³² Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. ³³ And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, ³⁴ they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. ³⁵ Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” ³⁶ Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. ³⁷ And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁸ Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

27:32

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene [capital city in North Africa, now Libya], Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

To hasten the procession, the soldiers drafted Simon to help Jesus carry the cross. Jesus was too weakened from beatings to continue. Simon was probably a pilgrim from Africa come to celebrate the Passover. Jews did not want dead bodies hanging on a cross during Passover so they hastened the process of crucifixion (Jn 19:31).

27:33

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,

They brought Jesus to Golgotha (transliteration of the word skull) without delay. The biblical description of this place of execution fits in well with a spot now called Gordon’s Calvary, which is located beside a well-traveled road and shows a formation of a skull in the side of the hill. This is close to the northern wall.

27:34

they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

It was a custom to provide a narcotic for those dying on the cross. Jesus refused this narcotic because He wanted to be in control of His faculties.

Ps 69:²¹ They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

27:35

Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

None of the gospels emphasizes the particulars of the crucifixion. It was customary for soldiers to claim possessions of the one crucified.

The latter part of this verse is a quotation from Psalm 22:18.

27:36

Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

The soldiers guarded Jesus’ body on the cross in case some of His disciples tried to take Him down from the cross.

27:37

And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The accusation against Jesus by the Roman government was that he claimed to be the King of the Jews. The soldiers put his placard on the cross in derision of Jesus’ claim.

27:38

Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

Jesus and two others were crucified on a public highway where many travelled on their way to the Passover. Today a bus station lies below Golgotha.

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

PRINCIPLE:

The purpose of Jesus’ death was to become the Passover Lamb.

APPLICATION:

Simon came to celebrate the Passover but he met the Passover Lamb Himself.