The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-16
The Sunday School.
LESSON FOR OCTOBER "a, 1885.
JESUS CRUCIFIED.
The CRUorFIxIoN.
[John xix. 1901

of criminals. 1t was seldom inflicted upon
Ronsn c;tizens. IL was lingering and tor
-, ,,, a. a d;s,rooofn, form, of
turous oeath' as wen as oiesl oooi.. ~ :. "
punishment. Inc jews were especiaiiy anA-
ious TO infiict this degrading ana torturous
nanaltv upon JESUS. The form of the cross,
po .,. 80 th;s torr;h,o nrr;shr,a,t
Tue ine'i r'. -
is too familiar 10 CHRISTIANS 10 neeo oescrip-
ton. BY JESUS death the cross has been
transformed from an instrument of death
80, ,,te, 80 f.;.h
ana marx Oh uissraoe iu'o oynnoo, - iai'n
and love, and sign of virtue and honor
Conoarnino the manner of execution and the
-. e ...tt, h., orv,o;f x;o,, va ,nota tho
tor'ure Vi uee'i W oiuoAAD w dN0'o WV
following:
r,s......,5 r., tLa crosa rnust first ba
Ihose coIoen heu t ~ o own CROSS also a
scourgeo; men ue I .nI stot;,o thar crime
tapiec upon MOI 1 " IS ayacntion which Law
as faT as tne ne. piau ro "a tbronoad hiohwav
outsiue .no ol'y, upoJ s,ot thot tba crnc;f;ad
OF upon , so a;S,Sf ,o ,,socEad and at the same
criminals niighe 10 ntUnAoa a 1s SoaahaJ
tlme INSPIRE .error. Nnei slioy nav t .Jaoass
this place OF executlon, !ney Mere s'aippeu'
ana atter tne stupeIying urausns was au I'LL
istered, they were naleu " s,le oto.s, wh;oh
hao Deen PREVIOUSLY eleoseu' anu ao M, "nu ..
was placed an luscrlptlon. t Inc arus
were extendeo ana Iasteneu W .le cr tss
beam. Inc oooy resteu upoI q pos ~ tus
center in a riding manner, wnlcn prevented
the hands from oeing t0fn IN 1nroegn' anu al
lowing the persons 10 Iall. ing Lee..oo Mele
Iasteneo.- LoHae commentary VI NOV
rConcernine1 the manner of death and the
kind of physical suffering endured, we :.
aorldge IRON t1e I5ea'ise "a ING Te n.
/ The unnatural position and violent ten
sion of the body, which cause painful SEN
sation from the nrst motlon: z. Inc nails,
e Dons h;ah 90 ELI nf ney.res and fendons.
land vet at distance from the hearty create
the most exquisite anguish. 4. Inc expos
ure OF SO nlany wEunu .,h;nb .onSs ~ he
coma oanorene. and every moment increases
the poignancy of the suffering. 8. In the
distended parts OF tne nooy more piooo n1ws
haop ;nto tbe veins. hence foo much blood
finds its way from the aorta into the head
and stomach, and the biood,vesselS OF the
heao pecoe presseu anu nh;oh nysras
canses Al, internal excitement, exertion and
anxiety more intolerable than death itself.
3. Inc lnexpresslole misery OF 9TG 20 ~, r.
W ,ne Cav odd ID Rnrnino and raging thirst
The period at which death occurred was
very variable, as 1t depended on tne consu-
stitu.,In 81 sne honrs 20 he tho earliest Der;od
at which crucifxion would occasion death in
healthy adult Cyctop@dtd, McOl1ntock
otrong.
We learn from Matthew and Mark, that
wban Jpsrs was delivered by plate to be
crncified. thew (the soldiers, probably took
off the purple robe in which he was ridculed
as king. and put on him his own garments,
and led him away bearing the cross in com
panv with two Others who we're condemned
tn death Unke xiii. 32) to the place of exc
cution. On the way, either because of the
weakness of JESUS, (there is a tradition that
he fell under the weight of his burden) or a
toucb of pity on the part of the guard, a
stranger who was passing by was summoned
to hear his cross for him. According to
Luke. there followed multitudes of people,
some TO scoff and torture others no doubt,
ont of mere idle and brutal curiosity, and
still Others to sympathize and befriend, and
ssof women who lamented and bewailed." JE-
srJs. more thoughtful of others than himself,
turned and said, Daughters of Jerusalem,
weep not for me, but for your children and
Yourselves. +" His prophetic soul saw the bloody
harvest of that days wicked sowing which his
people should reap in the coming days, when
there would not be room enough, according
to the historian, to execute all who were con-
demned to this shameful and torturous death.
(See quotation from Canon Farrar in last les
son Study) The place of execution was out
side the city, but evidently near by and in
plain view of the passing multitudes in attend
ance upon the Feast. The name of the place
was Golgotha, which is the Hebrew word for
skull. 1t may have been a small, barren,
skull-shaped mound whose appearance sug-
gested the name. The place is more famil-
iarly known to US as Calvary, which is the
anglicised Latin word for skull. The loca-
ton is not now certainly known. The tradi-
tional spot is occupied by the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre, which was originally built
by the mother of Constantine A. ID. 1856. Ar
rived at the place of execution the prisoner
was stripped of his clothing, which was the
perquisite of the soldiers, who in the case of
JESUS cast lots for the ownership of the seam
less under garment (tunic-"cloak'O. This,
says John, was in fulfillment of Scripture.
The Scripture referred to is doubtless Psalm
xxi. Is. The first line of this Psalm JESUS
repeated as an exclamation when upon the
cross Matthew xvii 46). JESUS was cruel
fed between two robbers. This it would
seem was Pilates arrangement to shame and
humilate the Jews whom he does not now
apnear to fear since he had Welded to their