Day 43 – The place of the skull

John 19:16b-27

So they took Jesus and led him away. He went out, bearing his own cross, to what is called “The place of the skull”, or in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, where they crucified him, with two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the cross. It was inscribed, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven through completely from the top. Then they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be.” This fulfilled the Scripture which says,

“They divided my clothes among them.

They cast lots for my clothing.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother!” And from that time, the disciple took her into his own home.

For reflection

What does it mean to you that Jesus submitted to this, despite being a king?