10: Jesus is crucified
Finally, Jesus reaches his destination, and is subjected to the brutal and cruel punishment of crucifixion; iron nails are hammered through him into the cross, and the crowd reaches fever pitch as the cross bearing Jesus is raised into place, but they soon move on to the next entertainment leaving Jesus hanging in agony as a light wind scatters the crowd's litter.
“When they came to the place called Golgotha, which means The Skull, they crucified Jesus with two criminals, one on his right; one on his left. Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; they don't know what they are doing.' They cast lots to divide his clothing, scoffed, saying, 'He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God!' The soldiers offered him sour wine...”
Luke 23:33-37
Jesus is a criminal, the lowest of the low. Hanging from the nails in his wrists and feet he watches whilst they mock him, divide his clothes, add insult to injury and thirst with sour wine, yet he asks God to forgive them...
Commentary by Revd Catherine Shelley