Bead Fifteen - Crucified
B15 - E1 He Died
The first act of the soldiers was to offer the prisoners some of the cheap Roman wine which was stored in a large jar at the site. The wine was laced with myrrh which was known to dull pain and no doubt made the work of crucifixion easier for the men who were detailed for the task that day. Like most soldiers, they had become callous and hardened to the deeds they carried out routinely by the nature of their long years of service. Jesus tasted the wine but wouldn’t drink it, unwilling to have his senses dulled.
Having stripped him of his clothes, their next and most gruesome act was to lay the cross on the ground, drag his body onto it and then position his limbs so that the huge nails could be hammered in at the right places. The searing and unimaginable pain of that action was then coupled with the agony involved as the cross was lifted into the upright position where he would hang until he died. The soldiers themselves were oblivious to the cries of anguish which rose involuntarily from his lips. As far as they were concerned, they were just doing their job.
A notice stating the criminal’s name and crime was usually nailed to the top of each cross. Before the cohort left his palace, Pilate had instructed the centurion who was to be in charge that day to write, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, the current languages of the time. It was as if, by this last act, he was making one final attempt to give Jesus the recognition that, in his heart, Pilate knew was his due.
He also knew that many people would read the inscription because Golgotha was very close to one of the gates into the city and crowds of worshippers would be flooding into Jerusalem that day to celebrate the Passover. The chief priests had remonstrated with him, saying, “Don’t write, “King of the Jews” but “This man claimed to be king of the Jews”. On this point, however, Pilate was adamant. “What I have written, I have written,” he said and he was not to be shaken from it.
In the case of robbery with violence, the two criminals were tied rather than nailed to their cross so the crucifixion of the other two prisoners was more straightforward. The soldiers erected the crosses, one on the right and one on the left side of Jesus and began to share out the prisoners’ clothing as they usually did. They divided them into four parts, one for each of them, until they came to Jesus's robe. This was a seamless garment, lovingly woven by his mother in one piece from top to bottom, many years before.
They decided not to tear it but to cast lots to see who should have it. Then they sat around to watch the goings-on and to keep guard. The bystanders were bawling and shouting derisively and even passers-by began calling out insults such as, “Said you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, did you! Save yourself then. If you are the son of God, come down from the cross!”
The chief priests, scribes and elders had also made their way up the hill. They stood at the front, mocking Jesus amongst themselves; “Look at him now,” they said. “He saved other people but he can’t save himself. He said he was the Messiah, didn’t he; the Son of God! He trusts in God, so let’s see if God saves him now if he wants to.” Turning their venom on their victim, they scoffed at him, chanting, “If you are the King of Israel, come down from the cross and we’ll believe in you!”
One of the two thieves who were hanging on either side of Jesus began to join in the derision. “You’re supposed to be the Messiah, aren’t you? Save yourself then and us!” but the other one rebuked him strongly. “Have some respect! We have been condemned justly and are getting the punishment we deserve for our crimes but this man has done nothing wrong!” Turning his face towards Jesus, he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom,” to which Jesus replied, “Today, my friend, you will be with me in Paradise.”
Even the soldiers, diverted by all this derision, joined in the sport, coming up to him and offering him some of the sour wine. “You’re supposed to be the King of Israel, are you; save yourself then!” As the people stood there watching, Jesus, despite the agony he was suffering, began to speak. “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” Gradually, from midday until three o’clock in the afternoon, the sun’s light began to dim and darkness fell over the land.
All the while, his mother had remained standing at the foot of the cross, with John by her side, accompanied by Mary Magdalene and Mary, the wife of Cleopas who was a follower of Jesus. Despite her agony of soul, nothing could shake her from her place beside her son throughout his suffering. Seeing Mary standing there with John, the young companion he loved so much, Jesus said to her, “There is your son,” and to John, “There is your mother.”
From that moment on, knowing that he had been given the precious duty of taking care of the mother of his beloved Master, John determined that he would cherish, guard and shelter her for the rest of their lives together. At this point, Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli,” (which, in their Aramaic language, meant ‘’My God, my God’’) “Why have you forsaken me!” Some of the bystanders thought he was calling on the prophet Elijah but others said, “Leave him alone. Let’s wait and see if Elijah comes to save him!”
The words, “I’m thirsty,” came rasping from his cracked and dried lips. Someone in the crowd ran across to the wine jar and soaked a sponge in it. Lifting it up on a hyssop stick, which was known for its cleansing properties, he held it to the lips of Jesus to try to bring him some relief. Jesus managed to sip some of the wine and then uttered the words; “It is accomplished. Father, I commend my spirit into your hands.” His head bowed and fell on his chest and he gave his last and dying breath.
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