Golgatha: The Word Symbolizes A Beautiful Reality!

Canterbury Tales ^ | March 28, 2013 | Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

David & the Head of Goliath of Gath

In the Gospels we read that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins at a place called "Golgotha."

“And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of skull.” (Matthew 27:33)

So Golgotha is the "place of the skull." But if you've ever studied Hebrew, you may have realized a difficulty with the Bible's claim. Golgotha doesn't mean anything close to "skull" in Hebrew, Aramaic, or any other language. It's a big problem.

So we have to solve this puzzle. When we do solve it, you're going to be amazed.

Let's lay out the facts:

1. Golgotha, a seemingly unintelligible word, has something to do with a "skull."
2. Golgotha is located outside the city walls of Jerusalem.
3. Golgotha was a widely known Jewish location with a proper name. Presumably the location symbolized something.

Here's a possible solution that you may not have expected:

The "place of the skull" is where King David buried the head of the decapitated giant Goliath of Gath. The Bible teaches that after David slew Goliath, he cut off his head and brought it the skull to Jerusalem:

“He ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head. And the Philistines seeing that their champion was dead, fled away. And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the Philistines, fell upon their camp. And David taking the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.” (1 Samuel 17:51–54, D-R)

This would explain why the "place of the skull" is oddly named "Golgotha." The term is a corruption of Hebrew for "Goliath Gath":

Goliath Gath > GoliGath > GolGath > GolGatha

So King David killed the enemy of Israel (Goliath of Gath) and then brought the giant's head to Jerusalem. Jews would not have permitted the Gentile giant's head to be buried in the city walls. It would have been buried outside the city walls. This matches with what we know about the location of Golgatha. It was outside the city walls.

The slaying of Goliath by David was one of the most important events in "Israelite history." The location of the giant's head would have been known by all. Hence, "Golgatha" is likely the the place of not just any old skull, but the place of the skull of Goliath of Gath.

This is a beautiful connection since Christ is the Messianic Son of David. Our Lord Jesus Christ is constantly reaffirming that He Himself is the definitive "Son of David":

“And the chief priests and scribes, seeing the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the temple and saying: Hosanna to the son of David, were moved with indignation,” (Matthew 21:15, D-R)

“And Jesus answering, said, teaching in the temple: How do the scribes say that Christ is the son of David?” (Mark 12:35, D-R)

Our Lord Jesus Christ crushed the head of Satan while he was on the cross (see Gen 3:15). 

Just as the shepherd David crushed the head of Goliath of Gath with a little stone, so Jesus Christ crushed the head of Satan. The foundation of God's Kingdom on earth (the Catholic Church) was embedded into the forehead of the Roman Empire while Jesus hung on a Roman cross. The "little rock" that Christ threw was his appointed apostle and vicar - a man whom he named "little rock" or "Peter." Peter was embedded into Rome by also being crucified on a Roman cross, albeit upside down. And there Peter was buried: "On this rock I will build my Church."

[NYer]

Ping!

[vladimir998]

Maybe. Maybe not. http://suite101.com/article/christian-symbolism-human-skull-under-the-crucifix-at-golgotha-a361800

[ilovesarah2012]

‘Golgotha’ (transliteration gulgaleto) means in hebrew ‘skull’.

There is only one mount which appears like a skull near the ancient wall of Jerusalem, and that mount is just outside the Lion’s Gate (see link below). Origin, at about 200 AD, describes the place in this way:

A spot there is called Golgotha,-of old the fathers’ earlier tongue thus called its name, “The skull-pan of a head:” Origin Against Marcion Book II 259

In appearance it is like a head looking at the altar and the temple entrance, for the view of the ancient temple and the altar were easily visible from this mount. This mount personifies the LORD looking at where the Israelites make their sacrifices.

Abraham called it JHWH Jireh (Gen 22,14 The LORD sees), for the LORD is personified in this mount. Directly in the line of view of this mount the altar was made, and on the north side the sacrifices were made, before the LORD. (Lev 1,11) In the same verse it states ‘In the mount the LORD is seen’. This is referring to its appearance as a head, personifying the LORD. Later, because of the sin of Israel, it looked more like a skull than a head. The real name of the mount is ‘JHWH Jireh’, given by Abraham. But the name it was known by in the days of Jesus was Golgotha.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_%27Golgotha%27_mean_in_hebrew

[Lurking Libertarian]

But if you've ever studied Hebrew, you may have realized a difficulty with the Bible's claim. Golgotha doesn't mean anything close to "skull" in Hebrew, Aramaic, or any other language. It's a big problem.

Nonsense. I speak Hebrew. The Hebrew word for skull is "golgolet," from the root g-l-l, which means "round."

[raygunfan]

i like the catholic explaination.....

[Former Fetus]

Maybe, but it sure makes for a very interesting explanation.

[D-fendr]

It’s wonderful to explore this history, and amazing what you learn on here. From your link, vlad:

The King James Version and New King James renders “skull” in its Latin form “calvary” in Luke 23:33.

I never knew that’s where calvary came from!

thanks for your posts..

[Jeremiah Jr]

Kabbalah TV: Kabbalah & Christianity Part 2 with Billy Phillips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO0HGteKB4E

The mystery of Golgotha and INRI

[Guyin4Os]

Golgotha means “skull” in Hebrew and in many cognate languages, including Aramaic. It is translated into the Latin “Calvary,” which also means skull. What we have in this article is a fanciful hermeneutIc that has no basis in the text. I like it, but it doesn’t work.

[bronxville]

Comment from a poster at the site:

“I can’t remember where I heard the following version, maybe I got it confused, but it went like this: Golgotha meant ‘place of the skull’, but it meant the skull of Adam. Hence Jesus is the New Adam by being crucified on Golgotha.”

[left that other site]

Standing atop the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, I looked towards the bus station west of the city, and this is what I saw.

[Verginius Rufus]

Matthew 27.33, Mark 15.22, Luke 23.33, and John 19.17 all have "Calvariae" in the Latin Vulgate (with the word locus or locum meaning place: "place of Calvary"). All except Luke also include the form Golgotha.

Calvary is just the English rendition of Calvaria.

Latin calvus means "bald." Calva means "the bald scalp of a head."

[Zionist Conspirator]

Hmm. I'd always assumed "Golgatha" was the Aramaic form of the Hebrew gulgolet (which means "skull").

[Salvation]

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[Guyin4Os]

Latin calvus means "bald." Calva means "the bald scalp of a head."

And "calvariam" means "skull."