I. The Path of the Cross and the Meaning of Suffering Revealed on Golgotha
All four Gospels unanimously highlight the scene in which Jesus carries the cross up the hill called Golgotha (in Hebrew, Golgotha; in Latin, Calvary). In John 19:17, the Apostle John succinctly records this tragic yet redemptively significant moment: “They took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull.” When we compare the other Gospels—especially Matthew 27 and Mark 15—we see a detailed portrayal of the extreme suffering Jesus endured during His crucifixion. After being scourged and mocked, His body already battered and bleeding, the Lord carried the very cross on which He would be nailed, traveling a long distance until He reached Golgotha.
Crucifixion was known in the ancient world as one of the most brutal methods of execution. Under Roman law, prisoners were made to walk through the streets wearing a sign indicating their crimes, ensuring public warning and ridicule. This display maximized the prisoner’s shame, yet also offered a last chance for anyone to present a defense on the prisoner’s behalf. However, Jesus not only bore false accusations against Him, He also willingly carried “His own cross.” He thereby showed in action that He was giving Himself “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Reflecting on this scene, Pastor David Jang interprets the path to Golgotha as “the most devoted path of love for the salvation of humankind.” At first glance, the image of Christ climbing the Skull Hill with His cross seems like a procession marked by disgrace and agony, bereft of any dignity. Yet in reality, it was the procession of Christ’s voluntary obedience that would consummate God’s redemptive plan. Because He alone bore the curse, sin, hatred, and violence that humankind deserved, it appeared a defeat in human eyes but resulted in victory under the sovereignty of God. And there on Golgotha, in those final moments, the atoning work of the cross was fully accomplished.
When Jesus arrived at the place of execution—Golgotha, the “place of the skull”—the soldiers, as usual, seized the condemned man’s possessions. According to John 19:23-24, even Jesus’ last remaining garments were taken by the soldiers casting lots. Pastor David Jang observes in this scene “a stark contrast between the greed of the world and the self-emptying of Christ.” While the soldiers argued and cast lots for even His single piece of undergarment, Jesus, whose strength was so depleted that He even needed the aid of Simon of Cyrene, had already surrendered everything, including His life. The chief priests protested against the inscription “King of the Jews” that Pilate had placed, wanting it changed to “He claimed to be King of the Jews.” But Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:21-22). This is history’s profound irony. The corrupt Jewish leaders declared, “We have no king but Caesar,” whereas the Roman governor Pilate proclaimed Jesus to be the “King of the Jews.” Outwardly, Jesus seemed weak and defeated, hanging on the cross, but that very cross became the most glorious pinnacle of salvation.
“Golgotha” evokes the grim image of a skull—a dark, foreboding atmosphere that suggests death. Called “Calvary” in church history, it is the place where the cross, the very core and symbol of the Christian faith, was raised. Thus, naming a church “Calvary” is an act of recalling the core Christian message that even in a place ruled by death and shame, the redemptive power and love of Christ shine brightest. Indeed, Golgotha is the stage on which Jesus’ love, piercing all darkness and despair in the world to achieve ultimate victory, is most vividly revealed.
Jesus went to the Skull Hill like a greater sacrificial lamb than Isaac in the story of Abraham and Isaac. In Genesis 22, Isaac carried the wood up Mount Moriah, unaware he was to be the burnt offering, while Abraham in faith (“Jehovah Jireh”) traversed that valley of death. But Jesus fully knew He would die, and yet proceeded in voluntary obedience to the very end. This is what Scripture calls atonement—like purchasing a slave in a marketplace and then setting him free. The Lord “paid the price” by offering Himself for us, slaves to sin. When He said, “to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), that was precisely the meaning. Pastor David Jang emphasizes here that “the path our Lord walked was purely a self-sacrifice prompted by love, not a death forced upon Him by worldly power or coercion.”
Redeeming us from the curse of the Law (Gal. 3:13) did not merely involve a brief period of pain. The cross brought lashes, scorn, thirst, extreme physical exhaustion, soldiers’ mockery, the contempt of the crowd, and an utter sense of spiritual abandonment—an overwhelming burden bearing down on Jesus. Mark 15:21 shows Simon of Cyrene being pressed into service to carry Jesus’ cross, indicating that Jesus was so worn out that He could no longer carry it Himself. John, however, only writes succinctly that “Jesus went out, bearing His own cross” (John 19:17). Pastor David Jang interprets the brevity of John’s account as indicating that “the Apostle John found it too sorrowful and sacred a moment to describe in lengthy detail.”
Ultimately, this tragic suffering becomes the supreme act of love, and the event in which God’s righteous judgment was transferred to Christ. We, who could never earn salvation by our own righteousness, have obtained it through the cross of Christ. Thus, the crucifixion on Golgotha was not a mere cruel execution in a moment of history, but rather, as Pastor David Jang notes, “a universal and spiritual event that all humanity must remember forever.”
II. Those Who Gathered Under the Cross: Simon of Cyrene, the Women, and the Disciple John
In John 19:17-27, we see striking contrasts among the people gathered beneath the cross. First, there are the Roman soldiers. Having nailed Jesus to the cross, they busily cast lots for His outer and inner garments, heedless of His pain. It was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 22:18, yet it also lays bare the raw greed and callousness of humanity. To the soldiers, Jesus was just another condemned man, and they were preoccupied with dividing the spoils of the execution. Even His undergarment, “woven in one piece from top to bottom” (John 19:23), was so valuable that they cast lots rather than tear it. Oblivious to the suffering above them, these men pursued their own profit.
By contrast, Simon of Cyrene was a pilgrim from out of town, in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, when he was randomly chosen by the Roman soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross briefly (Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21). As his name suggests, Cyrene was a place in modern-day Libya, and Simon was among the diaspora Jews visiting Jerusalem. Though forced against his will to share in Jesus’ suffering, Simon’s family came to know the Lord through this encounter, and his son Rufus is later mentioned as an important member of the faith community (Rom. 16:13). Pastor David Jang calls this “a confessional moment that shows how one’s life can change when they are compelled—even against their will—to bear the cross.” What at first seems an unhappy burden actually opened up the mystery of Christ’s suffering, and led Simon and his family to encounter the Savior. Thus, compulsion gave way to voluntary devotion, and suffering transformed into spiritual blessing.
Yet perhaps the most noteworthy figures are the women and the beloved disciple John, who remained at the foot of the cross to the very end. According to John 19:25, “standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” That is, four women—Jesus’ mother Mary, Mary’s sister (traditionally understood to be Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee), Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene—stayed with Him until the final moment. In those days, crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals, and anyone lingering near the site might be suspected of complicity or subjected to the same shame. Yet, motivated by their love for the Lord, these women refused to leave.
If we recall the spiritual “Were You There?” (an African American spiritual sung during Passion Week), we’re reminded to ask who remained at the scene of Christ’s suffering. Most of the disciples fled out of fear. Peter three times denied knowing Jesus during His questioning, and the others disappeared, terrified for their lives. But these women—and John, the beloved disciple—stood beneath the cross. Pastor David Jang notes that we should remember the words “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). For them, concern for their own safety or social standing mattered less than being close to the One who was in such agonizing pain.
John 19:26-27 records a particularly moving moment when Jesus, from the cross, addresses His mother Mary and the disciple John. Even amid excruciating pain, on the brink of death, Jesus entrusts His mother to the beloved disciple. The words to Mary—“Woman, behold, your son!”—and to John—“Behold, your mother!”—surpass mere filial piety, merging human and divine love. In caring for His mother, Jesus expresses the heart of a Son who, throughout His public ministry, could never remain in a normal familial role. Only here, at the end, does He say in effect, “Now I acknowledge you as my mother,” as He commends her to John. Pastor David Jang observes that “throughout His ministry, Jesus was wholly focused on the will of God; only in His final breath did He reaffirm the mother-child bond, never forgetting His loving duty to her.”
Thus, under the cross, we see cruelty and greed in the soldiers; unexpected, transforming participation in Simon of Cyrene; and unwavering love and devotion in the women and John. The cross becomes a mirror for us all. Pastor David Jang says, “The cross exposes our nature yet also points us toward a love that can transform that nature.” One can choose the path of taking from others, as the soldiers did, or aligning with earthly power to reject Christ. Yet there is also the path of Simon, who discovered the secret of Christ through a forced act; and the path of the women and John, who stayed by the Lord to the end out of love.
III. The Fulfillment of Atonement and the Challenge for the Church: Pastor David Jang’s Perspective on the Love of the Cross
The crucifixion is the climactic moment in which the Son of God, who knew no sin, offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb to satisfy all the requirements of the Law, saving humanity from its sin. Jesus took on all our sins and iniquities, becoming “cursed” according to the Law by hanging on a tree (cf. Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). By offering Himself as the scapegoat—like the goat in Leviticus 16 on the Day of Atonement, but far more perfect—He died not in the wilderness but on the cross, suffering a fate worse than any animal torn apart by wild beasts. Truly, He was “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Pastor David Jang, in interpreting this doctrine of substitutionary atonement, explains that “on the cross, Jesus bore the punishment that humanity deserved before God.” Because of this, we now receive forgiveness and salvation. Linking this to the image of the “suffering servant” in Isaiah 53, he stresses that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the prophecy, “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5). In doing so, Jesus absorbed all enmity and hatred into His own flesh—even praying for those who spat on Him and beat Him (Luke 23:34)—thus embodying the command to “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44).
Hence, the cross is not merely a single historical event but remains a continual challenge to the Church and all believers. It’s not enough to know “what Jesus accomplished”; we must also consider “how He lived.” For the Church to “behold the cross” means to contemplate the extent and depth of Jesus’ suffering and love, and to choose that same path in our own lives. Pastor David Jang often states, “The cross is not just a symbol of salvation; it is the summary of Jesus’ entire life and the sign that we, too, must follow that same path.” Jesus prayed for His enemies (Luke 23:34), laid down His life for sinners (Rom. 5:8), and finally triumphed over sin and death by rising again. If the Church clings to this truth, it will serve those who suffer, love even its enemies, and share everything without hesitation.
Yet that road is difficult. “Take up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24) can be a heavy burden in practical terms, as the story of Simon of Cyrene shows. Sometimes we are forced into carrying a load. Pastor David Jang points out that “even though Simon of Cyrene did not choose to carry the cross, through that act he encountered Jesus and was transformed.” Likewise, our acts of service might initially begin from a sense of duty or reluctance rather than joy. But as we pass through suffering, discovering God’s deeper grace and redemptive purpose, that forced burden can evolve into a joyful, voluntary devotion.
The love Jesus displayed up to His final breath—entrusting His mother to John (John 19:26-27)—teaches us the importance of “small, attentive acts of love.” Though He came to save the world, He did not neglect His mother in His dying moments. No matter how fervent the Church’s mission to save souls, we must not neglect those nearest who need our care—vulnerable neighbors, fellow believers, and family members. Pastor David Jang interprets this as demonstrating that “public ministry and personal love must be in harmony if the love of the cross is to be truly complete.” Even as we focus on missions and service, we must never overlook the practical acts of love for those immediately around us.
Furthermore, the detail about Jesus’ tunic being “woven from top to bottom in one piece” (John 19:23) alludes to the high priestly garment in the Old Testament, symbolizing holiness and completeness. As our true High Priest, Jesus offered Himself fully as the perfect sacrifice, mediating on behalf of sinners (Heb. 7:26-27). Though the soldiers gambled to snatch it away, Jesus had already “emptied Himself” (kenosis). Here the Church should see a model and a rebuke: “How can we cling so tightly to our meager possessions, wealth, or ego when we stand under the cross?” Pastor David Jang challenges us to ask that question.
Indeed, the faith of the cross focuses not on “what I can get” but on “what I can give.” As Jesus “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), so too must the Church continually bear the burdens of the hurting world and share Christ’s love. And as Jesus commanded us to “love God and love your neighbor” (Mark 12:30-31) and gave us “a new commandment to love one another” (John 13:34), the cross is the ultimate demonstration of that love—even for enemies (Matt. 5:44). Pastor David Jang warns that “if the Church merely adorns itself with the cross but is actually more interested in claiming Christ’s inheritance for its own benefit, it betrays the very heart of the cross-centered Gospel.”
Therefore, at the foot of the cross, we must realize how our own sin and greed are laid bare before God. At the same time, we must be filled with gratitude for the love of the One who became our substitute, and we must respond in repentance and determination to live anew. To be a Christian is to commit to “take up your cross” (Matt. 16:24) and follow the Lord, a path that includes self-denial and service to others. In this way, the cross ceases to be merely a historical symbol; it becomes a living, powerful reality that defines our being and our actions.
The events in John 19:17-27 pose the question: “How immense is the love that has set us free?” The answer is clear: without the cross of Jesus, there is no life, hope, or eternal salvation for us. The blood He shed on Golgotha bestows on earth a priceless atoning grace no one else could offer. And the enduring lesson of Christ is love—the love that gives everything. The Church must not only exalt the cross but also rediscover its meaning in the depths of our hearts. Pastor David Jang maintains, “To hold fast to the cross means a willingness to bear suffering together, to refuse to be like the soldiers seeking personal gain, to embrace the cross even if forced upon us like Simon of Cyrene, and to remain with the Lord to the very end like His mother and those women, in a commitment of love.”
Such a cross-centered faith is perfected amid the profound paradoxes of suffering and love, death and life. Outwardly, it looks like shame and ruin; inwardly, it holds the promise of resurrection and victory. The Church, bearing this hope of resurrection, must go to the places in this world that resemble Golgotha. For there, many souls await the true Savior, even if they must bear the cross by compulsion. Pastor David Jang’s teaching ultimately leads to practical theology: “Each of us has a cross given to us, and if we are willing to bear it, only then does the path of Christ’s atonement truly bear fruit in our lives.”
Finally, the Church must not exploit the cross for its own advantage or worldly ends. In the soldiers who tried to take even Jesus’ last piece of clothing, we see our own hidden lust for possessions, honor, and power. But Jesus, stripped of everything, continued to think of others, even in His last moments. By caring for His mother, He demonstrated that His love had no end. This self-emptying, serving love is the Alpha and Omega of the cross.
Should the Church aspire to such love, it will echo Paul’s confession: “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). The community that humbly gives thanks for God’s grace, rather than flaunting its own righteousness, becomes a beacon of the way of life that began on Golgotha. Like Simon of Cyrene, even those who carry the cross unwillingly at first may be led to heaven’s path. Though suffering may run deep, those who follow Christ to the cross share in the glory of resurrection—a central truth of the Gospel and the message proclaimed by John 19:17-27.
In conclusion, walking in “the way of Christ Jesus” involves fierce suffering and sacrifice, but true freedom and salvation lie at the end of that road. The cruelty of crucifixion could not overcome the boundless love contained within it. The Church must firmly believe this and lay down all greed, hatred, division, and callousness at the foot of the cross. The self-sacrificial love Christ demonstrated on the cross, His mercy toward sinners, and the promise of resurrection life remain powerful enough to renew the world today. Pastor David Jang frequently underscores that “if we know we have been saved by the cross of Christ, we bear the responsibility to live out that path in our daily lives.” The cross is not merely something we remember; it is a daily command to love. Such obedience is what makes the Church truly the Church and enables it to shine the light of salvation to the world. As the Church persists in following the Lord’s steps, the darkness of Golgotha will be illuminated by the light of the Resurrection, and the cross will continue to testify to the hope of salvation for all humankind.