John 19:17–22 (WEL) He went out carrying his cross to a place called The Skull, which in Hebrew is Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him and two others with him, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. The writing was, “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.” 20 Many among the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ instead that he said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
V17 He went out carrying his cross to a place called The Skull, which in Hebrew is Golgotha.
It is difficult to know how much Jesus’s cross weighed. Many estimate the upright part weighed somewhere about 150–200 pounds (68–90 kg) and the crossbar at 50–70 pounds (22.6–32.7 kg). Jesus most likely carried the crossbar and Simon of Cyrene the upright portion.
The distance from Pilate’s judgment hall to Golgotha would be about 0.3–0.4 miles (500 to 600 meters) depending on the exact location of the judgment hall.
The Greek word for Golgotha is G2898. κρανίον kranion, which means skull. The Hebrew (Aramaic) word is the word G1115 Γολγοθᾶ Golgotha; of Aramaic origin.
V18 There they crucified him and two others with him, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.
A brief summary from BraveAI:
“How it worked: The victim was typically stripped, scourged (beaten), and forced to carry a horizontal beam (patibulum) to the execution site. There, the arms were nailed or bound to the crossbeam and the feet to the upright post. The body’s weight pulled the rib cage upward, making exhalation progressively harder; the victim had to push up on the feet to breathe, and over time the chest muscles fatigued, leading to death by asphyxiation (carbon dioxide buildup in the blood). Death could also result from blood loss, shock, or heart failure. To hasten death, executioners sometimes broke the victim’s legs (crurifragium), preventing them from pushing up to breathe.
“History: The practice predates Rome, appearing among the Assyrians, Persians, and Carthaginians, but it became most associated with the Roman Empire, which used it for roughly 500 years (from ~2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE). It was reserved for the most serious offenses — slaves, pirates, rebels, and traitors — and was deliberately public, meant to humiliate and deter. The Jewish historian Josephus, who witnessed crucifixions during the siege of Jerusalem, called it ‘the most wretched of deaths.’ The Roman Emperor Constantine abolished it in the 4th century CE.”
The wording is specific because John was an eyewitness and includes details.
V19 Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. The writing was, “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.”
This is true, but the motivation was to irritate the Jews, placate the Romans, and ease Pilate’s conscience.
Jesus is not only the King of the Jews but King of kings and Lord of lords, that is, supreme. He is King of the universe and will come at the end of the Tribulation to deliver Israel and Gentile believers. He will then set up His kingdom. Compare Zechariah 14.
V20 Many among the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
Pilate wanted everyone to know this, whether Jew, Gentiles who spoke Greek, and Romans who spoke Latin.
Again, note the detail of this eyewitness—it was near the city (of Jerusalem).
V21 The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ instead that he said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”
The Jewish leaders were angry that Pilate wrote this. God was rejected as king was nothing new; see 1 Samuel 8:7 and 1 Samuel 10:19.
V22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
Short, curt answer and very decisive. Sad that Pilate wasn’t more decisive in Jesus’s trial.
We learn:
- About Jesus’s suffering.
- Eyewitness details.
- Pilate’s and the Jewish leaders’ response.
Questions:
- What is your opinion of Pilate and the Jewish leaders’ response?
- How would you have responded to reading that message?