of the skull. And you may be able to visit this very place today.
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What does Golgotha mean?
Golgotha means “the place of the skull”. This hill, located outside the gates of Jerusalem, was aptly named, where criminals would receive execution (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, John 19:17). According to Bible Study Tools, “It was a small rounded mound like a bare skull. It is obvious from the evangelists that it was a well-known place outside the gate (compare Hebrews 13:12), and near the city (Luke 23:26), that it contained a “garden” (John 19:41), and in a gateway to the country. Therefore, it is an untenable idea that is embraced within the current “Church of the Holy Sepulchre”. The mound above Jeremiah’s Grotto, north of the city, is in all probability the true site of Calvary. The skull-like appearance of the rock on the southern precipice of the mound is very remarkable.”
In other words, the rock not only took on the appearance of a skull, but also the bodies of the victims. of the crucifixion rotted nearby. Fortunately, Jesus received a proper tomb and burial, but we probably can’t say the same for the two thieves who flanked Jesus on the cross.
What does the Bible say about Golgotha?
Golgotha’s name appears in three Gospel accounts. Let’s take a look at what each has to say about this deadly place.
Matthew 27:33: “They came to a place called Golgotha (meaning “the place of the skull”).”
The skull name appears again. If the archaeologists were right, the rock formation on this mound resembled a skull. Furthermore, one cannot ignore the clear connotations of death of this place, where the literal skulls rotted and decomposed.
Mark 15:22: “They took Jesus to the place called Golgotha (meaning “place of the skull”).”
Most likely, this place has also gained notoriety. If he had received a nickname from the inhabitants of nearby Jerusalem, he had fame, or in this case, infamy.
John 19:17: “Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).”
We get an interesting nuance here that Golgotha comes from Aramaic, not Greek. The Israelite people spoke Aramaic as a common language. They also spoke other languages, but Aramaic would have been essentially the language of the street or the common vernacular among them. We can also take some encouragement from the fact that all three Gospels confirm the same place of death for Jesus.
This passage mentions Jesus carrying his own cross. At one point, due to his torture injuries, he can no longer lift it. Roman officials have someone else carry the cross up the hill the rest of the way.
Where is Golgotha?
Although we don’t have an exact location, archaeologists have a pretty strong guess, aside from the vague “outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
According to Grace Communion International, they have narrowed it down to two contenders:
“But in recent times, only two have been deemed worthy of serious consideration. The traditional site is within the area now occupied by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (on the right), in the Christian Quarter of the Old City (see map below). The enormous church embraces within its walls a hill called Latin Calvario, and nearby, the traditional sepulcher of Christ. The other disputed location is a rocky hill, commonly called Gordon’s Calvary, just north of the Old City of Jerusalem.”
Supposedly, the first, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, contains the stone of anointing where the body of Jesus was prepared. for burial. And Gordon’s Calvary is shaped like a skull in its rock formation.
During non-pandemic times, visitors can stop at both sites where Jesus may have set foot and even died for the sins of mankind. We should not be alarmed that we do not have an exact place for the death or even the burial of Jesus. Christianity focuses on the Resurrection of Jesus, rather than his death. After all, the angel declares at the burial place of Jesus: “He is not here. He has risen!”
When did Jesus die?
On Calvary, Jesus died at 3 pm (or 3 pm). He spent the night before on trial for crimes he did not commit, did not sleep, sweated blood even before the torture and died very quickly on the cross, due to his serious injuries. Even Pilate expresses his surprise at how quickly Jesus died in Mark 15.
Usually, to speed up deaths (especially on a holiday like Easter), the Roman guards would break the legs of those on the cross. That way, they couldn’t get up on their legs to get oxygen.
But when the Romans approached Jesus, they found that he was already dead. One of them made sure by piercing his side with a spear (John 19:31-34). By dying before the Romans got to him, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that his bones would not break (Psalm 34:20) when he perished.
3 Facts You May Not Know About Where Jesus Died
Now that we have established some of the information about Golgotha, let’s dive into some facts that many people may not know about Calvary.
First, some theologians have equated Golgotha with Mount Moriah, the place where Abraham nearly sacrificed his son.
Although there isn’t much archaeological evidence to support this, Christians can’t help but get excited about possible parallels in the story. After all, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22). At the last minute, he sends a ram to take Isaac’s place. We contrast this with crucifixion, where God does not send a scapegoat. by his only Son, Jesus, instead, Jesus performs the sacrifice and pays the penalty for our sins.
Second, the word Calvary also means skull, this time in Latin. We don’t have much in terms of the etymology of the Latin word, whether the Romans also called the place Skull Hill, or whether the Israelites simply passed the name among themselves. But the word first appears in English around 1700.
Finally, there was a road right next to Golgotha, where a lot of foot traffic passed. The Romans used to execute criminals, often fanatics and insurrectionists, to remind the Israelites not to mess with them or try to organize uprisings. Many people would have passed during the death of Jesus, which is why the crowd hurls insults and taunts at him on the cross. Those crucified not only had to suffer a painful death, but also had to face humiliating accusations from those who passed by.
We may not know the exact place of Jesus’ death, but we have two very strong things. assumptions. Fortunately, Jesus does not stay on Golgotha, nor in the surrounding area. Although he is buried nearby, on Easter Sunday he defeats death and leaves the grave. After the 40 days of Epiphany, he ascends to Heaven. Although Jesus died for our sins, he does not leave the story there. He gives us hope beyond Golgotha. That he not only rose and defeated death, but that one day we will also experience a resurrection.