KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE
[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]
Lesson Thirty-four
Journey to Golgotha (Calvary) – Matthew 27:32-33 (Mark 15:21-22; Luke 23:26-32; John 19:17)
Matthew 27:32-33 – 32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
V.32 – As they were going out – John’s account: John 19:17 – Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
Aramaic – Language of the Arameans, descendants of Aram, Noah’s grandson (Genesis 10:22). It is similar to Hebrew, which it had gradually displaced as the ordinary speech of the people after their return from the Babylonian captivity. It was spoken by Jesus and His disciples (Mark 5:41; 7:34; 15:34).
Mark 5:41 – He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).
Mark 7:34 – He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).
Mark 15:34 – And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
They met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross – Luke adds: Luke 23:26 – As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
Mark’s account: Mark 15:21 – A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
The father of Alexander and Rufus – It is inferred that they were well-known and that Alexander, being the first-mentioned, was either the first-born or more prominent. It is believed that Rufus is the person mentioned in Romans 16:13.
Romans 16:13 – Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
Cyrene – The Bible Knowledge Dictionary states: “Cyrene was a Mediterranean port on the north coast of Africa. It was one of the many places in northern Africa where Jewish people settled during the centuries leading up to the New Testament era. As in other places, they built synagogues and carried on the religious tradition of their forefathers. …
Many of the local people, attracted by the higher moral standards of the Jews, joined their synagogues.”
V.33 – They came to a place called Golgotha – Note Luke 23:33 (KJV) – And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
The Bible Knowledge Dictionary states: “The name Golgotha, which is a transliteration of an Aramaic word meaning ‘skull’, was the name of the hill just outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. …
(The name Calvary is not in the original New Testament, but has been taken from the Vulgate, a fourth century Latin translation. It comes from the Latin word for ‘skull’.)”
Luke’s account: Luke 23:27-32 – 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, `Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then “`they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”‘
31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
V.31 – For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” – CEV note: This saying probably means, “If this can happen to an innocent person, what do you think will happen to one who is guilty?”
Application: [With reference to Luke 23:28-31 (above) and (previous lesson) Matthew 27:25 – All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” Note that they paid the price for this foolish statement when Jerusalem was besieged and subsequently destroyed.] Let us ask the GOD OF LOVE to help us to heed the following:
Matthew 13:9 – He who has ears, let him hear.”
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21- 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good.