GOLGOTHA
Scholars associate Golgotha with Mount Moriah. That was the place that God had assigned to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22:2). At that place, Solomon built the Temple known as Temple Mount (2 Chr 3:1). Later, Zerubbabel and Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple at the same location. Golgotha has the same height as the Temple Mount and both are facing each other at a distance of only 300 meters. Jesus was the Lamb that Abraham told his son about: “God Himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice, my son” (Gen 22:8).
The soldiers crucified Jesus on Golgotha, which means the “Skull” [Latin: calva – ‘bald head’]. There are different interpretations of this name:
(1) It was a rock with a skull-shaped appearance.
(2) There was a heap of skulls from people who were crucified there and were not buried. The Jews used to bury the dead bodies. But Romans let the animals and birds eat the dead bodies. Hence, it was a place of bones and skulls.
(3) The traditional belief was that Adam’s skull was buried in Golgotha. According to Jewish tradition, Noah confided the skull of Adam to his son, Shem, who later did the same to Melchizedek. He finally deposited Adam’s skull on the mountain that came to be known as Golgotha. Early Christian writings also give similar accounts. That is why the artists depict the skull of Adam at the foot of Christ’s cross to show that the blood from the crucified body of Jesus fell on the skull of Adam to compensate for his sins. This was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Adam that he would send a redeemer (Gen 3:15).
(4) There are scholars who associate Golgotha with Mount Moriah. Mount Moriah was the place that God showed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22:2). Solomon built the Temple at the same place (2 Chr 3:1) and came to be known as Temple Mount. Later, Herod rebuilt the second temple at the same location. Golgotha has the same height as the Temple Mount, and both are facing each other at a distance of only 300 meters. Jesus was the Lamb that Abraham told his son, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burned offering, my son” (Gen 22:8).
REFLECTION
God fulfilled his promise of salvation to humanity by sending his Son to the world. Jesus showed the love of God through his life. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, his private life in Nazareth, and his death on Golgotha are fulfillment of the Old Testament concepts and prophesies. Christian life is one of humility, service, and sacrifice, followed by victory in the afterlife.