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Golgatha: The Word Symbolizes A Beautiful Reality!
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:
- Golgotha, a seemingly unintelligible word, has something to do with a “skull.”
- Golgotha is located outside the city walls of Jerusalem.
- 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.”
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.”
I hope this brings everything together for you. If you’re digging this mystical approach to theology, check out my first book The Crucified Rabbi on the Jewish symbolism of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
If you’re interested in the connections between Christ and the Roman Empire (and Christ’s universal victory in the Roman Catholic Church), check out my book The Eternal City: Rome and the Origins of Catholicism.
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