And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),
Matthew 27:33. And they came to the place. Jesus was brought to the place where it was customary to execute criminals, that his death might be more ignominious. Now though this was done according to custom, still we ought to consider the loftier purpose of God; for he determined that his Son should be cast out of the city as unworthy of human intercourse, that...
They gave him vinegar to drink,.... It was a custom with the Jews (o) when "a man went out to be executed, to give him to drink a grain of frankincense in a cup of wine, that his understanding might be disturbed, as it is said, Pro 31:6.
Verse 33. Golgotha. This is the Hebrew word signifying the place of a skull, This is the word which in Luke is called Calvary. In the original, there also, it is a skull. The word calvary is a Latin word meaning skull, or place of skulls. It is not known certainly why this name was given to this place.