Church of the Holy Sepulcher

November 26, 2018

Golgotha (Mk 15:22-15:22)

“Then they brought Jesus

To the place

Called Golgotha.

This means

The place of the skull.”

 

καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Γολγοθᾶν τόπον, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενος Κρανίου τόπος.

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 27:33.  In Luke, chapter 23:33, the place was simple called “The Skull,” with no mention of Golgotha, while in John, chapter 19:17, it was also called “The Place of the Skull,” as the translation of the Hebrew word Golgotha.  Mark said that they brought Jesus to this Golgotha place (καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Γολγοθᾶν τόπον).  He said that this could be translated (ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενος) as “The Place of the skull (Κρανίου τόπος).”   Golgotha apparently was a transliteration of the Aramaic word for skull.  The exact location of this place near Jerusalem is not known, but the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the traditional place for Calvary, based on the Latin translation of Golgotha, probably a little east of Jerusalem.

July 19, 2018

Golgotha (Mt 27:33-27:34)

“They came to a place

Called Golgotha.

This means

Place of a skull.

They offered him

Wine to drink.

This wine was

Mixed with gall.

But when Jesus

Tasted it,

He would not drink it.”

 

Καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τόπον λεγόμενον Γολγοθᾶ, ὅ ἐστιν κρανίου τόπος λεγόμενος,

ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ πιεῖν οἶνον μετὰ χολῆς μεμιγμένον· καὶ γευσάμενος οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῖν.

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 15:22-23, but Mark has myrrh not gall.  In Luke, chapter 23:33, the place was simple called the skull, while in John, chapter 19:17, it was also called Golgotha with the explanation.  Matthew said that they came to a place called Golgotha (Καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τόπον λεγόμενον Γολγοθᾶ) that means “Place of a skull (ὅ ἐστιν κρανίου τόπος λεγόμενος).”  There they offered him some wine to drink (ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ πιεῖν οἶνον) in order to dull the pain.  This wine was mixed with gall or bitter herbs (μετὰ χολῆς μεμιγμένον).  But when Jesus experienced this taste (καὶ γευσάμενος), he did not want to drink it (οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῖν).  This Golgotha apparently is a transliteration of the Aramaic word for skull.  This place was near Jerusalem.  The exact location is not known, but the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the traditional place for Calvary, based on the Latin translation of Golgotha, probably a little east of Jerusalem.