Crucifixion of Jesus

Christ Crucified (c. 1632) by Diego Velázquez
Date	AD 30/33
Location	Jerusalem, Judaea, Roman Empire
Type	Execution by crucifixion
Cause	Condemnation before Pilate's court
Participants	Roman army (executioners)
Outcome	Ministry of the apostles Earliest persecution of Christians
Deaths	Jesus

Part of a series on
Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Passion Last Supper Arrest Trials Sanhedrin trial Herod's court Pilate's court Flagellation Mocking Crown of thorns Via Dolorosa Crucifixion and Death Burial
Resurrection Empty tomb Biblical accounts (overview) Noli me tangere Road to Emmaus Great Commission Ascension
Holy Week Palm Sunday Holy Monday Holy Tuesday Spy Wednesday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday Easter Sunday
Significance Session of Christ Salvation Jewish eschatology Christian eschatology
Visions of Jesus Vision theory Visions Religious experience
Empty tomb theories Stolen body Swoon Lost body Twin
Related Instrument of crucifixion Crucifixion darkness Conversion of Paul the Apostle Islamic view
Portals: Christianity Bible
v t e

Events in the
Life of Jesus according to the canonical gospels
Early life Annunciation Visitation Joseph's dreams Nativity Virgin birth Annunciation to the Shepherds Adoration of the Shepherds Circumcision Adoration of the Magi Flight into Egypt Massacre of the Innocents Presentation Return to Nazareth Finding in the Temple
Ministry Baptism Temptation Commissioning the Twelve Apostles Sermon on the Mount / Plain Beatitudes Lord's Prayer Miracles Parables Prayer Rejection Transfiguration
Passion Triumphal entry into Jerusalem Temple cleansing Second coming prophecy Anointing Last Supper Farewell Discourse Paraclete promised Agony in the Garden Kiss of Judas Arrest Sanhedrin trial Mocking Herod's court Pilate's court Flagellation Crown of Thorns Via Dolorosa Crucifixion Descent from the Cross Entombment Harrowing of Hell
Resurrection Empty tomb Appearances Noli me tangere Road to Emmaus Great Commission Ascension
In rest of the NT Road to Damascus John's vision
Portals: Christianity Bible
v t e

Part of a series on
Christianity
Jesus Christ Nativity Baptism Ministry Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension
Bible Foundations Old Testament New Testament Gospel Canon Church Creed New Covenant
Theology God Trinity Father Son Holy Spirit Apologetics Baptism Christology History of theology Mission Salvation Universalism
History Tradition Apostles Peter Paul Mary Early Christianity Church Fathers Constantine Councils Augustine Ignatius East–West Schism Crusades Aquinas Reformation Luther
Denominations (full list) Nicene Catholic Latin Eastern Old Catholic Independent Catholic Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox Church of the East Protestant Adventist Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Free Evangelical Lutheran Methodist Moravian Pentecostal Plymouth Brethren Quaker Reformed United Protestant Waldensian Nondenominational Christianity Restorationist Christadelphians Iglesia ni Cristo Irvingians Jehovah's Witness Latter Day Saints Members Church of God International The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The New Church (Swedenborgian) Unitarians and Universalists
Related topics Civilization Criticism Culture Ecumenism Glossary Index Liturgy Other religions Outline Prayer Sermon Symbolism Worship
Glossary Index Outline  Christianity portal
v t e

The crucifixion of Jesus was the execution by crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth in 1st-century Judaea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, later attested to by other ancient sources, and is broadly accepted as one of the events most likely to have occurred during his life.^[1] There is no consensus among historians on the details.^[2][3][4]

According to the canonical gospels, Jesus was arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin, and then sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally crucified by the Romans.^[5][6][7] The Gospel of John portrays his death as a sacrifice for sin.

Jesus was stripped of his clothing and offered vinegar mixed with myrrh or gall (likely posca^[8]), to drink after saying "I am thirsty". At Golgotha, he was then hung between two convicted thieves and, according to the Gospel of Mark, died by the 9th hour of the day (at around 3:00 p.m.). During this time, the soldiers affixed a sign to the top of the cross stating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" which, according to the Gospel of John (John 19:20), was written in three languages (Hebrew, Latin, and Greek). They then divided his garments among themselves and cast lots for his seamless robe, according to the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John also states that, after Jesus' death, one soldier (named in extra-Biblical tradition as Longinus) pierced his side with a spear to be certain that he had died, then blood and water gushed from the wound. The Bible describes seven statements that Jesus made while he was on the cross, as well as several supernatural events that occurred.

Collectively referred to as the Passion, Jesus's suffering and redemptive death by crucifixion are the central aspects of Christian theology concerning the doctrines of salvation and atonement.

New Testament narratives

The earliest detailed accounts of the death of Jesus are contained in the four canonical gospels.^[9] There are other, more implicit references in the New Testament epistles. In the synoptic gospels, Jesus predicts his death in three separate places.^[10] All four Gospels conclude with an extended narrative of Jesus's arrest, initial trial at the Sanhedrin and final trial at Pilate's court, where Jesus is flogged, condemned to death, is led to the place of crucifixion initially carrying his cross before Roman soldiers induce Simon of Cyrene to carry it, and then Jesus is crucified, entombed, and resurrected from the dead. In each Gospel these five events in the life of Jesus are treated with more intense detail than any other portion of that Gospel's narrative. Scholars note that the reader receives an almost hour-by-hour account of what is happening.^[11]: p.91

After arriving at Golgotha, Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh or gall to drink. Both the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew record that he refused this. He was then crucified and hanged between two convicts. According to some translations of the original Greek, the convicts may have been bandits or Jewish rebels.^[12] According to the Gospel of Mark, he endured the torment of crucifixion from the third hour (between approximately 9 a.m. and noon),^[13] until his death at the ninth hour, corresponding to about 3 p.m.^[14] The soldiers affixed a sign above his head stating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" which, according to the Gospel of John, was in three languages (Hebrew, Latin, and Greek), and then divided his garments and cast lots for his seamless robe. According to the Gospel of John, the Roman soldiers did not break Jesus's legs, as they did to the two crucified convicts (breaking the legs hastened the onset of death), as Jesus was dead already. Each gospel has its own account of Jesus's last words, seven statements altogether.^[15] In the Synoptic Gospels, various supernatural events accompany the crucifixion, including darkness, an earthquake, the tearing of the sanctuary's veil and the resurrection of saints (in the Gospel of Matthew).^[16] Following Jesus's death, his body was removed from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and buried in a rock-hewn tomb, with Nicodemus assisting.

The three Synoptic gospels also describe Simon of Cyrene bearing the cross,^[17] a crowd of people mocking Jesus^[18] along with the other two crucified men,^[19] darkness from the 6th to the 9th hour,^[20] and the temple veil being torn from top to bottom.^[21] The Synoptic Gospels also mention several witnesses, including a centurion,^[22] and several women who watched from a distance,^[23] two of whom were present during the burial.^[24]

The Gospel of Luke is the only gospel to omit the detail of the sour wine mix that was offered to Jesus on a reed,^[25] while only Mark and John describe Joseph actually taking the body down off the cross.^[26]

There are several details that are only mentioned in a single gospel account. For instance, only the Gospel of Matthew mentions an earthquake, resurrected saints who went to the city and that Roman soldiers were assigned to guard the tomb,^[27] while Mark is the only one to state the time of the crucifixion (the third hour, or 9 a.m. – although it was probably as late as noon)^[28] and the centurion's report of Jesus's death.^[29] The Gospel of Luke's unique contributions to the narrative include Jesus's words to the women who were mourning, one criminal's rebuke of the other, the reaction of the multitudes who left "beating their breasts", and the women preparing spices and ointments before resting on the Sabbath.^[30] John is also the only one to refer to the request that the legs be broken and the soldier's subsequent piercing of Jesus's side (as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy), as well as that Nicodemus assisted Joseph with burial.^[31]

According to the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:4), Jesus was raised from the dead ("on the third day" counting the day of crucifixion as the first) and according to the canonical gospels, appeared to his disciples on different occasions before ascending to heaven.^[32] The account given in Acts of the Apostles says that Jesus remained with the apostles for 40 days, whereas the account in the Gospel of Luke makes no clear distinction between the events of Easter Sunday and the Ascension.^[33][34] Most biblical scholars agree that the author of Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles as a follow-up volume to the Gospel of Luke account, and the two works must be considered as a whole.^[35]

In Mark, Jesus is crucified along with two rebels, and the sun goes dark or is obscured for three hours.^[36] Jesus calls out to God, then gives a shout and dies.^[36] The curtain of the Temple is torn in two.^[36] Matthew follows Mark, but mentions an earthquake and the resurrection of saints.^[37] Luke also follows Mark, although he describes the rebels as common criminals, one of whom defends Jesus, who in turn promises that he (Jesus) and the criminal will be together in paradise.^[38] Luke portrays Jesus as impassive in the face of his crucifixion.^[39] John includes several of the same elements as those found in Mark, though they are treated differently.^[40]

Textual comparison

The comparison below is based on the New International Version.