GOLGOTHA: YOU’VE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS!

By: B. Johnson

Bent nearly double under the weight of a huge cross, a man guarded by soldiers and followed by a yelling, mocking mob, struggles up a hill. Sweat and blood are mingled on His white, paindrawn face, for a crown of sharp thorns has pressed upon His head with such force that it is piercing the flesh deeply. One needle-like dart is sticking just above one eye, and the blood is running down and partially obscuring His vision. His hands are bound tightly behind His back, which with horror we see to be streaming with blood, cut and lacerated terribly and with long, livid welts, showing where the lash of the whip has fallen in an awful scourging He has received – thirty nine stripes. His face can be seen only on one pale cheek.

He staggers on; then, without warning, falls insensible, with the rough cross lying with all its weight on the horribly, lacerated back. Realizing that the Man can go no farther thus burdened, the soldiers lay hold of a man among the noisy crowd and bind the cross to his back. In the meantime, the Man has been revived and is once more standing on his trembling legs, and at once, the
procession is again on its way up the steep hill.

Reaching its summit, the cross is laid upon the ground, and the Man is loosed and stretched upon it. Someone sits at its base and places His two feet together on the heavy beam, as someone else brings a huge spike about eight inches long, and a heavy hammer. What are they going to do! Someone else has also brought hammers and spikes as two burly fellow stretch His arms out on the cross beams. Is it possible? Can we believe our eyes and our ears? are they really driving spikes through the hands and feet of a living being? Horror of horrors! It is true! The thud of a hammer against nails is mingled with the sound of deep groans from the bloodless lips of the stricken Man, as the heavy spikes tear thru the flesh, grate past bones on their way to the wood beneath. Surely now they will be content with their hellish hate. That is what they desire, is it not? But no! There is a deep hole dug at the base of the structure, and now several husky soldiers lift the burdened cross and, with many grunts, drop it with a thud into the hole. The strain of His weight on the nailed hands and feet force a cry from the pale lips of the Man, but He does not curse those who so
cruelly torture His body. Instead, He lifts his eyes to the heavens and speaks. What does He say? He prays. For Himself – that His pain may be lessened? Ah,no! This is His prayer – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” A plea for forgiveness for these cruel, heartless people, who have subjected Him to such untold suffering and humiliation, and now have nailed Him to a cross to die in excruciating agony.

Minutes pass, and He hangs motionless, while blood drips ceaselessly from His head, His back, His hands, and His feet. The torn back is raising a fever, His throat is parched, and feebly He asks for a drink. Someone runs quickly, and dipping a hyssop into a liquid, raises it on a long feed to the white lips. But alas! It is not water. Their hate of this poor, suffering Man is so great that He is denied what one would giving to a dying dog – a cooling drink of water. They bring Him vinegar mingled with gall. Think of it! It would seem that they could have pitied Him now, seeing that He is dying. Surely there must be someone in all that vast mob who would relent and have compassion. But no! Instead, they mock Him and taunt Him in every way, wagging their heads and telling Him to save Himself if He is indeed the Son of God, as he had affirmed.

But suddenly every voice is hushed and the people stand scarcely daring to breathe. A feeling of horror grips their hearts as every light in creation seems to be snuffed out and an intense darkness, so deep as to seem tangible, settles over the earth. As they fearfully ask each other what such a phenomenon can mean, a vivid flash of lightening, that splits the darkness for a moment, only
to make it more intense, seems to strike at the cross, and is followed by a crash of thunder that shakes the earth. For three hours the Man on the cross is the center of this strange and terrific storm. It is as if the mighty wrath of God has joined its fury with that of the mob against this One forsaken, suffering Creature. But the heart that had so bravely endured man’s rejection cannot endure a seeming separation from His God, and suddenly a loud cry issues from His tortured lips. “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” And with another last loud cry, His head falls forward and He dies. Then indeed, it seems that God would vent His wrath upon the people who have so misused His only Son. The earth quakes, rock – and then the veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom and many graves are opened. Then it is that the terrified people begin to speak to each other in awed, tones, truly this must have been the Son of God, and we have crucified Him; and they flee in every direction from the awful place of skulls.

For me – For you

Have I caused you to see this tragedy? Have you also pictured in your mind the Man on His ascent up the hill, His crucifixion, the awful storm of darkness, the vivid lightening, the crashing thunder, the pain and death, the dripping blood? Did you wonder why such things could be? Did you wonder why God also appeared to direct His fierce anger at the Man, who had already suffered the cruelest, the most excruciating agony and humiliation? Did you wonder why the Man should have
cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Did you hear the blow of hammers against the spikes as they tore their way through the living flesh? Did you see the agony in His white face? Did you hear the groans He could not repress? Did you see the mark on His cheek where someone had slapped Him, and did you see those awful ragged cuts on His back, and that thorn above the eye?

If you did not get this picture, will you read it again? Will you go with Him, in your mind, all the way and see, and hear, and feel all that you would if you had actually been there? Then will you ask, “Why must such a tragedy have been done?”

And let me tell you! It was for you! It was for me! Now say with me:

It was for me, He had His back cut to ribbons with a cat-o-nine tails; for me, someone slapped His face till the marks remained for hours; for me someone mocked Him and crushed the sharp thorns on His brow; for me, He carried the heavy cross till He fainted; for me, He was stretched on the cross and nailed there; for me, He endured the awful pain without the comfort of a drop of cool
water to ease His fever; for me, His last hours were tortured with a sense of separation from the Father He adored. It was my sins that hid the Father’s face from Him and made Him cry out in terror; it was my sins that sent Him to His death. How can I express it! It was all for me, unworthy me. It was I who deserved all He endured, but He did it for me. You ask me why? – Why did He
volunteer to die for us – for you and for me? I cannot tell you, more than to say it was because He loved us. How could it be! It is too wonderful for me to think out. My mind is too small. I only know that He suffered and died so that I could be freed from the power of Satan, and that I might have eternal life, and I know I love Him because of it, and that I shall never cease to thank Him and praise Him for the matchless love He revealed when He suffered for me.

Can you continue to reject Him now? Is your heart still hardened? Are you willing yet to believe Him, when He says He is the only way for the salvation of your soul? Does your heart not thrill at the love He has shown for you? Think of it! All that happened on that hill at Golgotha was for the assurance of your happiness and eternal welfare. Can’t you see it? Such suffering, such love – for
me, for you. (John 3:16-18).

(The above material was published by Pilgrim Tract Society, Inc., Randleman, N.C.)

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