ὕψει κείται παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους τόπους· ἄντικρυς γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ Ἐλαιῶνος ὄρος ὑψηλότερον· καὶ ἀπὸ σημείων ὀκτὼ ἡ Γαβαὼμ ὑψηλοτάτη ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἄκρα, ἡ ποτὲ ὑπάρχουσα ἐν Σιών, νῦν δὲ τμηθεῖσα, καὶ αὐτὴ ὑψηλοτέρα ὑπῆρχε τοῦ τόπου Ρ. Jerome q, however, while he mentions the same traditions which are here alluded to by Epiphanius *, accounts for the name as implying the locus decollato- rum, like the Gemoniæ at Rome, the Ceadas at Sparta, or the Barathrum at Athens 99; the common Tyburn, or place of execution: and from the frequency of such executions †, and the abundance of the mouldering or bleaching remains of bodies, which had probably undergone there the punishment of crucifixion, called in the The tradition in question is most distinctly stated by Basil, Operum i. 937. A: in Isaiæ v. Λόγος δέ τίς ἐστι καὶ τοιόσδε, κατὰ τὴν ἄγραφον γνώμην ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ διασωζόμενος· ὡς ἄρα πρώτη ἡ Ἰουδαία ἄνθρωπον ἔσχεν οικήτορα τὸν ̓Αδάμ, μετὰ τὸ ἐκβληθῆναι τοῦ παραδείσου ἐν ταύτῃ καθιδρυθέντα, εἰς παραμυθίαν ὧν ἐστερήθη. πρώτη οὖν καὶ νεκρὸν ἐδέξατο ἄνθρωπον, ἐκεῖ τοῦ ̓Αδὰμ τὴν καταδίκην πληρώσαντος. καινὸν οὖν ἐδόκει εἶναι τοῖς τότε θέαμα, ὀστέον κεφαλῆς, τῆς σαρκὸς περιῤῥυείσης, καὶ ἀποθέμενοι τὸ κρανίον ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, κρανίου τόπον ὠνόμασαν. εἰκὸς δὲ μηδὲ τὸν Νῶς τοῦ ἀρχηγοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀγνοῆσαι τὸν τάφον, ὡς μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἀπ ̓ αὐτ τοῦ διαδοθῆναι τὴν φήμην. διόπερ ὁ Κύριος, τὰς ἀρχὰς τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου θανάτου ἐρευνήσας, εἰς τὸν λεγόμενον κρανίου τόπον τὸ πάθος ἐδέξατο, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἡ φθορὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβεν, ἐκεῖθεν ἡ ζωὴ τῆς βασιλείας ἄρξηται. κ, τ. λ. Cf. Ambrose, i. 1528. E. In Lucam, lib. x. §. 114: Ipse autem crucis locus, vel in medio, ut conspicuus omnibus: vel supra Adæ, ut Hebræi disputant, sepulturam. congruebat quippe ut ibi vitæ nostræ primitiæ locarentur, ubi fuerant mortis exordia. And again, ii. 1070. Ε. F. Epistola Ixxi. §. 10: Ibi Adæ sepulcrum ; ut illum mortuum in sua cruce resuscitaret. ubi ergo in Adam mors omnium, ibi in Christo omnium resurrectio. + On one occasion, about thirty-two years before this time, Varus, the governor of Syria, had crucified 2000 of the Jews at once, probably on this very spot. Vide Dissertation v. vol. i. 278. 9 Operum iv. P Compare also Maimonides, De Edificio Templi, ii. 2. R 2 r popular language the place of sculls. According to the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, it was necessary that Christ should suffer ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς --and, therefore, without the gate and Calvary would answer to the former description by answering to the latter; for Maimonides informs us that the space included by the walls of Jerusalem was supposed to answer to the Tapeμßon, or the castra Israelitarum; and the space beyond them, to without the camp. s Here then, while the preparations were making to erect the cross, the offer of the wine mixed with myrrh, which St. Matthew expresses by vinegar and gall, (the former capable of being literally understood, because it may denote the ordinary beverage of the Roman soldiers, who, having to keep watch about the crosses for the rest of the day, must have brought their provisions with them; the latter a general description for something bitter,) may have taken place: Psalm lxix. 21. If this potion was intended to produce a stupifying effect, and so to deaden the sensibility of pain, it might be no uncommon thing under such circumstances; or at least in the present instance the offer of it might be the act of some compassionate by-stander, whether one of the soldiers, or not. To accomplish prophecy, which had specified this circumstance in particular, our Lord, as St. Matthew informs us, tasted of it, but, that he might not diminish by artificial means the entire burden of his sufferings, as both St. Matthew and St. Mark apprise us, he would not drink of it. V. The crucifixion of Jesus, or his attachment to the cross, Psalm xxii. 16-along with that of the two malefactors, Isaiah liii. 12—and while they were nailing him to it, his prayer of intercession for his execu r Ch. xiii. 11. 12. Cf. Exod. xxix. 14. Lev. iv. 12. 21. viii. 17. xvi. 27. Numb. xix. 3. s De Ratione Adeundi Templi, iii. 2. De Ratione Sacrificiorum, vii. 4. ὕψει κεῖται παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους τόπους· ἄντικρυς γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ Ἐλαιῶνος ὄρος ὑψηλότερον· καὶ ἀπὸ σημείων ὀκτὼ ἡ Γαβαὼμ ὑψηλοτάτη· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἄκρα, ἡ ποτὲ ὑπάρχουσα ἐν Σιὼν, νῦν δὲ τμηθεῖσα, καὶ αὐτὴ ὑψηλοτέρα ὑπῆρχε τοῦ τόπου Ρ. Jerome 4, however, while he mentions the same traditions which are here alluded to by Epiphanius *, accounts for the name as implying the locus decollato- rum, like the Gemoniæ at Rome, the Ceadas at Sparta, or the Barathrum at Athens 99; the common Tyburn, or place of execution: and from the frequency of such executions †, and the abundance of the mouldering or bleaching remains of bodies, which had probably undergone there the punishment of crucifixion, called in the * The tradition in question is most distinctly stated by Basil, Operum i. 937. A: in Isaiæ v. Λόγος δέ τίς ἐστι καὶ τοιόσδε, κατὰ τὴν ἄγραφον γνώμην ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ διασωζόμενος· ὡς ἄρα πρώτη ἡ Ἰουδαία ἄνθρωπον ἔσχεν οικήτορα τὸν ̓Αδάμ, μετὰ τὸ ἐκβληθῆναι τοῦ παραδείσου ἐν ταύτῃ καθιδρυθέντα, εἰς παραμυθίαν ὧν ἐστερήθη, πρώτη οὖν καὶ νεκρὸν ἐδέξατο ἄνθρωπον, ἐκεῖ τοῦ ̓Αδὰμ τὴν καταδίκην πληρώσαντος. καινὸν οὖν ἐδόκει εἶναι τοῖς τότε θέαμα, ὀστέον κεφαλῆς, τῆς σαρκὸς περιῤῥνείσης, καὶ ἀποθέτ μενοι τὸ κρανίον ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, κρανίου τόπον ὠνόμασαν. εἰκὸς δὲ μηδὲ τὸν Νῶς τοῦ ἀρχηγοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀγνοῆσαι τὸν τάφον, ὡς μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἀπ ̓ αὐτ τοῦ διαδοθῆναι τὴν φήμην. διόπερ ὁ Κύριος, τὰς ἀρχὰς τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου θανάτου ἐρευνήσας, εἰς τὸν λεγόμενον κρανίου τόπον τὸ πάθος ἐδέξατο, ἵνα ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἡ φθορὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβεν, ἐκεῖθεν ἡ ζωὴ τῆς βασιλείας ἄρξηται. κ, τ. λ. Cf. Ambrose, i. 1528. E. In Lucam, lib. x. §. 114 : Ipse autem crucis locus, vel in medio, ut conspicuus omnibus: vel supra Adæ, ut Hebræi disputant, sepulturam. congruebat quippe ut ibi vitæ nostræ primitia locarentur, ubi fuerant mortis exordia. And again, ii. 1070. Ε. F. Epistola Ixxi. §. 1o: Ibi Adæ sepulcrum ; ut illum mortuum in sua cruce resuscitaret. ubi ergo in Adam mors omnium, ibi in Christo omnium resurrectio. + On one occasion, about thirty-two years before this time, Varus, the governor of Syria, had crucified 2000 of the Jews at once, probably on this very spot. Vide Dissertation v. vol. i. 278. P Compare also Maimonides, De Edificio Templi, ii. 2. 4 Operum iv. Pars i. 137. ad calcem. In Matt. xxvii. Cf. however, Ibid. Pars ii. 547. ad calcem. Epistola xliv. Cf. also, Origen, iii. 920. C. In Matt. Commentariorum Series, 126. Theophylact, Operum i. 158. A. In Matt. xxvii: 257. E. In Marc. xv: 485. E. In Lucam xxiii : 750. E. In Joh. xix. qq Suidas, Βάραθρον, Καιάδας, and Κεάδας. r popular language the place of sculls. According to the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, it was necessary that Christ should suffer ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς τ —and, therefore, without the gate: and Calvary would answer to the former description by answering to the latter; for Maimonides informs us that the space included by the walls of Jerusalem was supposed to answer to the Tapeμßoλn, or the castra Israelitarum; and the space beyond them, to without the camp. Here then, while the preparations were making to erect the cross, the offer of the wine mixed with myrrh, which St. Matthew expresses by vinegar and gall, (the former capable of being literally understood, because it may denote the ordinary beverage of the Roman soldiers, who, having to keep watch about the crosses for the rest of the day, must have brought their provisions with them; the latter a general description for something bitter,) may have taken place: Psalm lxix. 21. If this potion was intended to produce a stupifying effect, and so to deaden the sensibility of pain, it might be no uncommon thing under such circumstances; or at least in the present instance the offer of it might be the act of some compassionate by-stander, whether one of the soldiers, or not. To accomplish prophecy, which had specified this circumstance in particular, our Lord, as St. Matthew informs us, tasted of it, but, that he might not diminish by artificial means the entire burden of his sufferings, as both St. Matthew and St. Mark apprise us, he would not drink of it. V. The crucifixion of Jesus, or his attachment to the cross, Psalm xxii. 16-along with that of the two malefactors, Isaiah liii. 12-and while they were nailing him to it, his prayer of intercession for his execu r Ch. xiii. 11. 12. Cf. Exod. xxix. 14. Lev. iv. 12. 21. viii. 17. xvi. 27. Numb. xix. 3. s De Ratione Adeundi Templi, iii. 2. De Ratione Sacrificiorum, vii. 4. tioners, and for the rest of the people present, Isaiah liii. 12. as recorded by St. Luke. The form or manner of suspension upon the cross may be conceived from the following description of it by Justin Martyr: opθιον γὰρ τὸ ἕν ἐστι ξύλον, ἀφ' οὗ ἐστι τὸ ἀνώτατον μέρος εἰς κέρας ὑπερηρμένον ὅταν τὸ ἄλλο ξύλον προσαρμοσθῇ, καὶ ἑκατέρωθεν ὡς κέρατα, τῷ ἑνὶ κέρατι παρεζευγμένα, τὰ ἄκρα φαίνηται· καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ πηγνύμενον, ὡς κέρας καὶ αὐτὸ ἐξέχον ἐστὶν, ἐφ ̓ ᾧ ἐποχοῦνται οἱ σταυρούμενοι * * * A cross consisted of one main or principal beam, fixed in the ground, perpendicularly to the horizon. From this, at about the distance of a man's height above the ground, projected a solid piece of wood, at right angles to the upright post; and consequently parallel to the horizon. To this, the feet of the sufferer were nailed, and the weight of the body rested upon it. Towards the top of the vertical beam, there was another piece of wood, which projected on either side of it, in a transverse direction, at the same distance from the last mentioned piece, as a man's shoulders would be from his feet. To this the arms of the sufferer were attached, each at its full stretch, and by nails driven right through the palm. The head of the crucified person, was not made fast; but if it leaned upon any support, it would be against the vertical beam; the top of which projected upwards above it. Our Lord's attachment to the cross, during which he uttered the prayer of intercession, consisted in making his feet fast to the one board, and his arms to the t other the painful severity of which process it is more easy to conceive than to describe. Yet this was the moment when he uttered the prayer in question. This attachment doubtless took place before the crosses were set up in the ground; and it is so specified accordingly. The head of Jesus was not secured; for it is said, at the time of his expiring, that he bowed the head before he gave up the ghost. Various particulars with respect to the punishment of crucifixion anciently, occur in the Oneirocritica of Artemidorus, Liber ii. 58: for instance, that the cross was made of nails and wood; that the person crucified was at a distance from the ground; that he was exposed in that situation naked; that his flesh was left to rot upon the cross, in other words, that he was not ordinarily buried. The position of the sufferer on the cross with the arms stretched, is alluded to, Ibid. i. 78: Kakοῦργος δὲ ὧν σταυρωθήσεται, διὰ τὸ ὕψος καὶ τὴν τῶν χειρῶν ἔκτασιν. Cf. iv. 51. The ordinary height of a cross from the ground, as neither very high nor very low, t Dialogus, 337. l. 15-21. |