Bede

(ubi sup.) Or, since this Simon is not called a man of Jerusalem, but a Cyrenian, (for Cyrene is a city of Libya,) fitly is he taken to mean the nations of the Gentiles, which were once foreigners and strangers to the covenants, but now by obedience are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Whence also Simon is fitly interpreted 'obedient,' and Cyrene 'an heir.' But he is said to come from a country place, for a country place is called 'pagos' in Greek, wherefore those whom we see to be aliens from the city of God, we call pagans. Simon then coming out from the country carries the cross after Jesus, when the Gentile nations leaving pagan rites embrace obediently the footsteps of our Lord's Passion. There follows: And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is being interpreted, the place of Calvary. There are places without the city and the gate, in which the heads of condemned persons are cut off, and which receive the name of Calvary, that is, of the beheaded. But the Lord was crucified there, that where once was the field of the condemned, there the standards of martyrdom might be lifted up.

(ubi sup.) Bitter the vine which bore the bitter wine, set before the Lord Jesus, that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, They gave me gall to eat, and when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink. (Ps. 69:22)

(ubi sup.) Or else, in the transverse beam of the cross, where the hands are fixed, the joy of hope is set forth; for by the hands we understand good works, by its expansion the joy of him who does them, because sadness puts us in straits. By the height to which the head is joined, we understand the expectation of reward from the lofty righteousness of God; by the length, over which the whole body is stretched, patience, wherefore patient men are called long-suffering; by the depth, which is fixed in the ground, the hidden Sacrament itself. As long therefore as our bodies work here to the destruction of the body of sin, it is the time of the cross for us.

(ubi sup.) But this superscription on the cross shows, that they could not even in killing Him take away the kingdom over them from Him who was about to render unto them according to their works. There follows: And with him they crucify two thieves, the one on his right hand, the other on his left.

(ubi sup.) Mystically, however, the thieves crucified with Christ signify those, who by their faith and confession of Christ undergo either the struggle of martyrdom, or some rules of a stricter discipline. But those who do these deeds for the sake of endless glory, are signified by the faith of the right hand robber; those again who do them for worldly praise copy the mind and the acts of the left hand robber.

The fourfold garment of the Lord, therefore, prefigured His fourfold Church, spread throughout the whole world (which consists of four parts) and equally, that is, harmoniously, distributed in all those parts. But that tunic, acquired by lot, signifies the unity of all the parts, which is preserved by the bond of charity. For if charity, according to the Apostle, has both a more excellent way and surpasses knowledge, and is above all precepts, rightly the garment by which it is signified is said to be woven from the top. In the casting of lots, what else is commended but the grace of God? Thus it reaches all in one, as the lot pleased all, because God's grace reaches all in unity. And when the lot is cast, it is believed not to be due to any person's merits, but to the hidden judgment of God. And because, as the Apostle says, our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Rom. VI), as long as our works are aimed at destroying the body of sin and as long as the outer man is being corrupted so that the inner man is renewed day by day, it is the time of the cross. These also are good works, yet still laborious, whose reward is rest. But it is said, Rejoicing in hope (Rom. XII), so that we work with cheerfulness in labors for the future rest. This cheerfulness is signified by the width of the cross in the transverse wood where the hands are fixed. For by the hands we understand works, by the width, the cheerfulness of the worker, because sadness causes narrowness. By the height, to which the head is attached, we understand the expectation of the reward from the sublime justice of God, who will repay everyone according to their works (Matt. XVI), to those indeed according to the endurance of good work, seeking glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life. Hence also the length, by which the whole body is extended, signifies endurance itself, whence those who endure are called long-suffering. The depth, however, which is fixed in the earth, prefigures the secret of the sacrament. You may remember, if I am not mistaken, that the words of the Apostle are expounded in this description of the cross, where he says: Rooted and grounded in charity, that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length, width, height, and depth (Eph. III).

It was the third hour, and they crucified him. There are those who believe that the Lord was crucified at the third hour, but that darkness came from the sixth hour until the ninth, so that the three hours from when He was crucified until the darkness came are understood to have passed. And this could indeed be very rightly understood, except that John says that Pilate sat on the judgment seat in a place called the Stone Pavement, in Hebrew Gabbatha, at about the sixth hour (John 19). He continues: "It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews: 'Behold your King,'" etc. Therefore, if at about the sixth hour, when Pilate was seated on the judgment seat, He was handed over to the Jews to be crucified, how was He crucified at the third hour, as some have misunderstood the words of Mark? For Mark had surely said: "And when they crucified him, they divided his garments." Therefore, if he wanted to mention the time when the event took place, it would suffice to say: “And it was the third hour”; why did he add: “And they crucified him,” unless he wanted to signify something by recapitulating, which would be found upon investigation, since the Scripture was read at a time when the whole Church knew at what hour the Lord was hung on the wood, from which either this error could be corrected or the lie refuted? But because he knew that the Lord was crucified by soldiers and not by Jews, he wanted to reveal secretly that those who shouted for Him to be crucified were more responsible for the crucifixion than those who performed their service according to the duty assigned by their ruler. Therefore, it is understood that it was the third hour when the Jews cried out for the Lord to be crucified. And it is very rightly shown that they crucified Him when they cried out, especially since they did not want to appear to have done it, and therefore they handed Him over to Pilate, as their words clearly indicate according to John. Thus, what they especially did not want to appear to have done, Mark shows they did at the third hour, very rightly indicating that the tongue of the Jews was more the killer of the Lord than the hands of the soldiers.

And those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. How were those who were crucified with Him insulting Him, when indeed one of them insulted Him, according to the testimony of Luke, the other rebuked him and believed in God? Unless we understand that Matthew and Mark, summarizing briefly, used the plural number for the singular in this place, as we read it is said in the plural in the Epistle to the Hebrews: They shut the mouths of lions (Heb. 11), when it is understood to mean Daniel alone. And it is said in the plural: They were sawn in two (Ibid.), though it is traditionally said of Isaiah alone. But what is more common, for example, than for someone to say: The peasants insult me, even if only one insults? For it would be contradictory to what Luke clearly stated about one, if they had said both thieves insulted the Lord, when one could not be understood under the plural number. When it is said thieves, or, those who were crucified with Him, without adding both, not only if both had done it could this be said, but also because one did it, it could be expressed using the plural number in the usual way. With Luke testifying that one thief blaspheming the Lord said: If you are the Christ; save yourself and us (Luke 23), the other, however, rebuked him with fitting reproach, and prayed to the Lord with faithful supplication saying: Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom (Ibid.), we see this still happening today in the Church, when those touched by worldly afflictions, both true and false Christians, indeed those who bear the sacraments of the Lord's Passion with a feigned mind, wish to be liberated by the Lord for the joys of this present life. But those who with sincere intention do not glory except in the cross of our Lord with the Apostle, rather desire to be delivered from present troubles in such a way that they commend their spirit into the hands of their Creator, and desire to be partakers of the heavenly kingdom with Him. Hence well did he who prayed to the Lord with doubtful faith was utterly scorned by the Lord and deemed worthy of no response. But indeed, the prayers of him who sought eternal salvation from Him, the Lord was soon pleased to receive with pious hearing. Because clearly, whosoever placed in tribulation seeks only temporal comfort from the Lord, deprives himself equally of both temporal and eternal joys. But those who sincerely long for the good things of the heavenly homeland, come to them without any doubt, Christ granting mercy.

(ubi sup.) This most glorious light took away its rays from the world, lest it should see the Lord hanging, and lest the blasphemers should have the benefit of its light. Wherefore it goes on: And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

(ubi sup.) For when Adam sinned, it is also written that he heard the voice of the Lord, walking in paradise, in the cool after mid-day; (Gen. 3:8.) and in that hour when the first Adam by sinning brought death into the world, in that same hour the second Adam by dying destroyed death. And we must observe, that our Lord was crucified, when the sun was going away from the centre of the world; but at sunrise He celebrated the mysteries of His resurrection; because He died for our sins, but rose again for our justification. Nor need you wonder at the lowliness of His words, at the complaints as of one forsaken, when you look on the offence of the cross, knowing the form of a servant. For as hunger, and thirst, and fatigue were not things proper to the Divinity, but bodily affections; so His saying, Why hast thou forsaken me? was proper to a bodily voice, for the body is never naturally wont to wish to be separated from the life which is joined to it. For although our Saviour Himself said this, He really showed the weakness of His body; He spoke therefore as man, bearing about with Him my feelings, for when placed in danger we fancy that we are deserted by God.

(ubi sup.) These however I suppose were Roman soldiers who did not understand the peculiarity of the Hebrew tongue, but, from His calling Eloi, thought that Elias was called by Him. But if the Jews are understood to have said this, they must be supposed to do this, as accusing Him of folly in calling for the aid of Elias. It goes on: And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone: let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. John shows more fully the reason why the vinegar was given to the Lord to drink, saying, that Jesus said, I thirst, (John 19:28.) that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. They however applied a sponge full of vinegar to His mouth.

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. The most brilliant light of the world withdrew its rays, lest it see the Lord hanging, or the impious blasphemers enjoy its light. And it is to be noted, that the Lord was crucified at the sixth hour, that is, when the sun was about to withdraw from the center of the world; but at dawn, that is, when the sun was rising, He celebrated the mysteries of His resurrection. For He marked with the hour of time what He showed by the effectiveness of the work. Because He died for our sins and rose for our justification. For it is written of Adam sinning that he heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (Gen. III). In the cool of the day, namely with the light of faith declined; and in the cool, with the fervor of charity cooling. He was heard walking because He had withdrawn from sinful man. Therefore, the order of reason, or rather of divine piety, demanded that at the same time in which He had then closed to the transgressing Adam, now the Lord might open the gates of paradise to the penitent thief, and at the hour at which the first Adam had brought death to this world by sinning, at the same hour the second Adam might destroy death by dying.