What does Mark 15:22 mean?
Golgotha is the crucifixion site outside the old walls of Jerusalem. This name originally comes from an Aramaic word. Although "skull" is from the Greek root word kranion, the Latin translation is calvaria, from which we get the term "Calvary." The route from the Praetorium to Golgotha is less than half a mile, but the guards beat Jesus so severely (Mark 15:15–19) He cannot carry the 100-pound—45 kilogram—horizontal crossbeam that distance. The guards use their right as Roman soldiers to compel Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus' cross. The location of Golgotha is not certain, but tradition says it is where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre now sits, outside Jerusalem's west wall.Jesus is not the first king to be driven out of Jerusalem. Late in King David's reign, his son Absalom gathers an army and marches toward the city. David takes most of his household and flees. When the Levites follow with the ark of the covenant, David tells them to return it to the temple. He says, "If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place" (2 Samuel 15:25).
David's situation is not parallel to Jesus', but there are some similarities. They are devoted God-followers being forced out of Jerusalem by evil men. These wicked ones reject God's chosen and convince others the king's removal will be their gain. David flees so that war and death will not come to his people (2 Samuel 15:14). Jesus stumbles toward a sacrifice that will save His people from eternal death. David gathers his army and retakes Jerusalem and his throne (2 Samuel 18). Jesus will return to Israel with a great army, defeat His enemy (Revelation 19:11—20:3), and reign from Jerusalem for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4–6).
As David is accompanied by his household when he flees Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:15, 18), Jesus is followed by a crowd on the way to the cross (Luke 23:27–31). Included in the crowd is a group of women whose behavior suggests they may be professional mourners. Although Jesus' mother and female followers are there (John 19:25; Mark 15:40), women from Jerusalem traditionally comforted crucifixion victims with wine mixed with myrrh (Mark 15:23). Jesus' words to them are strident, also giving the impression they are not His followers.
Jesus tells the women His crucifixion does not cause them any real hardship. Soon, however, something will happen to make life so difficult they'll be jealous of those who have no children to witness it. This punishment by the Roman government is mild because the threat of true dissent is like green wood: it will not catch fire easily. In the future, when the wood is "dry" and the times are ripe for revolution, the Roman's response will be equally intensified. This is probably a double-prophecy, encompassing the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the coming tribulation.
