King of the Jews

ouls rise

eful peni

o Golgoth

e done your

the Medi

g death of

know the lo

eart now

ss back for

s us fro

his lov

t's best

ross

ever

cross, with the thieves also bearing their cross, was entering the street of Annas, Mary, the mother

how will it have gone with Jesus since thou

among the dead. But they could not carry out the sentence without permission of the governor. Bu

ine the ruler's heart to justice, that he may pro

ither, that I may but once more see my beloved son? I must see him, but wher

Alas! the most loving

e is one to be seen fr

o go to Nicodemus; he surely knows w

moment increases my grief in this un

ise of confused voices and tramping feet was heard in the distance. From the tumult could be heard the wo

Joseph. Then stood they all still li

of a thousand voic

goaded him forward. Behind Jesus came the thieves, each bearing his own cross. Behind them came soldiers carrying spears, in the midst of whom on a white horse rode a horseman carrying the Roman banner on which were the letters S. P. Q. R. By the side of the soldiery walked Annas and

en already too heavy?" and the people shouted, "Dri

er cried, "Take care

procession could be seen from where the two Marys and J

do? In this commotion we c

his noise signify? Surely

Joseph said, "It seems as if a

better stop here till

aid, "I must hasten in order to get into the city. The eve of the feast is coming, and I have only a short time left in which to make my purchases and get everything ready, so that I m

l keep quiet a little-perhaps my ears have deceived me." Jesus had fallen faint and ha

roughly, "It is no use thy faintin

who was listening without being able to see the cause of the commotion, said, "The noise waxes louder. I m

tening, said, "I think the crowd is coming out of the city gates," and John, seeing

and cried out with a piercing wai

was forced forward by the executioners grumbl

gered under

ad again fallen, reached him a bottle, saying, "Here, st

there, I see him led to de

, "Mother, it is the hour of which he has to

o Jesus, "Wilt thou not d

shook him, saying, "Rouse thy

d! Pull thyself together!" The third said

on the scene, "Oh where is a

compel Jesus to move forward had failed, said, "He is

of Cyrene, pointed him out, s

s said, "Jus

hither, thou hast broad shoul

esting, sai

of the executioners, "oth

he centurion interrupted him, saying, "Yo

refuses to go!"

"Indeed I am innocent; I

said the

and then beholding Christ he said, "What is th

ders here," said

thee I will carry it. O, could I t

ide, looked upon Simon and said, "Go

centurion; "follow thou w

ing, said, "Thou canst

e, seized him by the neck and shook him saying, "See with what con

ything else?" said

e will now halt a little that he may

oached. Caiaphas meanwhile, chafing with vexation at the delay, excl

ering him her handkerchief, said, "O Lord, how is thy face

and gave it back to her, saying, "Compassiona

ittle ones, "Thou good teacher; never to be forgotten benefactor; noblest

ays are coming in which they shall say 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck.' Then shall t

how will it be in the futur

turion was exhausted, and he cried o

are your women's tears? Back!" While the other executioners cried

cry and said, "Quick

he rabbi, and Nathanael said, shrugging his

him so much,"

e. The man cried, "Halt!" and the procession stopped. "By command of the governor th

ew orders are required? The death sentence is pr

turning to the soldiers he said, "Keep watch meanwhile and go with the condemned to Golgotha. Then dismiss this man

cross with him. Hail to Israel. The enemy is va

the procession passed the corner

ad passed, "Mother, shall we not go back to Be

a mother leave her child in

might befall thee, if they re

with him, bear scorn and sh

the strength of thy b

sked strength of God and he has

e follow thee," and they slowly f

eir feet were tied with cord to the beam. But Jesus was nailed to the central cross while it yet lay with the head slightly raised upon the ground. One nail was driven through the palms of each hand, and one through the two feet, which were placed the one above t

h the Roman standard with the letters S. P. Q. R. Caiaphas, Annas and all the members of the Sanhedrin stood on the left exulting. A great crowd of sightseers thronged t

e finished with these," pointing to the thieves, "No

sts cried angrily, "Not

hammer stroke over the head of Jesus, saying, "Ah, an escutcheon displayed; this is right royal!" When this was done according to the command of the governor, the centurion said to the executioners, "Now, up with the cross! Not carelessly, but lay hold firmly." Then two hangmen, taking the cross by the arms, lifted it up so that its fo

essing the chief priests, "Th

hanks and applause from us all!" "Yea, thanks, and applause

ed, "This shall be a

ll time to come it shall be kept ev

drinking in the pleasure of satisfied vengeance, he saw for the first time the writing on the cross, but his old eyes could not decipher the words. Turning to Caiaphas he said, "The

y Pilate exclaimed, "That is an insult, an

g him, asked, "W

ription, said, "The rabbi is right. Th

is written, 'Jesus of Naz

ng it himself, started back with indignation. "Verily," he

at once," cr

once to the governor to demand from him, in the name of the Sanhedrin and the assembled people that the superscr

once," said the

may order the bones of the crucified to be broken and their b

ed Agrippa, standing up, said, "Now, comrades, let us divide our share." Taking the mantle of Jesus, they seized each one corner, and then pulling all together,

superscription over the head of Jesus,

the four hangmen, standing at the feet of Jesus threw the dice, Agrippa threw them first, saying, "I will try

"Hi! you up there, if you can still work miracles on the cross, give me good luck." The others

ck," and throwing the dice he counted fifteen.

, "I ought to get it." They al

Catiline; "that

," handing him the mantle,

self by saying, "You

the coat, and foldin

e, and coming back to Caiaphas they said, "Our missi

priests and Pharisees crowded around

rabbi. "What I have wr

able," s

ollecting himself he asked, "What did h

would give his orders to the c

nd scoffing at him. Josue, the priest, went up first and said, "So then it remains written, king of the Jews. Behold, i

royest the temple and buildest it

ou that savest others, thy

of the witnesses, "Art

in God; let him deliver hi

ou hear? Show thy power, mighty king o

aised slowly and with pain, his head, which had been bowed down

ified on his left said unto him, "Hearest t

ou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this ma

d, "Verily, I say unto thee, today

ornfully, "he speaks as if he had

presumption deserted him even as he hangs helple

immediately below Jesus, Mary on the right, John on the left. Then Jesus beholding them, said to Mary, "Mother, b

e and adoration, "Even in dying t

ut looking above to Jesus, exclaimed

e said, "Thou my m

low voice, cried ho

him said, "He thirst

, who, taking a small phial from his dress, poured hyssop on the sponge. Faustus then reached the sponge up to the lips of Jesus. But Jesus turned aw

n agony, "Eli, Eli

d not understand, but im

they. "He cri

d, "Let be; let us see whethe

hy hands I commend my spirit!" And as Jesus spoke these words his head fell forward on his breast and he gave up the ghost. Then suddenly the eart

s fin

saying: "What a dreadful earthquake! Do you hear

id, "Certainly, this

d himself bears witness by t

oble calm, this last loud cry to heaven at the moment before de

el, "I will remain no long

et us go home and may

easts cried, "Almighty God,

round the cross but the holy women and Joh

g near the cross of the repentant thief, when suddenly a templ

xclaimed, "a fearful thing has occurred in

d Caiaphas in alar

allen?" s

ent in twain from the top to the bottom. I hastened hither with staggeri

e priests and Pharisees,

s magic arts. What a blessing it is that he is out of the wor

heir voices and cried, shaking their fists aga

we will come back at once. For I cannot rest until I have seen this fello

h of Arimathea, having overheard the parting word-of Caiaphas, "Shall the holy body of the S

I will go straightway to Pilate, and will implore him to giv

and I will bring the spices for him." They having dep

said the centurion, "no

breast and cried through her tears as she looked up at the silent and life

"This is the command of my lord: Break the legs of the crucified and take dow

be done at once. Men, first

the hangmen took ladders and placed them against the crosses of the thieves. Catiline

tent thief heavily over each of the thighs and then across the shoulder b

Catiline, "he

f on the left hand, saying, "I will

Jesus, who had watched with terror the blows of the hangman, cried out, shud

hast had enough. I have given thee thy wages." Then coming do

and the club, Mary Magdalene sprang before him, and thrusting him ba

, "Behold, he is already dead. There i

a lance he thrust it into the right side of Jesus, and forthwith there spurted out blood and wat

said, "Oh, mother, that thrust

n, "Now, take down the

of the hangmen, "s

"As ordered, into the g

rrible sob: "What a word;

hangmen unfastened the cords which bound the thieves to their crosses, and

t to the centurion and said to him: "May we

ion, "it is not within

speaking as they approached, said, "It will be all the more delightful to see the body of this evil-doer ca

d be if my eyes could see him tor

the bodies of the thieves, "they are already being taken

thea and with him a servant of Pilate. The servant said to the centurion, "The governor has sent me to inqui

he cross. "Look for yourself. Besides, for a complete ce

hat the body is to be delivered over to this man as a

holy women still gathered toget

bbi, speaking of Jesus, said to the other priests and rule

our triumph

"We shall not tolerate it that his body be laid an

this man, it is obvious that he can bury it wh

and executioners, "Men, our w

ed. With them went the centurion and his band, leaving Caiaphas and the Jews face to face with the holy women and th

persist in thy headstrong obstinacy? Art thou not ashamed

blest of men, the teacher sent from God

condemnation. The judge himself was forced to bear witness to

he curse of our law will destroy

yself about them, O, high priest;

e ye by the holy council. Deprived of all your honors, n

esire to do so,"

iends, we must be on our guard, for this deceiver, while he

eople and make fresh trouble for us. His disciples might take his bo

the first. Let us therefore go at once to Pilate and ask him for a

rabbi added, "Thus their schemes will be f

ter putting it around the body of Jesus, the ends hanging over the cross reached to the ground, where they were held by Simon of Bethany and Lazarus. Then, after taking off the crown of thorns Nicodemus took the pincers and began to pull out the nails from the hands of Jesus and bent the stiffening ar

suffered with him. Now he has finished his work and entered into the

saying, "He is not taken from

h and Nicodemus, "make haste and b

his resting place?" Then seating herself on a stone a little to the right of t

the winding sheet to receive the body." They spread the line

Joseph had taken the nail from the feet of Jesus. Then Simon and Lazarus, holding the

take thee upon my shoulders." Then with the body of Jesus re

Come thou holy body of my only friend, let me embrace thee." Then they carried the body of Jesus and placed it on the linen winding sheet

f sons rests once more on the

ce of Jesus, and then sighing heavily she said,

these wounds flowed salvati

stood on her right hand, "how the peace

anoint him and then wrap him in this new linen." He then po

imathea, "in my new grave which I hav

, and kneeling, raised to her lips the pierced left hand of Jesus sayi

wn, stooped low and kissed the right hand, saying, "O, let

n, "We shall

to Nicodemus, "to bea

to rest the remains of him who was sent from G

e other woman, "Let us follow

r," said Mary, "that

to watch the grave sat outside the tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid. One of them awaking, cried, "Brothers, is not t

ul shock!" "The earth is splitting," cried Rufus. Then there was a peal of thunder. Titus called out, "Away from the rock; it

nt in white apparel, while the watch fell on their faces to the ground cry

door of the sepulchre and went dow

nd said to each other, "Brother, what has happened to us?" Then

, take heart; we have nothing to fear, as we have done no wrong." They then stood up and saw the open door of the sep

they went with fear and trembling to the door of the sepu

e is the linen cloth lying in which the body

ve risen again, as no o

ier, "It has happened th

lfilled his word!" "Now, what

d one, "excepting to hasten to the Phar

"That we will," and