Execution at The Skull

To hear this story, go to: Execution at The Skull

He does not show the strength of any king I have heard about, despite what they say.

In all my years in the Legion I have never seen one like this. 

The Praetorian guards and others were particularly harsh with him last night. I know we often make a statement with these prisoners, but this time they outdid themselves. They almost killed him before his punishment was to start.

And that prickly crown hammered to his head clearly caused quite a bit of blood loss. The men under my command had to find someone to carry his crossbeam. That might be viewed as leniency, but it was surely necessary to keep us moving along. He had little strength even to walk this road.

The crowd that follows us out of the city is much larger than we are used to. Keep watch to see if they might attempt to rescue one of these three.

Now this one just said “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

What could that possibly mean?  Who would ask a mountain to fall on them just because of a dry tree near Jerusalem?

Keep moving. The day’s business awaits us. No turning back now.

That sign that Pilot ordered really stirred up their leaders. I suppose that posting in Aramaic, Latin and Greek was specifically intended to elicit a response. They protested of course, but Pilot said only: “What I have written, I have written.” End of discussion.

We offered this one some wine mixed with myrrh to help him keep moving, but he would not drink it.  My men make sport of him, saying: ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Sounds like they read Pilot’s sign too.

Now it is time to drive the nails and lift him up into place. No one comes down from there until death overtakes them.

Okay, raise him up and secure the tree.

Well, that’s done. Let’s go through his belongings that he will no longer be needing. We can divide up his clothes, rags though they may be. But notice his undergarment. It is unusual, having no seams – woven in one continuous piece from top to bottom. Let’s not tear that. We can cast lots to see who takes that garment.

Nearly everyone we deliver to this place remains totally alone. Just us and them. But this is different. I wonder who are these people that stay so close to him?

I understand those leaders. They want to be certain that he dies today. They just stand there snickering and entertaining themselves at his expense.

Someone walking by just joined the verbal assault: “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Ah, the jeers of the those who esteem themselves higher than he.

‘The son of god?’  How could they think that?

Did he really say that? I wonder what his definition of ‘destroy’ is. If we Romans destroyed such a building, there would be no rebuilding it, ever.

“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.”

“He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” They mock him and tell him to come down. Yet he doesn’t curse, doesn’t spit, doesn’t strike out in any way.[i]

Wouldn’t that be something! Maybe he WILL be the first to come down while he still breathes. That would shock them all!

The others standing about, I do not understand. Men and women, not taunting those leaders, not taunting us, not taunting this man who is being punished. How could anyone still care for this outcast who has nothing left to offer?

 

QUITE SOME TIME LATER

After nearly six hours on that cross now, there cannot be much time left. It’s been dark for nearly three hours, though I cannot explain why. Evening is several hours away, but it is darker now than a new moon.

Still, with the local festival starting soon, we will have to break his legs soon if he does not die. We can’t have him dying on Passover.

I have never seen one like him in his ‘position’. This might just be a first. What could he have done to deserve this, and yet behave as he has all through this day?

Why did Pilot write that message: “The King of The Jews”? Is that just irony, or is it possible that that is what Pilot really suspects? They sent him out with that crown made of thorns rather than a true king’s laurel. He doesn’t act like royalty. He barks no orders, makes no threats.

They say he stands against Rome, yet I heard he answered a zealot who challenged Roman law regarding service to carry a Legionnaire’s gear by saying “If he asks you to walk one mile, walk with him two.”  That may be radical, but not what a zealot would say.

Someone was just saying that the leaders thought it better to sacrifice this one man than that all should suffer. A strange sacrifice this is.

Though abandoned by Rome and many of his own, he has not forsaken anyone.

He has rebels to his left and right. One of the criminals who hangs beside him just used his near final breath to insult him too: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’

Now the other criminal argues with the first: ‘Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.‘Yeshua, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’

Done no wrong?  Then why would he possibly be here today? Is there anyone who has never done something wrong?

Oh, now he gasps for air to speak: ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

Paradise!  Hah! There is nothing that follows this life, right?

Last night he told the arresting force that he could speak a word and be saved by a legion of angels, yet he does not look inclined to fight. Does he hope to be rescued, to live on, even now?

I have done many things in Caesar’s name, but I don’t understand why I am here today.

He is no rebel, defiant and cursing. Nor is he broken, hastening to die. They say he was questioned about his ‘kingdom’ and he replied that his kingdom is not of this earth. What else is there? What could he possibly mean?

Even in this hour he trains and inspires others. It is as if he wills to be up there, his battle not yet done. I have never before seen such a leader raised up here at The Skull.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

It is as if he cares for his enemies, even praying for them. I would not want to be the enemy of one with such courage. But I don’t sense any anger, any malice, any aggression from him.[ii]

I wonder who his father is that he speaks to, and where he is, that he could forgive this end. I cannot recall anyone else hanging here who even mentioned forgiveness. How strange that he would think of that.

I have heard a centurion from Capernaum credit him with healing his servant from the very throws of death, without even being present. This man was willing to come with the centurion, but the centurion said that he understood the structure of authority, and that just the command of this man would be sufficient. He said the servant was healed the very hour that this man promised the healing. Surely that centurion could be depended upon to not spread false stories! Is such a healing even possible?

Come to think of it there was also a local nobleman who insisted that this man healed his daughter with only a word after he had approached this man with his request. Of course, a good rebel might have used that opportunity to strike out at the nobleman, or at least plaster him with insults. But that was not the case.

Not that I am suggesting that he favors Rome. It is also said that he healed the daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader. They say she was near death.[iii]Could it be that he was even kind to the families of those who demanded his presence here today? Did he have some difficulty identifying those who opposed him?

There are even stories of this man raising the dead – one man who lives just over the mount in Bethany, for instance. But stories like that do little to erode the foundations of Roman authority.

It is also said that he healed the dead son of some widow up in Galilee – Nain, I think.[iv]

Some say he even said that these Jews should render unto Caesar what is Caesars – to pay taxes due. How could that be a threat to Rome?

“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”

What did he just say? Someone here says he is calling their dead prophet Eliyyahu?

Ah! Someone offered him vinegar on hyssop. And someone in the crowd said “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Eliyyahu comes to save him.” How cold.

Oh, someone else is saying that he really said: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Finally he sees the depths of his situation! There was never a time that any other outcome was an option.

“It is Finished!”

What is this? The earth shakes! An incredible tearing sound from atop the city! Rocks splitting! Tombs are opening and the dead are coming out!

What manner of man was this? Surely this man was a son of the gods. For who else could such things coincide exactly with death?

Well, the show seems to be over for many in the crowd They are heading back to the city, though a few women are staying, even now.

Time is up to end this before the festival begins. These two that are not yet gone must have their legs broken to speed their death. But this one certainly seems to be gone already. We must be sure he is dead, of course. We must be certain before we report to Pilate. The events of this day will surely garner significant attention.

No need to break the bones of this one. Pierce his side!

Yes, the water and blood come out separately. He is dead indeed.

 

(c) 2017 Chuck Curtiss

To read other similar stories in this series see The Witness List.

Based on Matthew 27:32-54, Mark 15:16-39, Luke 23:26-45, John 19:17-37

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. http://www.zondervan.com.

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[i]Philippians 2:5-7

[ii]I Peter 2:23-24

[iii]Mark 5:21-43

[iv]Luke 7:11-17

 

Based on Matthew 27:32-54, Mark 15:16-39, Luke 23:26-45, John 19:17-37