Gethsemane to Golgotha: Path to the Cross

Gethsemane to Golgotha:

Christ's Path to the Cross

 Location

1. Gethsemane is located at the base of the Mount of Olives and just east of the Temple Mount.

2. Golgotha has two general options for its location.

• The traditional site is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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• Another option is at the Garden Tomb. There is a rock faced cliff that looks like the face of a skull. Over the years it has deteriorated but still resembles a face.

3. Because we worship a person and not a place, the location isn’t as important as what happened. Both places are close to each other, so we know they’re both in the vicinity.

Historical Background

1. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ were real events that happened in history.

2. They were prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament.

3. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of eyewitnesses to Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6).

4. Within decades of Christ’s resurrection, Roman and Jewish historians wrote about Jesus and the events surrounding Him.

5. There is more evidence regarding Christ’s existence than Julius Caesar.

6. No other person has changed history as Christ did.

7. Christ’s disciples were willing to die for their faith in Him.

8. Throughout history, and today, billions of people confess Christ as their Savior, and that He lives within them and has changed their lives.

Places of Interest

1. Gethsemane

2. House of Caiaphas

3. Antonia Fortress

4. Herod’s Palace – Pilate's Judgment Hall

5. Church of the Holy Sepulchre

6. Garden Tomb

7. Via Dolorosa

Gethsemane to Golgotha in the Bible

1. Jesus began the journey praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:36–38: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."

2. Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane very late at night.
Matthew 26:47: While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

3. Jesus was brought before Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the High Priest. 
John 18:12–13: So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

4. Christ was brought before Caiaphas, the High Priest.
Matthew 26:57: Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.

5. While at the house of Caiaphas, Peter denied Christ 3 times.
Luke 22:61–62: And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

6. The religious leaders condemned and beat Jesus at the house of Caiaphas.
Matthew 26:65–68: Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death." 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?"

7. Christ most likely spent the rest of the night in a dungeon at the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest.

8. Early the next morning Christ was brought before Pilate to be judged.
John 18:28: Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.

9. Judas, the disciple who betrayed Christ, hanged himself.
Matthew 27:3–5: Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

10. Jesus appeared before King Herod.
Luke 23:5–7: But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place." 6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.

Luke 23:11: And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.

11. Jesus appeared again before Pilate, Pilates’s wife warned him about condemning Jesus, Barabbas released.
Matthew 27:19–23: While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. 21 But the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Crucify Him!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” 

12. Pilate had Jesus beaten in an attempt to appease the Jews.
John 19:1–6: Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.”

13. Pilate condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion.
Matthew 27:24–26: So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." 25 And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

14. Jesus was led out to be crucified at Golgotha.
John 19:16–17: So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.

15. Because Christ’s body was so physically damaged, Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry Christ’s cross the rest of the way.
Matthew 27:32–33: As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).”

16. Jesus was crucified at 9:00 Friday morning on Passover day.
Mark 15:25: And it was the third hour (9:00 am) when they crucified him.

17. Christ on the Cross.
Matthew 27:34–37: They offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

18. Jesus was mocked by those who passed by, the chief priest, scribes, and elders. 
Matthew 27:38–43: Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

19. One of the robbers who was crucified with Christ embraced Him as his Savior.
Luke 23:39–43: One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

20. Jesus dies on the Cross.
Luke 23:46–49: Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

21. From noon until 3:00 pm, darkness fell on the earth. 
Matthew 27:45–50: Now from the sixth hour [12:00 pm] there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour [3:00 pm]. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 

22. The temple curtain was torn in two, and many people rose from the dead and appeared to others.
Matthew 27:51–53: And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

23. Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. 
John 19:38–42: After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

24. The tomb of Jesus was secured by the Romans.
Matthew 27:65–66: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

25. Three days later Christ rose from the dead and proved victorious over sin and death. 
1 Corinthians 15:3–8: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me [Apostle Paul].

Faith Lesson from Gethsemane to Golgotha

1. Christ was beaten on at least 3 occasions, and His body was so damaged that He couldn't even carry His cross.

2. Christ suffered both physically and spiritually for us.

3. What He suffered spiritually was far more than His physical suffering.

4. He suffered the penalty of eternity in hell for each person who trusts in Him as their Savior.
Isaiah 53:5: But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

5. Jesus died on the Cross at the exact time the sacrificial lamb of the Passover was to be sacrificed. This was no accident but was sovereignly arranged by God to show that Christ was the Passover Lamb once and for all.

6. Words fail to express what Christ went through for us so He could restore us to Himself and have an eternal relationship with us.

7. Do we comprehend and appreciate this reality?.

8. Because of His great sacrifice, we can have our sins forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. Have you received Christ as your Lord and Savior?