228. The Lord’s Passion: The Crucifixion of the Lord. Mt. 27:33–39; Mk. 15:22–27; Lk. 23:32–38; Jn. 19:18–24

They finally brought the Lord to Golgotha, to the place called the Skull, and offered him wine mingled with gall; but having tasted it, he would not drink; they offered him wine with myrrh, but he did not accept this either.

After this they crucified the Lord Jesus.

It was the third hour when they crucified him. With him they crucified two robbers and criminals, one on his right and one on his left, with the Lord Jesus in the middle. And the word of Scripture was fulfilled: and he was numbered among the transgressors (Is. 53:12).

And there was an inscription of his charge over him. Pilate wrote this inscription and had it fixed on the cross. And it was written: This is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews; and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where the Lord Jesus was crucified was near the city. And the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: Do not write: King of the Jews, but that he himself said: I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered: What I have written, I have written.

The soldiers who crucified the Lord Jesus, when they had crucified him, took his garments and divided them, making four parts, one for each soldier, and also his tunic. But dividing the garments of the Lord, they cast lots for them, to determine who should take what. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom. And the soldiers said to one another: Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see whose it will be. This was to fulfill the Scripture that was spoken: They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots (Ps. 21:19). This is what the soldiers did; and, sitting down, they kept watch over him there.