Roman crucifixion sites were set up on prominent locations along the main roads and entrances to the cities. Crucifixion was a form of propaganda, to show people how powerful Rome was and what would happen to those who did not submit. 

As horrific as it may seem to us, as they travelled here and there and went about their daily business, the people of that time would have been very used to walking beside dying men hanging on crosses.

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” – Mark 15:29-30

The Romans didn’t build the most powerful empire the world had ever seen by being inefficient and wasteful. When they crucified people, they did it in batches. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.  - Mark 15:27

Men who were being led to be crucified carried a placard which announced their crimes, often around their neck. When Jesus was crucified, this placard was then placed on the cross, above his head, for all to see.

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. – Mark 15:25-26

They crucified Jesus in the morning because the chief priests wanted to try to get it all over before the main event of the Passover celebration, the sacrifice, and certainly before the Sabbath, which began at sunset.

The reason why he was executed was nailed above his head: “The King of the Jews.” Jesus had been designated as the King, not just of the Jews, but of the world, by God himself. For hundreds of years the prophets had announced him as the coming King. The angels had announced his birth. John the Baptist had pointed him out.

During three and a half years of ministry Jesus had demonstrated his royal authority and power. He had told them who he was. A week before the crowds had acclaimed him as their king when he entered Jerusalem. And now, there he was enthroned above them, with his title above his head. And still they couldn’t see it.

They were in the presence of the greatest king who ever walked this earth ¬– the king not just of the Jews but of the universe itself ¬– yet they couldn’t see it.

There on that hill, the king was establishing the greatest kingdom that this world will ever know – a kingdom that will conquer all and that will last for ever and ever. The criminal beside Jesus saw it, even though others missed it that day. Have you had your spiritual vision tested recently? Ask the Holy Spirit to do it.

Jesus has been taken to the place of execution. Now he is to be crucified. Unlike what we might expect, his crucifixion isn’t described in graphic, harrowing detail. Instead, it’s described in a few simple, stark words.

And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. – Mark 15:24

When Mark says, “And they crucified him”, this is what he means. The soldiers took the crossbeam and placed it on the ground.  Then Jesus was stripped completely naked. The soldiers then threw Jesus onto the ground with his shoulders across the cross-beam. While the others held him down, one soldier nailed first one wrist, and then the other, to the cross-beam.

The cross-beam was then hauled up to the vertical timber post by ropes, with Jesus hanging from the nails. When the beam reached the right height, it was dropped into a slot in the vertical post. The soldiers then held the feet of Jesus while first one foot, and then the other, was nailed to the cross, possibly through the ankles.

Then the soldiers nailed the wooden tablet that announced his crimes above the head of Christ for all to see. Now that Jesus had been properly crucified, the soldiers settled down to enjoy a more profitable part of the day. You see, they got to keep his clothes as booty.

At the Cross, Christ gave his robe of righteousness to all who would appreciate it and accept it. But the soldiers played while Jesus died. Let that thought sink in, for we all too often do the same today.

The Jews had a tradition of offering those about to be executed a strong narcotic made with wine mixed with frankincense and myrrh in order to ease the pain. It was probably the women who had followed him to the place of execution who offered Jesus this kindness.

Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. – Mark 15:23

The Jewish tradition of offering those about to be executed strong drink probably comes from Proverbs 31:6, which says, Give strong drink to those who are perishing and wine to those whose hearts are bitter (CEB).

We also know from the written traditions of the Jews that a pinch of frankincense was added to the wine so that the mind of the man to be executed became dulled and insensible. 

Furthermore, the tradition was that it should be provided by the honourable women of the city, and if they refused to do it, then it was to be provided by the members of the local synagogue or congregation as an act of mercy.

This wine which Jesus was offered just before his execution was different from what the soldiers later offered him on a sponge, which was vinegar mixed with gall.

Why did Jesus refuse to take this mind-numbing drink? It was because the battle against the sin of the world was being waged within his mind at that very moment, and he could not afford to weaken his mind or his will. 

Against the raging sin of all the world he had to hold on to the love of the Father with a clear and steady mind. What are the ways in which you try to numb your mind in the deepest struggles of your life? What can you learn from Jesus at Calvary?

Every city in the Roman empire had its place of execution. In Jerusalem, it was called Golgotha.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).  – Mark 15:22

The people of ancient times were careful to keep death out of their cities. If you ever travel and visit the ruins of any Greek or Roman cities, you will see that the tombs are always outside the walls.

In the same way, their places of execution were outside the walls. In fact, the whole point of crucifixion was for the Roman empire to create gruesome propaganda billboards of what would happen to you if you defied Rome. That’s why the place of crucifixion was always right beside the main entrances to the city.

These were truly places of utter horror, where the sights, and sounds and stench were inescapable to all who travelled in and out of the city. The crucified men were left for days on end nailed up on the crosses, even after death. You could always hear them moaning and gasping as they died. 

The carrion birds and the dogs were everywhere. And after death, the bodies were just taken and thrown into a pit nearby for the wild animals to devour. That was what Golgotha was like. And that’s why it was called the Place of the Skull.

It’s interesting that Jesus was crucified at the place of the skull. There would have been lots of empty skulls lying around that place of death. There are a lot of hard skulls today as well, when it comes to confronting the Cross of Jesus.

This should remind us to think, think very seriously and to make the right choices in relation to Jesus and the salvation that he offers.

Jesus is being led through the streets of Jerusalem to the place of execution. After having been savagely beaten, he is staggering under the weight of the cross. Now we are going to meet one of the really interesting characters in the gospel of Mark. His name is a common one, yet his role in history is anything but common.

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. – Mark 15:21

Condemned criminals were commonly made to carry their own cross, or at least it’s heavy crosspiece. The vertical beam was probably fixed permanently at the place of execution.

The wooden cross-piece which the condemned criminals carried probably weighed  around 45 kilos. They were probably tied across the shoulders of the condemned as they were marched to their death.

Having been severely beaten many times since the late hours of the previous evening, is it any wonder that Jesus staggered and fell under the weight of the cross? At this rate, the execution squad would never even get to the place of execution!

That’s why they forced a bystander to pick up the cross of Jesus and carry it for him. It was the last thing this man, a pilgrim from north Africa, had ever expected when he had made his travel plans to visit Jerusalem for the Passover.

What an unexpected privilege Simon had that day! He probably didn’t think of it like that at the time, because right then it must have seemed the most shameful and horrific experience in his life.

But we know that later he became a follower of Jesus. Sharing in the sufferings of Jesus transformed had him, and he came to count that day as the greatest day of his life. Are you willing to carry the cross? Are you willing to suffer with Jesus? Or are you in it just for the blessings?

After Jesus had been savagely beaten and brutalised in the early hours of the morning, now it was time for the main event. Then they led him out to crucify him. – Mark 15:20

The Roman garrison is staging a mock coronation ceremony for Jesus because they have heard him called the “king of the Jews.” They placed a purple robe on him and pressed a crown of thorns onto his head. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. – Mark 15:18-20

Now that Jesus has been sentenced to death, he is now handed over to the Roman garrison. But first, they have a little game they want to play. The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  – Mark 15:16-17