CHAPTER 170.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Levi
The crucifixion. Jesus prays for his murderers. Pilate puts an inscription above the cross. Jesus speaks words of encouragement to the penitent thief. Commits to John the care of his mother and Miriam. The soldiers divide his garments among themselves.
The Jewish mob pushed on toward Calvary and as they went the Marys, Miriam, and other women not a few, were close beside the Lord.
2 They wept aloud. When Jesus saw them weeping and lamenting thus he said,
3 Weep not for me, for though I go away, go through the gateway of the cross, yet on the next day of the sun, lift up your hearts, for I will meet you at the sepulchre.
4 The great procession came to Calvary. The Roman soldiers had already bound the two state prisoners to the cross.
5 (They were not nailed, but simply bound.)
6 Four soldiers of the Roman guard that Herod brought from Galilee were called to execute the orders of the court.
7 These were the men who had been set apart to torture Jesus and secure from him confession of his guilt.
8 These were the men who scourged him, put a crown of thorns upon his head, a broken reed into his hands, and wrapped him in a royal robe, and bowed in mockery, before him as a king.
9 These soldiers took the Lord and stripped him, laid him on the cross and would have bound him there with cords; but this would not suffice.
10 The cruel Jews were near with hammer and with nails; they cried, not cords, but nails; drive fast the nails and hold him to the cross.
11 And then the soldiers took the nails and drove them through his feet and hands.
12 They offered him a sedative to drink, a draught of vinegar and myrrh; but he refused to drink the draught.
13 The soldiers had prepared a place in which to plant Barabbas’ cross between the other criminals; and here they raised the cross of Jesus, who was called the Christ;
14 And then the soldiers and the mob sat down to watch him die.
15 And Jesus said, My Father-God, forgive these men; they know not what they do.
16 Now, Pilate had prepared a tablet to be placed upon the cross on which was written in the tongues of Hebrew, Latin and the Greek these words of truth: JESUS THE CHRIST, KING OF THE JEWS.
17 And this was placed upon the cross. The priests were angered when they read these words upon the tablet of the cross.
18 And then they prayed that Pilate would not say, He is the Christ, king of the Jews; but say, He claims to be the Christ, king of the Jews.
19 But Pilate said, What I have written, I have written; let it stand.
20 The Jewish multitudes who saw the Lord upon the cross were wild with joy; they said, All hail, fake king!
21 You who would tear the temple down and in three days would build it up again, why don’t you save yourself?
22 If you are Christ, the son of God, come from the cross; then all men will believe.
23 The priests and scribes and Pharisees looked on the scene and scoffed; they said, He rescued others from the grave; why don’t he save himself?
24 The Jewish soldiers and the Roman guards who came from Galilee were loud in mocking and deriding him.
25 One of the other men upon the cross joined in the mockery; he said, If you are Christ, you have the power; just speak the Word, and save yourself and me.
26 The other man upon the cross rebuked the man; he said, You wretch! have you no fear of God?
27 This man is innocent of any crime while you and I are guilty and are paying up the debts we owe.
28 And then he said to Jesus, Lord, I know thy kingdom comes, the kingdom that the world can never comprehend;
29 And when thou comest on the clouds of heaven, remember me.
30 And Jesus said, Behold, for I will meet you in the realm of souls this day.
31 Now, standing near unto the cross were many women from Judea and from Galilee. Among them were the mother of the Lord and Miriam,
32 And Mary, mother of the two apostles, James and John, and Mary Magdalene, and Martha, Ruth and Mary, and Salome.
33 When Jesus saw his mother and the singer Miriam standing close beside the cross and John a-near, he said to John,
34 In your most tender care I leave my mother and my sister Miriam.
35 And John replied, While they shall live my home shall be the home of your thrice blessed mother and your sister Miriam.
36 According to a custom of the Jews, to those who were the executioners of law and took the lives of criminals, belonged the garments of the criminals.
37 So when the Lord was crucified, the Roman guards divided up among themselves the garments of the Lord.
38 But when they found his coat it was a seamless coat and highly prized.
39 For it the guards cast lots, and thus determined who should have the prize.