Arriving at the place of execution, the prisoners were bound to the instruments of torture. The two thieves wrestled in the hands of those who placed them on the cross; but Jesus made no resistance. The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies. Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah? Must she witness His shame and sorrow, without even the privilege of ministering to Him in His distress? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.

Da man kom til henrettelsesstedet, blev fangerne bundet til torturredskaberne. De to røvere gjorde modstand mod dem, der anbragte dem på korset; men Jesus gjorde ingen modstand. Jesu moder havde, støttet af den elskede discipel Johannes, fulgt lige efter sin søn til Golgata. Hun havde set ham segne under ,korsets byrde og havde længtes efter at støtte hans sårede hoved med sin hånd og at bade den pande, der engang havde hvilet ved hendes bryst. Men hun fik ikke lov til at få denne smertelige forrettighed. Hun nærede stadig det samme håb om disciplene: at Jesus nu ville bevise sin magt og befri sig for sine fjender. Men atter blev hun tung om hjertet, da hun mindedes de ord, med hvilke han havde forudsagt netop de begivenheder, der nu fandt sted. Da røverne blev bundet til korset, så hun til med kvalfuld forventning. Ville mon han, der havde givet de døde livet, finde sig i at blive korsfæstet? Ville mon Guds Søn finde sig i at blive henrettet på denne frygtelige måde Skulle hun da opgive sin tro på, at Jesus var Messias. Skulle hun være vidne til hans skændsel og smerte uden endog at få lov til at hjælpe ham i hans kval Hun så hans hænder blive strakt ud på korset, og da naglerne blev slået ind gennem det bløde kød, bar de sønderknuste disciple Jesu moders besvimede skikkelse bort fra det frygtelige syn.