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Index

Calvary

"Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took
charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of The
Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgatha. Here they crucified Him, and
with Him two others - one on each side and Jesus in the middle." (John
19:16-18 New International Version)



Golgatha is a transliterated (written in one language according to how it
sounds in another) word taken from the original Aramaic (a form of Hebrew
that was very likely Jesus' primary language), meaning "skull." The Greek
translation of Golgatha is kranion, which also means "skull". From
the Greek word came the Latin calvaria, from which then came the word
familiar to most English-speaking Christians, Calvary.

Although referred to in all four gospel books, there remains controversy
in our time as to where exactly the Crucifixion took place. What is known
for certain is that the site was:
1. Outside the existing Jerusalem walls of that time.
2. Close to an existing walking path or road.
3. Near the sepulcher where Jesus' body was placed.
4. Near where His subsequent resurrection took place.

Scholars have settled upon two likely sites:

1. A hill located just north of the Damascus Gate of the Old
City. Its craggy rock side appears very much like an eerie skull face (in photo),
especially when the sun's shadows cross it at particular times of the day.
It is known as Gordon's Calvary from Charles Gordon who wrote of it in
1885. Earlier, in 1881, an empty burial chamber was discovered near this site
and it too has become famous as The Garden Tomb.

2. The location over which the Church of The Holy Sepulcher has been
built. This is the older, traditional choice among scholars.
So which one is the real one? A case can be made for either site, so knowing
with absolute certainty at the present time seems unlikely. What both sites
do agree with however, without any disagreement what so ever, is that the
Crucifixion did occur, Christ did die for us, and He was
resurrected, exactly as stated in the Bible record. Isn't that what really
matters?

Fact Finder: A sign was nailed to the cross above Jesus. What did it
say?
Luke 23:38



Copyright © 1998 by Wayne Blank / Daily Bible Study. All rights reserved.