Church Fathers Commentary Luke 23:33

"And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left." — Luke 23:33 (ASV)

St. Athanasius of Alexandria: When mankind became corrupted, Christ manifested His own body so that where corruption had been seen, incorruption might spring up. Therefore, He is crucified at Calvary, which the Jewish teachers say was the burial place of Adam.

The Venerable Bede: Alternatively, outside the gate were the places where the heads of condemned criminals were cut off, and these places received the name of Calvary, meaning "beheaded." Thus, for the salvation of all humanity, the innocent is crucified among the guilty, so that where sin abounded, grace might much more abound.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: The only-begotten Son of God did not suffer in His divine nature the things that belong to the body, but rather in His earthly nature. For both can be affirmed of the one and the same Son: namely, that He does not suffer in His divine nature, and that He did suffer in His human nature.

Eusebius of Caesarea: But if, on the contrary, after His time among humanity, He had suddenly disappeared, flying away to avoid death, He might have been considered a phantom. Just as someone wishing to display a fireproof vessel would put it into the flame and then immediately pull it out unharmed, so the Word of God, wishing to show that the instrument He used for human salvation was superior to death, exposed His mortal body to death to manifest His power. Then, after a short time, He rescued it from death by the force of His divine nature.

This is the first reason for Christ’s death. The second is the manifestation of the divine power of Christ inhabiting a body. For since people in ancient times deified mortals who shared the same fate as themselves, calling them heroes and gods, Christ taught that He alone among the dead must be acknowledged as the true God—He who, having vanquished death and trodden it under His feet, is adorned with the rewards of victory.

The third reason is that a sacrifice had to be slain for the entire human race. When this was offered, the whole power of evil spirits was destroyed, and every error was silenced. A further reason for this life-giving death is that the disciples might behold the resurrection with a faith held secretly in their hearts. To this end, they were taught to lift up their own hopes, so that, despising death, they might cheerfully enter the conflict against error.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria: Our Savior came to bring about not His own death, but an end to the death of humanity, for He who is Life does not experience death. Therefore, He did not put off His body through a natural death, but endured the death inflicted on Him by men. And although His body was afflicted and killed in the sight of all, it was not fitting that He who healed the sicknesses of others should have His own body afflicted with sickness.

If, without any disease, He had laid down His body privately in some remote place, He would not have been believed when speaking of His resurrection. For death must precede resurrection. Why, then, would He openly proclaim His resurrection but die in secret? Surely, if these things had happened secretly, what slanders would unbelievers have invented? How would Christ's victory over death be apparent, unless by undergoing it in the sight of all people, He had proved that death was swallowed up by the incorruption of His body?

But you might say, "He should have at least chosen a glorious death for Himself and avoided the cross." Yet if He had done this, He would have been suspected of not having power over every kind of death. Just as a champion proves himself superior to all by defeating whomever the enemy sets against him, so the Life of all humanity took upon Himself the very death His enemies inflicted—the most dreadful, shameful, and abominable death on the cross—so that by destroying it, the dominion of death might be completely overthrown.

Therefore, His head was not cut off like John's, nor was He sawn in two like Isaiah, so that He might preserve His body whole and indivisible in death and not give an excuse to those who would divide the Church. For He wished to bear the curse of sin that we had incurred by taking upon Himself the accursed death of the cross, as it is said, Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree. He also dies on the cross with outstretched hands, so that with one hand He might draw the ancient people to Himself, and with the other, the Gentiles, joining both in Himself. By dying on the cross, He also cleanses the air of evil spirits and prepares for us a way up into heaven.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Also, because death had entered the world by a tree, it was necessary that it should be abolished by a tree. It was fitting that the Lord, by passing unconquered through the pains of a tree, should subdue the pleasures that flow from a tree.

Gregory of Nyssa: The shape of the cross, which branches out from one central point into four distinct ends, signifies the power and providence of Him who hung upon it, a power and providence extending everywhere.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For He did not choose this kind of death without reason, but so that He might be the master of breadth, length, height, and depth. Breadth lies in the crossbeam, which is fastened horizontally. This relates to good works, because the hands are outstretched on it. Length lies in the part of the beam reaching from the crossbeam to the ground, for on it, in a sense, we stand—that is, we abide firmly or persevere. This represents long-suffering. Height is in the part of the beam that extends upward from the crossbeam, toward the head of the Crucified One, for the expectation of those who hope for better things is directed upward. Finally, the part of the wood that is fixed and hidden in the ground signifies the depth of unfathomable grace.

St. John Chrysostom: They also crucified two thieves on either side of Him, so that He might share in their disgrace, as the Scripture says, And the thieves one on his right hand, the other on his left. But it did not turn out that way. For nothing is said of them, while His cross is honored everywhere. Kings, laying aside their crowns, place the cross on their purple robes, on their diadems, and on their weapons. On the consecrated table, throughout the whole world, the cross glitters. Such things are not from human power. For even the noblest of men are often forgotten in their own lifetime, and when they die, their deeds die with them. But with Christ, it is completely different. Before the cross, all things were gloomy; after it, all things are joyful and glorious, so that you may know that it was not a mere man who was crucified.

The Venerable Bede: The two robbers crucified with Christ represent those who, in the Christian faith, endure either the pains of martyrdom or the disciplines of a stricter self-control. Those who do this for eternal glory imitate the thief on the right hand, while those who do it to gain human praise imitate the thief on the left.