The immediate scene of the crucifixion
offers several points of conflict. This would have been the most stupendous
series of events in all time, if any of them ever happened at all. The jewel of
consistency should crown the inspired record of these wonders. Amid all the
miracles appealed to accredit the story of the death and resurrection of a god,
the seal of god’s truth should blaze upon this supreme miracle for the faith of
mankind. Let us look for the miracle of truth in these four records.
BEARING THE CROSS
Matthew (27.32), Mark (15.21), and Luke
(23.26) say that on the way to
WHEN WAS IT?
The time of the crucifixion is greatly
confused, both as to the day and the hour of the day. Three of the gospel
historians declare that the Last Supper was itself the Passover meal; John says
it was before the Passover; and John, the most intimate friend of Jesus, who
was with him at the foot of the cross, says that be was crucified before the
Passover, and after noon: “And it was the preparation of the Passover, and
about the sixth hour” (19.14) when Jesus was delivered up to be crucified
(19.16); he was taken to Golgotha (19.17); and Pilate came and wrote the
inscription (19.19); so that the crucifixion took place some time after noon,
and before the Passover, “because it was the preparation” (19.31). Thus Jesus
did not eat the Passover. According to the other three accounts, the
crucifixion took place the day after the Passover; a difference of two days.
Matthew says that the crucifixion
lasted from
THE INSCRIPTION
Jesus was crucified with an inscription
above his head. With respect to this Matthew says:
“And [the
soldiers who crucified Jesus) set up over his
head his accusation written, This is Jesus the King of
the
Jews.” (Matthew 27.37)
Mark records:
“And the superscription
of his accusation was written
over, The King of the Jews.” (Mark 15.26)
Luke says:
“And a
superscription also was written over him in
letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This is the
King of
the Jews.” (Luke 23.38)
John says:
“And Pilate
wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And
the writing was, Jesus of
(John 19.19)
And John, who says he was there
throughout, adds a totally new incident:
“Then said
the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write
not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King
of the
Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have
written.”
(John 19.21)
The inscription reads four different
ways, with really vital differences of text. Luke, who did not see it, and John
(19.20) say that it was written in three languages, on the order of the Rosetta
Stone. Mark and Luke say that the name of Jesus was not in the inscription,
which simply read: “This is the King of the Jews”; Mark makes it even more
laconic by omitting the first two words. Matthew declares that it named Jesus;
John asserts that it gave him both name and title, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews.” Matthew says that the soldiers who crucified Jesus set up the inscription;
Mark and Luke say simply that it “was written,” without indicating its writer;
John flatly contradicts Matthew’s statement that the soldiers did it, declaring
that Pilate wrote it and put it on the cross. The colloquy about the text
between Pilate and the chief priests, recorded by John (19.21), is evidently
apocryphal, as Pilate certainly was not present, and it may be doubted that the
chief priests were there either.
THE WITNESSES
It would seem to be of great importance
to know who were witnesses to that awful scene of a dying God; but the accounts
are too variant and contradictory to satisfy a just interest. All the recorders
speak of passers-by, soldiers, chief priests, scribes and elders of the Jews,
and John makes Pilate present. That no Jews were or could be present is
asserted by scholars versed in Jewish customs and tradition. These holy gentry
would not so much as enter into the judgment hall of Pilate to press their
accusations against Jesus “lest they should be defiled” (John 17.28); much less
would they defile their pure selves by witnessing the murder they had procured,
even if permitted to do so.
Probably only the Roman soldiery was
present, with chance passers-by and some of the pagan populace. The three synoptists speak of “the centurion” and his remarkable
testimony. A centurion was an important officer, commander of one hundred men,
a captain of a company of soldiers. There were but four soldiers (John 19.23)
present, and it is hardly likely that a company commander was sent in charge of
a corporal’s squad of four men to execute two thieves and one Christ.
The friends and followers of Jesus who
witnessed the fatal scene deserve our attention more; but we can never know who
they were. John, who claims to have been on the spot, says that only “there
stood by the cross of Jesus” three Marys, “his
mother, and his mother’s sister [both oddly named Mary], and Mary Magdalene”
(John 19.25); and that Jesus, pointing to John, said: “Woman, behold thy son”
(19.26, 27). But John was not present, according to the silence of all the
other gospel truth-bearers. Matthew, who was not there, bears record of “many
women ... which followed Jesus from
John alone of the delectable Twelve was
present at the final tragedy, according to him; all the disciples (himself
included) at
"Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don't
compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest." -Sam Levenson (1911-1980)