Where was Jesus' Cross? Read John 19:17-37

We spend time every year at the Garden Tomb of Jerusalem, the possible, non-traditional location of Gordon’s Calvary and a tomb that wonderfully fits the description of the tomb of Jesus.  Over 250,000 people per year come through our gates and hear about the site, and in the process they hear the gospel of Christ.  There are eight things that the Scriptures say which give us an idea of the location of the crucifixion.  The value of this information is not found in the need to know the place to be saved.  Rather it is that every aspect of the location is a picture of the gospel.  Consider!

1.     The cross was at Jerusalem (Matt. 16:21).  Jesus announced this to His disciples months before they arrived there telling us of the faithfulness of Christ to the will of His Father.  He knew the cross would be there; and He knew the cross was for Him.

2.     The cross was near the city, outside a gate (Heb. 13:12; Jn. 19:20).  This was the area of the impurities where the trash, the unclean people and anything having to do with death (cemeteries, places of execution) were located.

3.     The cross was by a busy road or a busy area where many Jews passed by (John 19:20).  Low estimates are that the city of 50-60,000 swelled to 250,00 and likely even more at Passover.  These people, busy with related activities, remind us that Jesus is our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7).

4.     The cross was at Golgotha (Heb./Aramaic) or Calvary (Latin) meaning skull or place of a skull (Mark 15:22; Luke 23:33).  This name reminds us that Jesus truly died for us, tasting death for everyone (Heb. 2:9).

5.     The cross of Jesus was between two other crosses (John 19:18).  On one cross was a man who died ridiculing Jesus’ claims.  Jesus recognized the faith of the other and promised the man that he would be in Paradise that same day.  This reminds us of the choice that every man must make (John 3:36).

6.     The cross of Jesus was to the north of the altar (Lev. 1:10-11).  This idea is drawn from the fact that in the Sacrificial System lambs were always killed in an area to the north side of the altar.  Animals from the herd were killed at the door of the tabernacle (Lev. 1:3).  Birds were brought to the priest at the altar (Lev. 1:15).  It may indicate that the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) should be crucified north of the altar.

7.     The cross of Jesus was in the mountain of the Lord (Gen. 22:14).  The mountain of the Lord must be Mount Moriah, not Mount Zion, as this was the mountain in the story of Abraham and Isaac.  Whatever the case, that story is one of the most powerful explanations of the gospel.

8.     The cross was near a garden with a new, empty tomb (John 19:41).

As we have already said, the critical issue is not knowing where.  The issue is, who was this Man Jesus and why was He on the cross.  The location provides many wonderful pictures that answer those questions.