Matthew and Mark: At "a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull" (Matt. xxvii, 33; Mark xv, 22). Luke: At Calvary (xxiii, 33). Calvary, like Golgotha, means a place of skulls in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The explanation given by Christian commentators is that "it was a spot where executions ordinarily took place, and therefore abounded in skulls." Fleetwood says it "was called Golgotha, or Place of Skulls, from the criminals' bones which lay scattered there" (Life of Christ, p. 416). Where Jewish customs prevailed--and it is admitted that they did prevail in Jerusalem and Judea at this time, and had for hundreds of years--a human skull or bone was not allowed to be exposed for even a moment. 346 What was the inscription on the cross? Mark: "The King of the Jews" (xv, 26). Luke: "This is the King of the Jews" (xxiii, 38). Matthew: "This is Jesus the King of the Jews" (xxvii, 37). John: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (xix, 19). There was placed on the cross a certain inscription. According to Luke and John it appeared in Greek, Latin and Hebrew. Four divinely inspired historians attempt to report in Greek the exact words of this inscription. Yet no two of their reports agree. 347 Did the name of Jesus appear on the cross? Matthew and John: It did. Mark and Luke: It did not. 348 Did the word "Nazareth" appear in the inscription? John: It did. Synoptics: It did not. 349 What did they offer him to drink before crucifying him? Matthew: "Vinegar mingled with gall" (xxvii, 34). Mark: "Wine mingled with myrrh" (xv, 23). Luke: "Vinegar" alone (xxiii, 36). The draughts mentioned by Matthew and Mark refer to a Jewish mixture intended to produce stupefaction and lessen pain. Had the Romans crucified him it is not probable that they would have observed this Jewish custom. 350 How was he fastened on the cross? Luke and John: His hands and feet were nailed to it (Luke xxiv, 39; John xx, 25, 27). The Evangelists do not say that he was nailed to the cross; but it has been inferred from the texts mentioned in Luke and John that he was. In crucifixion the victim was usually bound to the cross. Nails were sometimes driven through the hands, but never through the feet. The allusions to the supposed wounds on his hands and feet were evidently inserted in the accounts for the purpose of establishing his identity after the resurrection. Great prominence has been given them by Christians in order to make Christ's crucifixion appear especially cruel and create sympathy for him. 351 At what hour of the day was he crucified? Mark: "It was the third hour [nine o'clock in the morning]" (xv, 25). Luke: "It was about the sixth hour [noon]" (xxiii, 44). John: At the sixth hour he had not been sentenced and delivered to the executioners; hence he was not crucified until the afternoon (xix, 14-16).