What They Said at Calvary

“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left.”   (Luke 23:33)

 
Much was said at Golgotha (Calvary) on that fateful day when Christ was put to death for our sins and our salvation.  

 
From the Cross, Jesus spoke to those present but also to all of humanity for all time with profound words that transcend time and place.  

 
“Woman, behold your son.”  “Behold your mother.”  (John 19:26-27)

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34)

“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) (See Matthew 27:46)

“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”  (Luke 23:46)

“It is finished.”  (John 19:30)

 
Even as he hung in excruciating agony upon the Cross, Jesus’s enemies mocked him and verbally abused him.  

 
Onlookers mocked him, saying “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, [and] come down from the cross!”  (Matthew 27:40).  “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross,” they said (See Mark 15:29-30).

 
“He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God,” taunted the Jewish leaders (see Luke 23:35).  They said,  “He saved others; he cannot save himself.   Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.”  (See Mark 15:31-32).

In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, the Jewish leaders were even more vicious in their taunts: 

“He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  (Matthew 27:42-43).

 
The Roman soldiers, too, mocked him as well, saying, ““If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”  (Luke 23:37).  They divided up his clothes and cast lots for his tunic:  “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be.” (See John 19:23-24).

 
One of the criminals crucified with Jesus mocked him as well, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”  (Luke 23:39).  

 
The Gospels record that only one person spoke up for Jesus during his Crucifixion:  Saint Dismas, aka “The Good Thief,” who also was crucified with Jesus.     Saint Dismas rebuked the other criminal, saying “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?  And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” (Luke 23:40-1)

 
Then Saint Dismas said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42).  

 
To which Jesus promised him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  (Luke 23:43).

 
After Jesus dies on the Cross, the Roman soldiers finally realized who he was.  They said “Truly, this was the Son of God!”  (Matthew 27:54).  

 
At Calvary that day of our Lord’s Crucifixion, much was said and much of that was vile and hateful.  Yet their words and their hate were overcome by Jesus’s sacrifice of love.  Three days later, Jesus proved them all wrong and redeemed humanity.