727. Executions Outside the Walls
• 1 min. read • grade level: 10
Mark says that they led him out. So in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is said that Jesus “suffered without the gate” (Heb. 13:1212Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:12)). Capital punishments among the Jews were executed outside the boundaries of camps or the walls of cities. See Leviticus 24:1414Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. (Leviticus 24:14); Numbers 15:35-3635And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:35‑36); 1 Kings 21:1313And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. (1 Kings 21:13); Acts 7:5858And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. (Acts 7:58). The Romans also observed the same custom, particularly in the crucifixion of malefactors.