John Calvin Commentary John 19:17

"They took Jesus therefore: and he went out, bearing the cross for himself, unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha:" — John 19:17 (ASV)

He went forth to a place. The circumstances related here contribute greatly, not only to show the truth of the narrative, but also to build up our faith. We must look for righteousness through the satisfaction made by Christ. To prove that He is the sacrifice for our sins, He wished both to be led out of the city and to be hanged on a tree. For the custom was, in compliance with the command of the Law, that the sacrifices whose blood was shed for sin were carried out of the camp (Leviticus 6:30; Leviticus 16:27); and the same Law declares that he who hangeth on a tree is accursed (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Both were fulfilled in Christ, so that we might be fully convinced that atonement has been made for our sins by the sacrifice of His death: that He was made subject to the curse, in order that He might redeem us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13); that He was made sin, in order that we might be the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21); and that He was led out of the city, in order that He might carry with Him and take away our defilements that were laid on Him (Hebrews 12:12). To the same purpose is the statement about the robbers, which immediately follows.