The crucifixion of Jesus: history, meaning and hope
The cross is the most recognised symbol of Christianity. It appears in churches, homes, cemeteries and jewellery all over the world. Yet in the first century the cross was not an ornament but an instrument of torture and execution reserved for the most despised criminals. That Christians made it their emblem is one of the deepest paradoxes in history: the place of greatest humiliation became the place of the greatest revelation of God’s love.
In this article we look at the historical context of Jesus’ crucifixion, the account in the gospels, the words he spoke on the cross, and its meaning for the Christian faith and for our lives today.
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5
The historical context
Crucifixion was a form of execution practised by several ancient peoples and perfected by the Roman Empire. It was applied above all to slaves, rebels and criminals who were not Roman citizens. Its purpose was not only to kill, but to humiliate publicly and deter others. The condemned man was usually scourged, forced to carry the crossbeam and exposed naked before the crowd, dying slowly from exhaustion, blood loss and asphyxiation.
Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem during the Passover feast, under the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Most historians place this event around the year 30 or 33 AD. Besides the gospels, some ancient non-Christian authors, such as the Roman historian Tacitus, mention that Christ was executed under Pontius Pilate.
The events leading up to it
The days before the crucifixion are full of meaning. Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, acclaimed by the crowd with palm branches. He cleansed the temple, taught in its courts and confronted the religious leaders. At the Last Supper with his disciples, celebrating the Passover, he took bread and said it was his body, and took the cup and said it was the new covenant in his blood.
That same night he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane in deep anguish: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). Then he was betrayed by Judas, arrested, abandoned by his disciples and denied by Peter. He was interrogated before the high priest, before Pilate and before Herod. Although Pilate found no fault in him, he gave in to the pressure of the crowd and handed him over to be crucified.
The road to Calvary
Jesus was cruelly scourged, crowned with thorns and dressed in a purple robe in mockery. The soldiers knelt before him saying “Hail, King of the Jews!” while striking him. Weakened, he could not carry the cross all the way, and the soldiers compelled Simon of Cyrene to bear it. Many people followed him, among them women who wept for him.
They came to a place called Golgotha, meaning the place of a skull, also known as Calvary. There they crucified him between two criminals. Above his head they placed a sign written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
The seven sayings of Jesus on the cross
Together, the four gospels record seven sayings spoken by Jesus on the cross. Christian tradition has meditated on them for centuries, especially during Holy Week.
1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The first saying is one of forgiveness. In the midst of suffering, Jesus intercedes for those who crucify him.
2. “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). One of the criminals acknowledged his guilt and asked Jesus to remember him. The answer is a promise of immediate salvation, showing that it is never too late to turn to God.
3. “Woman, behold thy son!… Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26-27). Jesus entrusts his mother Mary to the care of the beloved disciple. Even on the cross, he cares for his own.
4. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus quotes Psalm 22. He expresses the abyss of loneliness in bearing the sin of the world, and at the same time points to a psalm that ends in hope and praise.
5. “I thirst” (John 19:28). An expression of his full humanity and real suffering.
6. “It is finished” (John 19:30). Not a cry of defeat but of victory: the work of redemption has been completed.
7. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Jesus dies giving himself with trust to the Father, quoting Psalm 31.
Signs at the death of Jesus
The gospels relate that there was darkness over the land from noon until three in the afternoon, and that when Jesus died the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. That veil separated the Most Holy Place, which only the high priest entered once a year. Its tearing symbolises that, through Christ’s death, access to God’s presence is open to all. The Roman centurion standing before the cross exclaimed: “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39).
Why did Jesus die?
From a historical point of view, Jesus died because his message and authority troubled the religious leaders and because the Roman authorities saw him as a threat. But the Bible reveals a deeper meaning: Jesus gave his life voluntarily. “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18).
The New Testament uses various images to explain the meaning of the cross. Sacrifice: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, fulfilling what the Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed. Substitution: he took our place and bore our guilt, as Isaiah 53 announced. Redemption: he paid the price of our freedom. Reconciliation: he broke down the enmity between God and humanity, and between human beings. Victory: he triumphed over the powers of evil and over death (Colossians 2:15). Revelation of love: “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Different Christian traditions have emphasised different images, but all confess that Christ’s death is the way of our salvation.
The cross was not the end
Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, wrapped in linen and laid in a new tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. A great stone sealed the entrance and guards kept watch. But on the third day, the women who went to anoint the body found the tomb empty. An angel told them: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:6).
The resurrection confirms that the cross was victory and not defeat. Without the resurrection, the cross would be only a tragedy; with the resurrection, it is the door of hope. Paul states that if Christ is not risen, our faith is vain; but now is Christ risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:17-20).
The cross in the believer’s life
The cross is not only an event of the past; it has consequences for daily life. Jesus invited his disciples to take up their cross daily and follow him. This means renouncing selfishness, obeying God even when it costs and loving to the point of sacrifice. Paul said: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), expressing that his old life had died and that Christ now lived in him.
The cross also comforts us in suffering. We have a God who knows pain from within, who was betrayed, humiliated and abandoned. When we suffer, we can draw near to him knowing that he understands us.
The cross and reconciliation between people
The cross reconciles us not only with God but also with one another. Paul writes that Christ is our peace and that he broke down the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, creating in himself one new people (Ephesians 2:14-16). At the foot of the cross there is no room for racial, social or religious pride: we all need the same grace and we are all received by the same love. That is why the cross inspires Christians to work for reconciliation in families, communities and among peoples.
Holy Week: remembering and celebrating
Many churches around the world commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Christ during Holy Week, with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants and evangelicals observe these days with different expressions: processions, liturgies, vigils, special services, readings of the passion and celebrations of the Lord’s Supper. Beyond the forms, the centre is the same: the love of God revealed in Christ crucified and risen.
A prayer before the cross
Lord Jesus, thank you for your love that went all the way to the cross. You were wounded for my transgressions and by your stripes I am healed. Forgive my sins and make me a new creature. Teach me to take up my cross each day and follow you faithfully. Thank you that the cross was not the end and that you live for ever. To you be the glory. Amen.