Matthew 27:33 · Bible study
Matthew 27:33 Commentary: Golgotha: The Place of a Skull
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of Golgotha, 'the place of a skull,' in Matthew 27:33. Why was Jesus crucified there? Scholarly insights and pastoral reflections.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Golgotha means 'skull' in Aramaic/Hebrew, referring to the place of Jesus' crucifixion, likely the public execution ground.
- Key Words: Golgotha (Γολγοθᾶ), skull (κρανίον), place (τόπος).
- Main Debate: Whether the name comes from the hill's shape (Thayer) or from skulls of executed criminals (Clarke, Barnes).
- Theological Theme: Christ's humiliation and identification with sinners, fulfilling the typology of the sin offering outside the camp.
- Best Use: Easter sermons, meditation on the cross, studies on the historical setting of the crucifixion.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull,
WEB World English Bible 2000
When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”
KJV King James Version 1769
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and having come to a place called Golgotha, that is called Place of a Skull,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And having come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a skull,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y como llegaron al lugar que se llama Gólgotha, que es dicho, El lugar de la calavera,
E quando chegaram ao lugar chamado Gólgota, que significa “o lugar da caveira”,
Arrivés au lieu nommé Golgotha, ce qui signifie lieu du crâne,
Und da sie an die Stätte kamen mit Namen Golgatha, das ist verdeutscht Schädelstätte,
En gekomen zijnde tot de plaats, genaamd Golgotha, welke is gezegd Hoofdschedelplaats,
E venuti ad un luogo detto Golgota, che vuol dire: Luogo del teschio, gli dettero a bere del vino mescolato con fiele;
A przyszedłszy na miejsce rzeczone Golgota, które zowią miejscem trupich głów,
И, придя на место, называемое Голгофа, что значит: Лобное место,
到了 一個地方 名叫 各各他， 意思 就是「髑髏 地」。
And when they came to the place named Golgotha, that is to say, Dead Man's Head,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 27:33
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Golgotha, an Aramaic word meaning 'skull,' identifies the site of Jesus' crucifixion. Barnes, Gill, and Clarke all state it was the customary place of execution, likely named for skulls of executed criminals left there. Vincent notes that the New Testament does not describe a hill; the name simply means 'skull,' not a collection of skulls. Calvin emphasizes the ignominy of being executed at such a place, connecting it to the Old Testament typology of the sin offering burned outside the camp. While some traditions mention Adam's skull buried there, Gill dismisses this as without foundation. The consensus views Golgotha as a real, degrading execution site chosen by God for the world's redemption.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Hill shape theory: Thayer: the place was called 'skull' because its form resembled a human skull.
- Execution ground theory: Clarke, Barnes: skulls of executed criminals scattered at the site gave it the name.
- Adam's skull tradition: Ancient tradition (Gill cites it): Adam's skull was buried there; the cross stood over it.
What is clear: The name Golgotha identifies the place of crucifixion as a despised location outside Jerusalem where Jesus died for the sins of the world.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of the name 'Golgotha' | All traditions agree it is an Aramaic word meaning 'skull' and identifies the place of crucifixion. | Some (Thayer, Gill's mention of tradition) hold it was named for the hill's shape resembling a skull; others (Clarke, Barnes) say it was the execution site where skulls lay scattered. |
| The exact location of Golgotha | All agree it was outside Jerusalem's walls, near the city. | The traditional site (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) lies within the current city walls; Barnes argues this cannot be the original site. Protestants and some archaeologists propose the Garden Tomb area. |
| The tradition of Adam's skull at Golgotha | Christians see theological symbolism in Christ crucified where death reigned. | An early tradition (mentioned by Gill) taught that Adam was buried at Golgotha and the cross stood over his skull. Most modern scholars reject this as legendary; some Orthodox and Catholic piety still honors the tradition. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Crucifixions took place outside city walls to avoid ceremonial defilement (Numbers 15:35; 1 Kings 21:13). Barnes notes that Roman and Jewish law required capital punishment outside the gates. The location, likely a rounded elevation near Jerusalem's northwest wall, was the public execution ground. The name Golgotha comes from the Hebrew gulgoleth, meaning 'skull.' Clarke suggests the many skulls of executed criminals scattered there gave the site its name. Gill adds that executed criminals were not buried in ancestral tombs; a separate burial ground would eventually yield exposed skulls.
Calvin sees a deeper purpose: God chose this shameful location so that Christ, bearing the curse, might be cast out as unworthy, thereby opening heaven. The apostle in Hebrews 13:11-12 confirms this typology: the bodies of sin offerings were burned outside the camp, and Jesus suffered outside the gate. The Latin term Calvary (from calvaria, 'skull') comes from the Vulgate. Later tradition identified a hill shaped like a skull, but the biblical text only mentions a 'place.' The site's infamy underscores the depth of Christ's humiliation and the scope of his atoning work.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 27:33. The name 'Golgotha' and its explanation are stable across all major manuscripts.
Reception History
Early Christian tradition, mentioned by Gill, connected Golgotha to Adam's burial, seeing the cross as standing over the skull of the first man. Jerome promoted this idea in the Latin West. The Vulgate's translation 'Calvary' influenced liturgy, art, and hymns for centuries. Reformation commentators like Calvin focused on the typology of Hebrews 13, reading Christ's suffering outside the gate as the fulfillment of the sin offering. In modern scholarship, historical geography has become central, with efforts to identify the site within Jerusalem's Old City and debates about its authenticity. Across all eras, Golgotha remains the focal point of Christ's atoning death, a place of both deepest shame and greatest triumph.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Place of Shame. Golgotha was the criminal's death spot, the most despised location in Jerusalem. Jesus willingly went there to identify with sinners.
- The Place of Fulfillment. Christ died there to fulfill the law's typology of the sin offering outside the camp, as Calvin and Hebrews 13:11-12 show.
- The Place of Glory. What was a skull's hill became the site of victory over death. The cross turned a place of disgrace into the center of hope.
Five-Point Outline
- Etymology. Golgotha means skull; the name evokes death and decay.
- Location. Outside the city walls, an execution ground for the condemned.
- Typology. Christ suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people (Hebrews 13:12).
- Shame. The place was infamous; Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame.
- Victory. Through death, he defeated death. Golgotha gives way to the empty tomb.
Illustration Hooks
- A rundown, abandoned lot in your neighborhood that everyone avoids. Imagine Jesus choosing to die there to redeem that very spot.
- A courtroom where criminals are sentenced and executed. The judge's son takes the place of the guilty.
- The skull is a universal symbol of death. Christ transforms death's emblem into a sign of life.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why did Jesus have to die outside the city gates?
- Does the name 'place of the skull' have any prophetic significance?
- How can a place of such shame become a source of hope?
Leading a Discussion
This verse marks the arrival at the crucifixion site. The name 'Golgotha' carries weight: it is a place of death, but also the place where Christ accomplishes salvation. As you discuss, consider how the location itself testifies to Jesus' identification with the outcast.
Discussion Questions
- What does the name 'Golgotha' mean in the original languages? Why do you think Matthew includes this explanation?
- Based on the commentaries, what are the main theories about why this place was called 'the skull'? Which do you find most convincing?
- How does the location of the crucifixion outside the city connect to the Old Testament sacrifices (see Hebrews 13:11-12)?
- Calvin says Christ was brought to the place of execution 'that his death might be more ignominious.' Why would God allow such shame?
- In what ways does the physical location of the cross deepen your understanding of Jesus' sacrifice?
- Where in your life do you see 'places of a skull', situations marked by death, failure, or shame? How might Christ redeem them?
- How does reflecting on Golgotha change your view of what it means to follow Jesus in a world that often despises him?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Mark 15:22 | They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.” |
| Mark 15:32 | Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him. |
| Mark 15:34 | At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” |
| Luke 23:27 | A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. |
| Luke 23:38 | An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” |
| Luke 23:44 | It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. |
| John 19:17 | He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called “The Place of a Skull”, which is called in Hebrew, “Golgotha”, |
| John 19:19 | Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that Golgotha means skull in Hebrew, likely named for the many skulls of executed criminals scattered there. It was the public execution site, similar to Rome's Gemoniae Scalae, and some think the hill itself resembled a skull in shape.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that Golgotha, meaning "place of a skull," likely got its name because it was a public execution site where criminals' bones were left unburied. He notes that the site commonly shown as Calvary today cannot be the real one, since it lies inside the city walls while executions were carried out outside.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Jesus was made to die outside the city gate, in the place of condemned criminals, to fulfill the Old Testament pattern. The location's shame was deliberate: Christ took the accursed place to bear humanity's curse, and his very exclusion became the means of opening heaven.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws attention to the literal meaning of Golgotha as "the place of dead men's skulls," emphasizing the grim, shameful character of the site. This detail underscores the depth of Christ's humiliation in suffering at a location associated with execution and decay.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill rejects the old tradition that Golgotha was named for Adam's skull buried there. Instead, he explains it was the designated execution and burial site for criminals, where their bones and skulls would naturally be found. This makes the place as infamous as Tyburn, highlighting the shame Christ willingly endured.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies that Golgotha is an Aramaic word meaning simply "skull," not "a place of dead men's skulls." He notes that Calvary comes from the Latin calvaria, also meaning skull, and that the New Testament itself does not describe the site as a mount or hill, only a rounded elevation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley suggests that Golgotha, meaning skull in Syriac, likely received that name only after the crucifixion. He describes it as a hill on Mount Calvary near the king's gardens.