Crucifixion of Jesus

was put to death by being nailed on an execution device made by the Romans, commonly named as a cross. The instrument of crucifixion is taken to be an upright wooden beam to which was added a transverse wooden beam, thus forming a "cruciform" or T-shaped structure. His crucifixion occurred in 1st-century Judaea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. The event is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, and later attested to by [|other ancient sources]. Scholars nearly universally accept the historicity of Jesus' crucifixion, although there is no consensus on the details. According to the canonical gospels, Jesus was arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin, and then sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally crucified by the Romans.
Jesus was stripped of his clothing and offered vinegar mixed with myrrh or gall to drink. At Golgotha, he was then hung between two convicted thieves and, according to the Gospel of Mark, was crucified at the third hour, and died by the ninth hour of the day. During this time, the soldiers affixed a sign to the top of the cross stating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" which, according to the Gospel of John, was written in three languages. They then divided his garments among themselves and cast lots for his seamless robe, according to the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John also states that, after Jesus' death, one soldier pierced his side with a spear to be certain that he had died, then blood and water gushed from the wound. The Bible describes seven statements that Jesus made while he was on the cross, as well as several supernatural events that occurred.
Collectively referred to as the Passion, Jesus' suffering and redemptive death by crucifixion are the central aspects of Christian theology concerning the doctrines of salvation and atonement.

New Testament narratives

is the earliest surviving source to document Jesus' crucifixion. Scholars have used Paul's chronology as evidence for the date of the crucifixion. However, the earliest detailed accounts of the death of Jesus are contained in the four canonical gospels. In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus predicts his death in three separate places. All four gospel accounts conclude with an extended narrative of Jesus' arrest, initial trial at the Sanhedrin and final trial at Pilate's court, where Jesus is flogged, condemned to death, is led to the place of crucifixion initially carrying his cross before Roman soldiers induce Simon of Cyrene to carry it, and then Jesus is crucified, entombed, and resurrected from the dead. In each gospel account these five events in the life of Jesus are treated with more intense detail than any other portion of that Gospel's narrative. Scholars note that the reader receives an almost hour-by-hour account of what is happening.
File:Ca' Rezzonico - Innalzamento della Croce - Sebastiano Mazzoni.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|A depiction of the Raising of the Cross, by Sebastiano Mazzoni, 17th century, Ca' Rezzonico
After arriving at Golgotha, Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh or gall to drink. Both the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew record that he refused this. He was then crucified and hanged between two convicts. According to some translations of the original Greek, the convicts may have been bandits or Jewish rebels. According to the Gospel of Mark, he endured the torment of crucifixion from the third hour, until his death at the ninth hour, corresponding to about 3 p.m. The soldiers affixed a sign above his head stating "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" which, according to the Gospel of John, was in three languages, and then divided his garments and cast lots for his seamless robe. According to the Gospel of John, the Roman soldiers did not break Jesus' legs, as they did to the two crucified convicts, as Jesus was dead already. Each gospel has its own account of Jesus' last words, seven statements altogether.
All four gospel accounts state that, following Jesus' death, Joseph of Arimathea requested Jesus' body and buried it in a rock-cut tomb. The Gospel of Matthew alone suggests that Joseph provided his own tomb for this purpose.
The three Synoptic Gospels describe Simon of Cyrene bearing the cross, a crowd of people mocking Jesus along with the other two crucified men, darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour, and the temple veil being torn from top to bottom. The Synoptic Gospels also mention several witnesses, including a centurion, and several women who watched from a distance, two of whom were present during the burial.
The Gospel of Luke is the only gospel to omit the detail of the sour wine mix that was offered to Jesus on a reed, while only Mark and John describe Joseph actually taking the body down off the cross.
There are several details that are only mentioned in a single gospel account. For instance, only Matthew mentions an earthquake, resurrected saints who went to the city, and that Roman soldiers were assigned to guard the tomb, while Mark is the only one to state the time of the crucifixion and the centurion's report of Jesus' death. Luke's unique contributions to the narrative include Jesus' words to the women who were mourning, one criminal's rebuke of the other, the reaction of the multitudes who left "beating their breasts", and the women preparing spices and ointments before resting on the Sabbath. John is also the only one to refer to the request that the legs be broken and the soldier's subsequent piercing of Jesus' side, as well as that Nicodemus assisted Joseph with burial.
According to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Jesus was raised from the dead and, according to the canonical gospels, appeared to his disciples on different occasions before ascending to heaven. The account given in Acts of the Apostles says that Jesus remained with the apostles for 40 days, whereas the account in the Gospel of Luke makes no clear distinction between the events of Easter Sunday and the Ascension. Most biblical scholars agree that the author of Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles as a follow-up volume to the Gospel of Luke account, and the two works must be considered as a whole.
In Mark, Jesus is crucified along with two rebels, and the sun goes dark or is obscured for three hours. Jesus calls out to God, then gives a shout and dies. The curtain of the Temple is torn in two. Matthew follows Mark, but mentions an earthquake and the resurrection of saints. Luke also follows Mark, although he describes the rebels as common criminals, one of whom defends Jesus, who in turn promises that he and the criminal will be together in paradise. Luke portrays Jesus as impassive in the face of his crucifixion. John includes several of the same elements as those found in Mark, though they are treated differently.

Textual comparison

The comparison below is based on the New International Version.

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Way of the Cross	27:32–33	15:21–22	23:26–32	19:17
Way of the Cross	Soldiers had Simon of Cyrene carry Jesus' cross.	Soldiers had Simon of Cyrene carry Jesus' cross.	Soldiers had Simon of Cyrene carry Jesus' cross.	"They" had Jesus carry the cross.
Way of the Cross			Jesus said to wailing women: "Don't weep for me, but for yourselves and your children."
Crucifixion	27:34–36	15:23–25	23:33–34	19:18, 23–24
Crucifixion	Jesus tasted wine mixed with gall, refused to drink more.	Jesus refused to drink wine mixed with myrrh.
Crucifixion	Soldiers crucified Jesus, cast lots for his clothes and kept watch.	Soldiers crucified Jesus and cast lots for his clothes.	Soldiers crucified Jesus and cast lots for his clothes.	"They" crucified Jesus and four soldiers each took a garment, casting lots over the undergarment.
Crucifixion			Jesus: "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing."
Crucifixion		This happened at nine in the morning on the day of Passover.		This happened at "about noon" on the Day of Preparation before Passover
Mocking	27:37–44	15:26–32	23:35–43	19:19–22, 25–27
Mocking	Sign: "This is Jesus, the king of the Jews".	Sign: "The king of the Jews".	Sign: "This is the king of the Jews".	Sign: "Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews".
Mocking				High priests complained to Pilate: "Don't write "King of the Jews", but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." Pilate: "Quod scripsi, scripsi."
Mocking	Passersby, high priests, teachers of the law, elders and both rebels mocked Jesus.	Passersby, high priests, teachers of the law and both rebels mocked Jesus.	The people's rulers, soldiers and one criminal mocked Jesus.
Mocking			The other criminal defended him, and asked Jesus to remember him.	Jesus' mother Mary, Mary of Clopas and Mary Magdalene stood near the cross.
Mocking				Jesus told Mary: "That is your son", and told the beloved disciple: "That is your mother."
Mocking			Jesus: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Death	27:45–56	15:33–41	23:44–49	19:28–37
Death	At noon, a three-hour-long darkness came across the land.	At noon, a three-hour-long darkness came across the land.	About noon, a three-hour-long darkness came across the land.
Death	About three, Jesus cried out loud: "Eli, Eli, lema sabachtani?"	At three, Jesus cried out loud: "Eloï, Eloï, lema sabachtani?"		To fulfill Scripture, Jesus said: "I am thirsty."
Death	Bystander offered Jesus wine vinegar, others said: "Now let's see if Elijah saves him."	Bystander offered Jesus wine vinegar and said: "Now let's see if Elijah comes to take him down."		"They" let Jesus drink wine vinegar.
Death				Jesus said: "It is finished," and died.
Death	Jesus cried out again and died.	Jesus cried out loud and died.	Jesus called out loud: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit," and died.
Death	Temple curtain ripped, earthquake.	Temple curtain ripped.	Temple curtain ripped.
Death	Tombs broke open, many dead came back to life and appeared to many people in Jerusalem.
Death	Centurion and soldiers terrified: "Surely he was the Son of God."	Centurion: "Surely this man was the Son of God."	Centurion: "Surely this was a righteous man."
Death				Soldiers broke the legs of the other two crucified men, but not Jesus' legs, but did pierce his side with a spear.
Death			Bystanders beat their chest and went away.
Death	Many women from Galilee looked on from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary, mother of James and Joseph and the mother of Zebedee's sons.	From a distance, the women from Galilee looked on, including Mary Magdalene, Mary, mother of James and Joses and Salome.	Those who know him, including the Galilean women, stood at a distance.