Jesus Attached to the Cross
And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar. And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.—St. Luke xxiii: 32-38.
NOTE BY THE ARTIST
In spite of all that has been spoken and written on the subject, the site of the place called “Golgotha” remains, as has been said, and must always remain, undecided. But to those who can maintain an open mind, unbiased by sentimental associations, the weight of evidence bears heavily against the traditional Calvary (which shares with many other “sacred sites” the shelter of the church of the Holy Sepulchre) and in favor of a little knoll overhanging the grotto of Jeremiah, about an arrow-flight beyond the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem.
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A great many very valuable lessons are taught us by the history of the crucifixion. We can speak of only five.
The first lesson taught us by the crucifixion is—the lesson of forgiveness.
It was probably while the Roman soldiers were driving the rough nails through his tender hands and feet, or just after the cross was set up in its place, that Jesus taught us this lesson. He looked on his murderers with a pitying eye. If he had asked God to punish them, as they deserved for their cruelty, or if he had spoken to them ever so severely, it would not have been surprising. But though they were causing him so much suffering, when he had done them no harm, still there was not one angry feeling in his heart towards them, and not one unkind word fell from his lips. Instead of this, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and offered the prayer—“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Here we have the most perfect pattern of forgiveness the world has ever known. If we wish to be true followers of Jesus, we must try to be like him in this respect. We must learn well this lesson of forgiveness.
“Examples of Forgiveness.” Dr. Duff, the late excellent missionary to India, once read our Saviour’s sermon on the mount to some Hindoo young men whom he was teaching. As he read on he came to the passage in which Jesus says, “I say unto you love your enemies, bless them that persecute you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.” One of the young men was so impressed by our Saviour’s words that he exclaimed, with great earnestness, “O how beautiful! how divine! this is the truth!” And for days and weeks afterwards he would exclaim, from time to time, “Love your enemies! who ever heard such teaching? How beautiful this is! This is heavenly teaching!”