As we continue to think about the cross, today I want to think about the place of the cross - the physical location where Jesus was crucified.

John 19:17 says:

John 19:17 - KJV
17. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called
the place
of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

The Hebrews called this place “Golgotha” which means “a place of a skull” - the latin name (and the name we see in the book of Luke) is more familiar, that is the word “Calvary.”

The place of the skull. Doesn’t that sound like an awful place? It was probably called “the place of the skull” for a couple of reasons:

One, if it is the place where many scholars think it is - a place called Gordon’s Calvary - it actually looks like a skull. There is a rocky hill with some indentations behind Calvary that look just like a skull.

But it could also be called “the place of the skull” because it was the place where people were commonly crucified and where their bodies were disposed of. Tens of thousands of people were crucified by the Romans and it seems like this is the place in Jerusalem where they liked to do it.

So think about this awful place with me for a second.

• It was a place of death. That’s really what the name is conveying. A place of death.It was a place of justice. It was a place where criminals were executed. Something like a gallows or the electric chair room in a prison.It was a place of shame. Crucifixion was meant to be as shameful as possible. As public as possible.

And that is where they led our Lord. To the place of the skull. Why did Jesus have to go this place of death, shame and justice? He went there for us.

It was a place of death. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. Because mankind sinned, mankind had to die and be separated from God. But Jesus knew no sin, He was completely sinless. So why did He have to die? He went to die on our behalf.

It was a place of justice. A place where criminals were executed. Where crimes were paid for. But Jesus committed no crimes. He had no crimes of His own to pay for, so He went to the cross to pay for our crimes. The just died for the unjust.

It was a place of shame. As God put the sins of the world on Jesus, He endured our shame.

Think of every wicked thing you have ever done. Would you be ashamed if we brought the dark things of your heart into the light? Would you feel shame if darkest secrets were known? Of course you would.

Now realize that that sin, and the dark and shameful sins of every man and woman, were placed on Jesus and He felt our shame.

• Calvary was a place of death - but it was the place where God made a way for us to have new life.
• Calvary was a place of justice - and it is a place where sinful men can be justified before God. Where sinners like you and me can go to become righteous.
• Calvary was a place of shame - and a place where someone else bore our shame so we could be right with God.

Have you been to calvary? Are you trusting what Christ did for you there? Either we trust Christ’s work at the place of the skull or we will bear our own shame, experience our own second death and separation from God, and bear our own justice.

But you don’t have to - because you can trust in the Christ of calvary. He went to the place of the skull for you.