Wisdom's Corner
Place of Roman Execution

The word execution refers to putting someone to death. When someone committed what the Romans considered a terrible crime they were executed. There were several different ways the Romans put someone to death. Jesus was crucified.

The Romans had some regulations as to where a person was to be put to death by crucifixion. The person was to be crucified at the scene of their crime. This was particularly true if the person was a pirate or an enemy of the State. If it were not possible to crucify the person at the scene of the crime then they were to be crucified at the site where they were captured. And if that were not possible then they were to be crucified near a main road or a high ground that was heavily traveled. This is so that the person would be very humiliated and so that others would not want to commit the same crime. The Romans were very pleased if more than one of the conditions could be met.

It is interesting that Jesus met all of these conditions in the eyes of the Jewish leaders when he was crucified. Even though he had committed nothing wrong, he was the one that Pilate ended up giving to the Jews for crucifixion. Jesus had been praised as King on the Mount of Olives just a few days before his crucifixion. Without Roman permission no one was to be proclaimed a king. Jesus was arrested on the Mount of Olives. The Descent of the Mount of Olives was a very heavily traveled road, especially at this time of year, the Passover. Many Jews would be traveling the road into Jerusalem.

There really would be no reason for the Romans to crucify Jesus anywhere but on the Mount of Olives. The Roman regulations on crucifixion would have required them to crucify Jesus on the Mount of Olives near the summit on the west side of the mountain. From this location, Jesus would have been able to see over the east wall of the Temple into the Temple complex.

I am grateful that Jesus was willing to die for my sins. I am grateful that God gave us the Bible so that we could learn what He wants us to do to live with Him eternally in heaven. It is sad to think that Jesus came to save man from his sins and yet the Jewish rulers hated him. They mocked him while he was on the cross.

Do not be like the Jewish rulers. Do not mock Jesus and refuse to believe in him. Keep studying your Bible. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 2002

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)