Where was Golgotha?

Answer 1

Golgotha means "skull" in Aramaic and Hebrew. it was the hill just outisde the Jerusalem wall on which Jesus was crucified.

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew

Golgotha: Joh 19,17

The reason it was called 'Golgotha' is because the hill looks like the top part of a skull.

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head:" Origin Against Marcion Book II 259

Calvary in english originates from the latin word 'Calvariae' meaning also the top part of a skull.

And when they were come to the place, which is called

Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

et postquam venerunt in locum qui vocatur Calvariae ibi crucifixerunt eum et latrones unum a dextris et alterum a sinistris Luke 23 33

To see a picture of the hill where Jesus was curcified, which appears as the top part of a skull', click the link below.

The Gospel writers call the place where Jesus was crucified 'Kranion'. The Greek word Kranion was translated in the Latin Vulgate as 'Calvariae', from which the translators of the King James version of The Bible derived 'Calvary'.

Answer 2

First Answer:

A rock cliff west of Herod's Gate and just beyond the Old City of Jerusalem's northern wall, overlooking the garden tomb/Church of the Holy Sepulchre site .

Jerusalem, in Israel.

Another Answer:

Jesus was crucified on a hill that looks like a skull (the meaning of Golgotha), and to be more specific, the top part of a skull.

All four Gospels use the Greek word 'Kranion' to describe the place where Jesus was crucified. Different than Skufion (skull), Kranion is referring to the upper part of the skull, or the skull-pan.

and when they came to the place that is called Skull (Cranium -Skull-Pan), there they crucified him and the evil-doers, one on the right hand and one on the left. Lk 23,33 Youngs Literal Translation

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head:" Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol 4 Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II 259

There is only one hill in the vicinity of Jerusalem which fits this description, and it is just outside the Lion's gate. (Please refer to the link below to see a picture of Golgotha)

Three of the four Gospels testify that the moment Jesus died, the veil of the temple ripped from top to bottom and was witnessed by those on Golgotha.

and the veil of the sanctuary was rent in two, from top to bottom, and the centurion who was standing over-against him, having seen that, having so cried out, he yielded the spirit, said, `Truly this man was Son of God.' Mk 15,38-39 Youngs Literal Translation

At the time of Jesus' death, there were two veils within the sanctuary separating the Holy of Holies, called the debir. It was not these two curtains which ripped, but rather the curtain in front of the door of the temple.

And immediately the face of the door of the temple was rent into two parts from top to bottom... And the officer of the footsoldiers, and they that were with him who were guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things which came to pass, feared greatly, and praised God, and said, This man was righteous; and, Truly he was the Son of God. And all the multitudes that were come together to the sight, when they saw what came to pass, returned and smote upon their breasts. Diatessaron 52,2

The face of the door is referring to the outer curtain of the temple before the temple door. If the two curtains of the debir had ripped, it would not have been witnessed by anyone standing about Jesus and therefore it could not be testified to, that it ripped at the moment when Jesus died.

Golgotha was just outside a gate, so near that Jesus could hear the people speaking about him as they passed by.

Those sitting in the gate are talking about me; I am the [theme of the] song of drunkards. Ps 69,12

And as they came out (through the gate), they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. Matt 27,32

John testifies that Jesus carried his own cross to Golgotha (Joh 19,17). However the other three Gospels testify that Simon of Cyrene carried the cross as Jesus came out of Jerusalem. Thefore Golgotha was at that place where they went through the gate, as John testifies.

The Gospel of John also testifies that Golgotha was so near the city that all could read the inscription written in three languages.

Therefore, many of the Jews read this title, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it had been written in Hebrew, in Greek, in Latin. Joh 19,20

Since the temple is on the eastern edge of the city, facing east, the curtain could only have been seen by people on a high place outside the eastern wall of Jerusalem.

It would have been possible for those with good eyesight to have seen the curtain rip from the mount of Olives, over seven hundred meters away. But from this hill just outside the temple area everyone gathered there would have wittnessed it.

The traditional site of Golgotha, the Holy Sepulcher Church, was based upon research done by Helen, the mother of Constantine I. There is evidence that in ancient times this was outside the city wall. Whether at the time of Jesus' death this was outside the city is questionable. There was never a hill here, for in earlier days it was below the Jupiter temple. Nor could anyone see from here the ripping of the temple, for this site is in the west side of Jerusalem.

In 1882 General Gorden proposed a location somewhat northwest of Old Jerusalem. It was the formation of the rock which led him to this conclusion, which looked like the eyes of a skull. However from this location it would certainly not have been possible to read the Inscription or hear people in the gate, nor see the curtain rip, nor does this place have the shape of a skull-pan.

The place which looks like the top of a skull just outside the Lion's gate, which is near where the sheep gate used to be, fits every scripture.

Answer 3

Golgotha is just outside the eastern wall of Jerusalem, outside the Lion's Gate, which in the days of Jesus was called the Sheep Gate (Jn 5,2).

Three of the four gospels testify that the people standing at the top of Golgotha witnessed the curtain of the temple ripping. This mount is just as high as Mount Moriah where the temple was built. Only three hundreds meters away from its top was the entrance of the temple.

Here is the evidence verifying the location of Golgotha:

1. It appears as the skull pan of a head, testified to by the author of the five books against Marcion, Book II 259.

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head:" (See www.golgotha.eu for a picture)

2. It was just outside Jerusalem on a major road leading into Jerusalem, where everyone who passed by could read the inscription written in three languages 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'.

This inscription then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Joh 19,20

3. It was very near a gate in Jerusalem, where Jesus could even hear those in the gate speaking of him. The top of Golgotha is today hardly more than 40 meters from the Lion's Gate.

Those sitting in the gate are talking about me; I am the song of drunkards. Ps 69,12

4. It overlooked the temple grounds and those gathered there saw the curtain of the temple rip.

And the curtain of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that as he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. Mk 15,38

5. It was one of the areas of Jerusalem where the graves were located.

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, in which was never man yet laid. Joh 19,41

Could it not be that this is where Abraham brought his son to offer him as a burnt offering?

And he said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mounts which I will tell you of. Gen 22,2

The Jewish people have always thought that it was Mount Moriah on which Abraham offered his son. In height they are equal. The base of Mount Moriah is only two hundred meters from the base of Golgotha.

There is something however recorded in the scriptures allowing us to identify which of these two mounts was really the one on which Isaac was sacrificed.

And Abraham called the name of that place JHWH Jireh as it is said to this day, In the mount the LORD is seen. Gen 22,14

In the mount on which Isaac was sacrificed the LORD is seen. Now for over two thousand years this mount looks like the top of a skull. But in the days of Abraham this mount looked like a groomed head, testified to by the ram whose horns were caught in the thickets (today it is bald). This mount reflects in its appearance the LORD. But even more important, Abraham called it JHWH Jireh (the LORD sees). That same mount in which the LORD is seen is also the mount from which the LORD sees. And what does he see? This head is looking directly at the north side of where the altar used to be and into the temple entrance.

And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD : Lev 1,11a

And he shall bring the bullock to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD ; Lev 4,4

Moses identified the north side of the altar as being before the LORD. From this place the LORD sees the sacrifices foretelling the death of his Son. And from the days of Moses the LORD foretold that the Messiah would be sacrificed outside the city of Jerusalem through the sacrifice of the Red Heifer.

And you shall give her to Eleazar the priest. He shall taker her out to the outside of the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly towards the front of the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: Num 19,3-4

Normally the curtain hid the view into the front of the tabernacle. But on the day in which the Red Heifer was sacrificed the curtain must be open so that the priest who sprinkles the blood could see the entrance of the temple, otherwise the sacrifice is invalid. This foretold the miracle of the ripping of the curtain.

It is remarkable that the hill of Golgotha is looking directly at the north side of the altar and into the temple entrance. But even more remarkable that this very important view of the priest went directly over Golgotha, the place where Jesus would one day be crucified, as he sprinkled the blood!

Answer 4

Gabbatha is derived from גבה (gabah) meaning elevated in the sense of a person of respect (such as a ruler). See 1.Sa 9,2; 1.Sa 16,7; 2.Ch 26.16 where this hebrew word is used, always referring to a person in a high position.

Golgotha is derived from גלגלתו (gulgaletov) meaning skull. Calvary is the latin used for the top part of the skull.

Jesus was brought to Gabbatha, next to where Pilate was sitting. As Jesus approached Gabbatha, the Jews cried out, 'Take him away', for they denied him as their king. Then Pilate said, as he was sitting on Gabbatha, 'Shall I crucify your King?'

Jesus was brought to Golgotha to be crucified. To see a picture of how Golgotha got its name (for it looks like the top part of a skull), refer to the link below.

Answer 5

The biblical meaning of Golgotha in hebrew is 'skull'. In Latin it is 'top part of a skull', or Calvary.

et perducunt illum in Golgotha locum quod est interpretatum Calvariae locus Mar 15,22

(And they brought Him to Golgotha Place (which translated is, Place of a Skull).

Golgotha did not always appear like a skull. Earlier it looked like the top of a well groomed head. This is the mount which Abraham named 'Jhwh Jireh' (The LORD sees).

And Abraham called the name of that place JHWH Jireh as it is said to this day, In the mount the LORD is seen. Gen 22,14

From this place the LORD sees the north side of the Altar of the temple. He sees the sacrifices of Israel. The Passover Lambs were always sacrificed before his face on the north side of the Altar. And as Jesus died on the cross on the top of Golgotha, he saw the Israelites sacrificing their Passover Lambs between 1:00 and 3:00 PM.

The biblical meaning of Golgotha is both the place where Jesus was sacrificed and the place looking like a head observing the sacrifices of Israel, which were fortelling the death of Jesus.

Answer 6

Golgotha is the place where which Jesus was crucified.

Christians today have different opinions of where Golgotha is.

a. Some believe he was crucified where today the Holy Sepulcher church is.

b. Some believe he was crucified where today the 'Garden Tomb' is.

c. Some believe he was crucified on the hill outside the Lion's Gate.

d. Some do not believe there is evidence that any of these three places are correct.

Who is right? Which one fits the descriptions of this place best?

The place was a hill which looked like the top part of a skull. (Golgotha is Skull in Aramaic and very similiar to Skull in Hebrew)

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head:" Origin Against Marcion Book II 259

The only one of the three places which meets this description is the hill which looks like a skull by the Lion's Gate (see the Related Link below for a picture)

Those who stood there saw the veil (curtain) of the temple rip as Jesus died, testified in three of the four gospels and also the very early Gospel synopsis Diatessaron from Tatian.

And immediately the face of [3629] the door of the temple was rent into two parts from [9] top to bottom; Diatessaron Tatian 52,2

And, behold, the vail of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Matt 27,51

The only one of the three places which meets this description is the hill by the Lion's Gate, which is only 300 meters from where the temple once stood, is the same height and had a view of the temple entrance.

Golgotha was so close to a gate in Jerusalem that Jesus could actually hear what they were saying there.

Those sitting in the gate are talking about me; I am the [theme of the] song of drunkards. Ps 69,12

The only one of the three places which meets this description is the hill by the Lion's Gate. In the time of the bible, this was called the Sheep's gate (Neh 3,1;Joh 5,2). It is questionable whether the place at which the Holy Sepulcher Church was built was even outside of the city wall in the days of Jesus. And the Garden Tomb is so far outside the city that nobody could hear what the people were speaking in the gate.

All who passed by could read the inscription 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews' in three languages. Also the Gospel of John states that it was near the city and that Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha. The other three Gospels testify that he carried it only until he was outside the city. This also testifies that Golgotha was by this gate.

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Joh 19,17

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. Matt 27,32

The only place which meets this description is the hill by the Lion's Gate.

Until the 5th of June, 2009 virtually nobody considered this hill as the place where Golgotha was.

Answer 7

Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified, is a mount which looks like a cranium (the upper part of the head) and those gathered there testisfied to seeing the curtain of the temple rip. It was also very near the city.

There is only one place which meet the descriptions found in the New Testament. Please refer to the link below.

Golgotha is located only 300 meters from where the temple used to be on Mount Moriah, where now the Dome of the Rock is. Golgotha is a somewhat large mount just outside the city wall, on which hundreds of people were gathered as the crucifixion took place. Since its height is the same as Mount Moriah, everyone there could see into the temple grounds and saw the curtain of the temple rip.

And the curtain of the temple was ripped in two from top to bottom. Now seeing [this], the centurion, standing opposite from him, how that in this way he expired, said, Truly this man was the Son of God. Mk 15,39

John testified in Jn.19,20 that the place 'Cranium' (Greek: top part of skull) was so near the city that those passing by could read the inscription.

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers' earlier tongue thus called its name, "The skull-pan of a head:" Four Books Against Marcion Book II 259

And coming to a place named Golgotha, which is called Cranium Place, they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. Matt 27,33-34a
And they brought him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, the place Cranium. Mk 15,22
And when they were come to the place which is called Cranium, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right side, and the other on the left. Lk 23,33
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place Cranium, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha. Joh 19,17

Answer 8

Golgotha is where Jesus was crucified and Gethsamane is where Jesus was arrested.

Answer 9

Golgotha means "Place of the Skull"