New Testament · event
The Crucifixion
The darkest day — yet the deepest love.
The Crucifixion is the event in which Jesus, bearing the sin of humanity in our place, died on the cross — the heart of the Christian gospel.
Timeline at a glance
- GethsemanePrayer and arrest (Matthew 26)
- The TrialBefore Pilate (John 18–19)
- The CrossDeath at Golgotha (Luke 23)
- It Is FinishedThe final cry (John 19:30)
Arrest and Trial
After the Last Supper, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, was arrested, and after false testimony and an unjust trial was sentenced to crucifixion. Pilate said he found no guilt in him, yet gave in to the crowd.
The Cross at Golgotha
Jesus was nailed to the cross on the hill of Golgotha. There rang out his word of forgiveness, "Father, forgive them," and his final cry, "It is finished."
The Meaning of Atonement
The New Testament sees this death as an atoning death — "pierced for our transgressions" (Isaiah 53). The cruelest instrument of execution became the place of love God held out toward sinners.
Related verses
- Luke 23:34"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
- John 19:30"It is finished," and he gave up his spirit.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the cross "good news (the gospel)"?
Though it looks like the most tragic of deaths, it is an act of love that paid the price of sin in our place and reconciled God and humanity. After the cross comes the resurrection.
What were Jesus' last words on the cross?
Across the Gospels are scattered the "seven words" from the cross, including "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23), "It is finished" (John 19), and "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23).
What does "atonement" mean?
It means paying a price in another's place, pointing to the faith that Jesus bore the cost of human sin on our behalf (Isaiah 53; Mark 10). The New Testament explains this as reconciliation — the restoring of the relationship between God and people.