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Author: Stephen Weller
639 words, 3 minutes read time

Jesus Arrives at The Skull

Scripture: Luke 23:28-32

In the previous lesson we saw Jesus collapse under the cross and Simon chosen to carry the cross for him. In this lesson we will finally see Jesus, along with two criminals, arriving at the place of the crucifixion.

^{Lk 23:28} But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ ³¹ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” ³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.

In the previous lesson there was a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for Jesus and as they did, Jesus turns to the women and refers to them affectionately as “Daughters of Jerusalem.” He instructs them not to weep for him but to weep for themselves and for their children because of what lies ahead for them. Jesus is suffering greatly at this time but ahead of them waits great suffering that they will experience when Jerusalem comes under siege. The siege will be so great that women will be driven to kill and eat their own children to survive. During those times of war, women who are pregnant or have children are most vulnerable.

At that time the suffering will be so great for everyone that they will cry out to be put out of their misery. It will be a time when Israel shall be destroyed and thorn and thistles will grow up on their altars and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.” (Hosea 10:8). We find similar wording in Revelation 6:16 ESV: “calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.”

A first reading of “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” provides little meaning. “These things” would refer to what is being done to Jesus at this time. Jesus is the “wood [that] is green.” The “dry” wood represents the people at the time the Romans come against them in war. The idea here is that if God did not spare his innocent son, how much worse will it be when he allows the Romans to unleash his wrath on their sinful nation.

Oh, by the way, there were two criminals that were also led away with Jesus to be put to death with him. These two criminals are necessary because Isaiah 53:12 indicates that Jesus was to be numbered with the transgressors as he bore our sins. I believe they are also necessary for a conversation that is to take place with Jesus that finds one of the criminals coming under conviction for his sin and at the last moment receiving eternal life while the other rejects Jesus and continues on into an eternity of suffering in hell under the wrath of God.

Conclusion

Jesus, along with two criminals, have arrived at the place referred to as The Skull where they are to be crucified; one that is innocent and two that are guilty as charged. Between this lesson and the next, Jesus is nailed to the cross. This event is not covered in Scripture but is usually covered in movies of the crucifixion.