Some church traditions give very little attention to the suffering of Christ’s crucifixion, dwelling instead on the spiritual significance of his death and the glorious resurrection which followed. But the Gospels don’t spare us. Even Mark, with his minimal, speedy narrative style, gives us enough to get a sense of what an utterly brutal execution this was. 

From the heights of his throne in the heavenly realms, this was the lowest Jesus could have physically, emotionally and spiritually come. His body was in so much pain he was physically unable to carry his cross. He was killed outside the city wall, in a place known for grisly horror (Golgotha, ‘the place of the skull’, v 22). He was hung up naked alongside criminals and his executioners gambled for his clothes. While demonstrating history-changing power and love beyond measure, at a cost none of us will ever come close to appreciating, he was sneered at, mocked and abandoned. 

It is not comfortable or pleasant to consider these things, but we must, because it helps us value our salvation and understand the gospel story. ‘You were bought at a price’, wrote Paul (1 Corinthians 6:20). This was the price.