Endurance - Crucifixion
Mark 15:22-32; Matthew 27:32-44; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:17-27
'He saved others, but he cannot save himself!'
At Golgotha, the
soldiers tried to make Jesus drink wine mixed with myrrh, to dull the pain, but
Jesus would not do it. So they stripped him and crucified him with a notice over
his head saying 'The King of the Jews'. Then they settled down to play dice with
Jesus's clothes as the prize. Two other men were crucified, one on either side
of Jesus; even in their agony they mocked him as well, joining in with the
jeering, taunting crowd that had gathered: 'Come down from the cross, and we
will believe you!' Others, including Jesus' friends and his mother, stood
watching and desolate.
"I was just
powerless"... "I couldn't do a thing"... "It's nothing to do
with me"
Think of some situations which make you feel really powerless
- when someone is ill, when you hear about refugees, when you are frightened,
for example. What helps you get through those times?
Look at a variety of pictures about the crucifixion. Some of them show a
more violent scene than others. Which do you think get the story across
best?
Find out about crucifixion in Roman times. What sort of people were
crucified?
The cross is an instrument of torture. Why do Christians use the cross as a
symbol?
© Culham
College Institute 1998
