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Crucifixion Chronology of Jesus

by | Dec 1, 2008 | Bible Difficulties, Matthew - Mark, The Bible

The four Gospels present a slightly different arrangement of the order of the crucifixion of Christ. Some critics of the Bible claim this to be contradictory information. But it is not. Different writers will record different things in a different order in order to convey a meaning, to focus on a particular aspect, or support whatever purpose the author has in mind. Such is the case with the four Gospel writers. The book of Matthew is aimed at the Jews. The book of John is intended for the Gentiles. Therefore, the intended audience will affect how the information is presented.   Included in the chronology of the crucifixion events are the seven sayings of Jesus.

Take a look at the chronology of the crucifixion below.

Event Matthew 27:33-56 Mark 15:22-41 Luke 23:33-49 John 19:17-30
took him to the Place of the Skull 33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 22 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 17 They took Jesus therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
First Words of Christ

Cast lots for His clothes

34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”
(23 The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.
24 They said therefore to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”)
wine mixed with gall and myrrh 34 they gave Him wine to drink mingled with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. 23 And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,
The sign says King of the Jews 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots;
36 and sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there.
37 And they put up above His head the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
24 And they *crucified Him, and *divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified Him.
26 And the inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 And Pilate wrote an inscription also, and put it on the cross. And it was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
The sign above head in Hebrew Latin and Greek 20 Therefore this inscription many of the Jews read, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek.
21 And so the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
thieves on right and left 38 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 27 And they crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.
28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”]
hurling insults 39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads,
40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him, and saying,
42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him.
43 “He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.
29 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And those who were crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.
39 And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41 “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”
Second Words of Christ 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
sixth hour 45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 33 And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,
Third (or Fourth) Words of Christ. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
calling for Elijah 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 35 And when some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.”
another drink 48 And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.
49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.”
36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”
three women standing by the cross

Fourth (or Third) Words of Christ.

25 Therefore the soldiers did these things. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
Fifth Words of Christ. 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”
29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth.
Sixth Words of Christ. 30a When Jesus, therefore, had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
Seventh Words of Christ. 45 the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
46a And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Jesus dies 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 46bAnd having said this, He breathed His last. 30b And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.
The veil is torn, the earth shakes 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
tombs opened and people rise from dead 52 and the tombs 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 entered the holy city and appeared to many.
Centurion said… 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 39 And when the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
women looking from a distance 55 And many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him,
56 among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
40 And there were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.
41 And when He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him; and there were many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.
48 And all the multitudes who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts.
49 And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee, were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

 

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