Is it true that Jesus was crucified above the tomb of Adam?

Answer

It is highly unlikely that Jesus was crucified on the tomb of Adam. The belief that Golgotha held a dual significance—as the location of Jesus’ crucifixion and as Adam’s burial site—originates from an ancient legend influenced by medieval allegory and various theological considerations.

The concept that Jesus was crucified on Adam’s tomb appears early in Christian history. Origen, Chrysostom, and Jerome all mention this notion—although none of them ever affirmed its truth. Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 315—403) wrote, “our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on Golgotha, precisely where Adam’s body was buried. After leaving Paradise, residing opposite it for a long time, and aging, Adam eventually came, died, and was buried in Jerusalem, specifically at Golgotha. This likely explains why the place, known as ‘Place of a Skull,’ received its name, as the terrain does not resemble a skull” (Panarion, Book I, §45, “Against Severians”).

Jewish tradition states that Adam was buried in Hebron, in the Cave of Machpelah, where Abraham and his family were also laid to rest (see Genesis 49:30-31). Various Islamic legends discuss Adam’s final resting place. According to one account by Ibn Kathir, Noah transported Adam’s remains on the ark and later reinterred him in Jerusalem.

A Christian tradition—the one referenced by Origen and others—locates Adam’s tomb in Jerusalem directly beneath the spot where Jesus’ cross was erected. In some versions, Adam’s burial place is known as the Cave of Treasures. Today in Jerusalem, near the Stone of Unction before Station 14 along the Via Dolorosa, there is a small room called the Chapel.

Peel of Adam, where Adam was supposedly buried. To the east of the chapel, through a window, what is known as the Golgotha Rock is visible. The rock is cracked, a feature attributed to the earthquake mentioned in Matthew 27:51. According to the story, the crack allowed Jesus’ blood to drip down into Adam’s grave, onto Adam’s skull—thus redeeming the first man.

During the Middle Ages, a couple of different legends intertwined to form a complex history of the cross upon which Jesus died. The Legend of the Holy Rood Tree begins after the fall. As Adam lies on his deathbed, his son Seth returns to Eden hoping to find something to give life to his father. The angel guarding Eden denies Seth entrance, but he does give Seth three seeds from the Tree of Life to bury with Adam. Those seeds grow after Adam’s death, and the wood from those trees is used throughout biblical history for various purposes, from healing the waters of Marah to constructing a bridge for the Queen of Sheba. Eventually, the same tree is used to fashion Jesus’ cross. The cross is erected over Adam’s tomb; thus, by chance, the tree returns to its original location.

Many painters of the Renaissance hinted at the legend that Jesus was crucified over the tomb of Adam. Greek Orthodox icons depicting the crucifixion almost always include Adam’s skull positioned beneath Jesus’ cross. Numerous artists, such as Carlo Crivelli, Andrea Solario, Philippe de Champaigne, Rogier van der Weyden, Jacobello Alberegno, Fra Angelico, Hans Wertinger, Marcello Venusti, and Pesellino, utilized the same imagery, placing a skull at the foot of Jesus’ cross. Therefore, Adam’s tomb is a prevalent theme in classical paintings of Jesus’ crucifixion.

The legend that Adam’s tomb lay beneath the site where Jesus was crucified is just that—a legend—but there are some theological truths that render the legend compelling. Adam is the one who introduced death into the world, and Jesus Christ brought life through His death (Romans 5:12,15-17). In fact, Jesus is referred to as “the last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45. It is the blood of Christ, shed on the cross, that redeems fallen humanity from the curse of Adam. The “old man” has been replaced by the “new man” (Ephesians 4:20-24;NKJV). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, death has been overcome (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

The exact location of Jesus’ crucifixion is uncertain. The burial place of Adam is impossible to determine, as the Bible provides no clue. Classical art may portray Adam’s bones as a symbol of death, positioning Christ’s cross as a triumphant emblem over a vanquished enemy, but we do not interpret such artistic embellishments literally. Jesus was most likely not crucified atop Adam’s tomb.