The word "Golgotha" is a Greek transliteration of the Aramaic gulgolta meaning "skull." "Calvary" comes from the Latin calva, "skull." Its exact location is unknown. It was evidently north of the old city wall, probably not far from the site of the present Church of the Holy Sepulcher (cf. John 19:20). Edersheim believed that the site was very close to the present Damascus Gate. [1] Gordon"s Calvary, which is not far from the Damascus Gate, does not enjoy much support as a site from scholars any more. [2] The traditional Via Dolorosa ("the way of sorrow"), the route from Jesus" trial to the site of His crucifixion, rests on the assumption that Jesus" trial before Pilate took place in the Antonia Fortress. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Matthew 27:32-44 - "where They Crucified Him"
He will not drink what would dull His keen sense of the momentous issues of the Cross. Those taunts were true. None who save themselves can save others. The cry of forsakenness, the midday midnight, the yielded spirit, the rent veil, the opened tombs, the sympathy of nature-all these proved that this was no common death, and were in keeping with everything that Scripture had foretold, 1 Peter 1:11.
Our Lord was wrapped in midnight, that He might be our "bright and morning star." He became obedient to death, that He might give eternal life. His heel was sorely wounded, that He might break the head of him that had the power of death, and might wear forever at His girdle the keys of death and Hades. Make His soul an offering for thy sin. Hide in the cleft which the soldier's spear opened in His side. He has made peace by the blood of His Cross; we have but to accept and be at rest. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 27
1Jesus is delivered bound to Pilate 3Judas hangs himself 19Pilate, admonished of his wife, 20and being urged by the multitude, washes his hands, and releases Barabbas 27Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns; 33crucified; 39reviled; 50dies, and is buried; 62his tomb is sealed and watched
Greek Commentary for Matthew 27:33
Golgotha [Γολγοτα] Chaldaic or Aramaic Gulgatha, Hebrew Gulgoleth, place of a skull-shaped mount, not place of skulls. Latin Vulgate Calvariae locus, hence our Calvary. Tyndale misunderstood it as a place of dead men‘s skulls. Calvary or Golgotha is not the traditional place of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, but a place outside of the city, probably what is now called Gordon‘s Calvary, a hill north of the city wall which from the Mount of Olives looks like a skull, the rock-hewn tombs resembling eyes in one of which Jesus may have been buried. [source]
Golgotha [] An Aramaic word, Gulgoltha= the Hebrew, Gulgolethand translated skull in Judges 9:53; 2 Kings 9:35. The word Calvary comes through the Latin calvaria, meaning skull, and used in the Vulgate. The New Testament narrative does not mention a mount or hill. The place was probably a rounded elevation. The meaning is not, as Tynd., a place of dead men's skulls, but simply skull. [source]
John 19:17Bearing the cross for himself [βασταζων αυτωι τον σταυρον] Cf. Luke 14:27 for this very picture in the words of Jesus. The dative case of the reflexive pronoun αυτωι hautōi “for himself” is in strict accord with Roman custom. “A criminal condemned to be crucified was required to carry his own cross” (Bernard). But apparently Jesus under the strain of the night before and the anguish of heart within him gave out so that Simon of Cyrene was impressed to carry it for Jesus (Mark 15:21.; Matthew 27:32.; Luke 23:26). See Mark 15:22.; Matthew 27:33.; Luke 23:33 for the meaning of “place of a skull” or Calvary and Golgotha in Hebrew (Aramaic). Luke has simply Κρανιον Kranion (Skull), a skull-looking place. [source]
What do the individual words in Matthew 27:33 mean?
Andhaving cometoa placecalledGolgothawhichisof a SkullPlacecalled
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Γολγοθᾶ
Sense: the name of a place outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified; so called, apparently because its form resembled a skull.
Greek Commentary for Matthew 27:33
Chaldaic or Aramaic Gulgatha, Hebrew Gulgoleth, place of a skull-shaped mount, not place of skulls. Latin Vulgate Calvariae locus, hence our Calvary. Tyndale misunderstood it as a place of dead men‘s skulls. Calvary or Golgotha is not the traditional place of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, but a place outside of the city, probably what is now called Gordon‘s Calvary, a hill north of the city wall which from the Mount of Olives looks like a skull, the rock-hewn tombs resembling eyes in one of which Jesus may have been buried. [source]
An Aramaic word, Gulgoltha= the Hebrew, Gulgolethand translated skull in Judges 9:53; 2 Kings 9:35. The word Calvary comes through the Latin calvaria, meaning skull, and used in the Vulgate. The New Testament narrative does not mention a mount or hill. The place was probably a rounded elevation. The meaning is not, as Tynd., a place of dead men's skulls, but simply skull. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 27:33
See on Matthew 27:33. [source]
Historical present again. See note on Matthew 27:33. for discussion of Golgotha. [source]
The Greek word is the translation of the Hebrew Golgotha. See on sa40" translation="">Matthew 27:33.sa40 [source]
Probably because it looked like a skull. See note on Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22. [source]
See on Matthew 27:33. [source]
Cf. Luke 14:27 for this very picture in the words of Jesus. The dative case of the reflexive pronoun αυτωι hautōi “for himself” is in strict accord with Roman custom. “A criminal condemned to be crucified was required to carry his own cross” (Bernard). But apparently Jesus under the strain of the night before and the anguish of heart within him gave out so that Simon of Cyrene was impressed to carry it for Jesus (Mark 15:21.; Matthew 27:32.; Luke 23:26). See Mark 15:22.; Matthew 27:33.; Luke 23:33 for the meaning of “place of a skull” or Calvary and Golgotha in Hebrew (Aramaic). Luke has simply Κρανιον Kranion (Skull), a skull-looking place. [source]