suppositions concerning
the exact location of the spot.

4. Crucifixion.--"It was unanimously considered the most horrible form
of death. Among the Romans also the degradation was a part of the
infliction, and the punishment if applied to freeman was only used in
the case of the vilest criminals.... The criminal carried his own cross,
or at any rate a part of it. Hence, figuratively, _to take, take up_ or
_bear one's cross_ is _to endure suffering, affliction, or shame_ like a
criminal on his way to the place of crucifixion (Matt. 10:38; 16:24;
Luke 14:27, etc.). The place of execution was outside the city (1 Kings
21:13; Acts 7:58; Heb. 13:12), often in some public road or other
conspicuous place. Arrived at the place of execution, the sufferer was
stripped naked, the dress being the perquisite of the soldiers (Matt.
27:35). The cross was then driven into the ground, so that the feet of
the condemned were a foot or two above the earth, and he was lifted upon
it; or else stretched upon it on the ground and then lifted with it." It
was the custom to station soldiers to watch the cross, so as to prevent
the removal of the sufferer while yet alive. "This was necessary from
the lingering character of the death, which sometimes did not supervene
even for three days, and was at last the result of gradual benumbing and
starvation. But for this guard, the persons might have been taken down
and recovered, as was actually done in the case of a friend of
Josephus.... In most cases the body was suffered to rot on the cross by
the action of sun and rain, or to be devoured by birds and beasts.
Sepulture was generally therefore forbidden; but in consequence of Deut.
21:22, 23, an express national exception was made in favor of the Jews
(Matt. 27:58). This accursed and awful mode of punishment was happily
abolished by Constantine." Smith's _Bible Dict._

5. Pilate's Inscription--"The King of the Jews."--No two of the
Gospel-writers give the same wording of the title or inscription placed
by Pilate's order above the head of Jesus on the cross; the meaning,
however, is the same in all, and the unessential variation is evidence
of individual liberty among the recorders. It is probable that there was
actual diversity in the trilingual versions. John's version is followed
in the common abbreviations used in connection with Roman Catholic
figures of Christ: J. N. R. J.; or, inasmuch as "I" used to be an
ordinary equivalent of "J",--I. N. R.