THE WAY OF THE CROSS / THE WAY TO CALVARY / THE CRUCIFIXION / THE CRUCIFIED JESUS IS MOCKED / JESUS' GARMENTS DIVIDED

As they were going out, they pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, “Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.” At that time people will say to the mountains, “Fall upon us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” Now, two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed. When they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. (Psalm 22:17) They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with myrrh (Psalm 69:21). However, when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled that says: “They divided my garments among them, and cast lots for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:18) This is what the soldiers did. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. Pilate had an inscription written and the charge against him was placed over his head. The inscription of the charge against him read: “This is Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” “hinei yeshua hanotzri, melekh ha'am yisrael” {Hebrew} “Iesus Nazarenos Rex Iudaeroum” {Latin} “Isous Nazoreos, Basileas ton Ioudaeron” {Greek} Now, many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write “The King of the Jews,” but that he said, “I am the King of the Jews.”” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. The people stood by and watched. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes, elders, and rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him, mocked him, and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, “I am God's Son.”” (Wisdom 2:18-20; Psalm 22:7-12) Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine, they called out, “So, he is the king of Israel! If you are King of the Jews, save yourself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe in him.” Return