Luke 23

Luke 23:1

N. Jesus Before Pilate (23:1-7) 23:1, 2 Following His appearance before the Sanhedrin (the whole multitude of them), Jesus was hurried away to be put on civil trial before Pilate, the Roman governor. Three political charges were now brought against Him by the religious leaders. First of all, they accused Him of perverting the nation, that is, of turning the loyalty of the people away from Rome. Secondly, they said that He forbade Jews to pay taxes to Caesar. Finally, they accused Him of making Himself a King. 23:3-7 When Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, He answered that He was. Pilate did not interpret His claim as any threat to the Roman Emperor. After a private interview with Jesus (Joh_18:33-38 a), he turned to the chief priests and to the crowd saying that he could find no fault with Him. The mob became more insistent, accusing Jesus of stirring up disloyalty, beginning in despised Galilee even to Jerusalem. When Pilate heard the word Galilee, he thought he had found an escape route for himself. Galilee was Herod’s jurisdiction, and so Pilate tried to avoid any further involvement in this case by turning Jesus over to Herod. It so happened that Herod was visiting in Jerusalem at that very time. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, who massacred the infants of Bethlehem. It was Antipas who murdered John the Baptist for condemning his illicit relationship with his brother’s wife. This was the Herod whom Jesus called that fox in Luk_13:32.

Luke 23:8

O. Herod’s Contemptuous Questioning (23:8-12) 23:8 Herod was quite glad to have Jesus appear before him. He had heard many things about Him, and for a long time had hoped to see some miracle performed by Him. 23:9-11 No matter how much Herod questioned the Savior, he received no answer. The Jews became more violent in their accusations, but Jesus did not open His mouth. All Herod could do, he thought, was to allow his soldiers to manhandle Jesus, and to mock Him by clothing Him in a gorgeous robe and sending Him back to Pilate. 23:12 Previously, Herod and Pilate had been at enmity between themselves, but now the enmity was changed to friendship. They were both on the same side against the Lord Jesus, and this united them. Theophylact mourns in this regard: It is a matter of shame to Christians that while the devil can persuade wicked men to lay aside their enmities in order to do harm, Christians cannot even keep up friendship in order to do good.

Luke 23:13

P. Pilate’s Verdict: Innocent but Condemned (23:13-25) 23:13-17 Because he had failed to act righteously in acquitting his royal prisoner, Pilate now found himself trapped. He called a hurried meeting of the Jewish leaders and explained to them that neither … Herod nor he had been able to find any evidence of disloyalty on the part of Jesus. Nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. So he proposed to whip the Lord and then to let Him go. As Stewart points out: This sorry compromise was, of course, totally unjustifiable and illogical. It was the poor, fear-driven soul’s attempt to do his duty by Jesus and to please the crowd at the same time. But it did neither, and it is no wonder that the angry priests would not accept that verdict at any price. 23:18-23 The chief priests and rulers were enraged. They demanded the death of Jesus and the release of Barabbas, a notorious criminal who had been thrown into prison because of rebellion and murder. Again Pilate feebly attempted to exonerate the Lord, but the vicious demands of the mob drowned him out. No matter what he said, they persisted in demanding the death of the Son of God. 23:24, 25 And although he had already pronounced Jesus innocent, Pilate now condemned Him to death in order to please the people. At the same time he released Barabbas to the multitude.

Luke 23:26

Q. The Son of Man Led to Calvary (23:26-32) 23:26 It was now approximately 9:00 a.m. on Friday. On the way to the scene of crucifixion, the soldiers commanded a man named Simon, a Cyrenian to carry the cross. Not much is known of this man, but it appears that his two sons afterwards became well-known Christians (Mar_15:21). 23:27-30 A crowd of sympathetic followers wept for Jesus as He was led away. Addressing the women in the crowd as daughters of Jerusalem, He told them that they should not pity Him but should pity themselves. He was referring to the terrible destruction that would descend on Jerusalem in a.d. 70. The suffering and sorrow of those days would be so great that barren women, hitherto an object of reproach, would be considered especially fortunate. The horrors of the siege of Titus would be such that men would wish for the mountains to fall on them, and for the hills to cover them. 23:31 Then the Lord Jesus added the words, For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry? He Himself was the green tree, and unbelieving Israel was the dry. If the Romans heaped such shame and suffering on the sinless, innocent Son of God, what dreadful punishment would fall on the guilty murderers of God’s beloved Son? 23:32 In the procession with Jesus there were also two others, criminals, scheduled for execution.

Luke 23:33

R. The Crucifixion (23:33-38) 23:33 The place of execution was called Calvary (from the Latin for Skull). Perhaps the configuration of the land resembled a skull, or perhaps it was so named because it was the place of death, and a skull is often used as a symbol of death. The restraint of Scripture in describing the crucifixion is noteworthy. There is no lingering over the terrible details. There is just the simple statement, there they crucified Him. Once again Stewart’s remarks are to the point: That the Messiah should die was hard enough to credit, but that He should die such a death was utterly beyond belief. Yet so it was. Everything which Christ ever touchedthe cross includedhe adorned and transfigured and haloed with splendor and beauty; but let us never forget out of what appalling depths he has set the cross on high. O teach me what it meaneth That cross uplifted high With One, the Man of Sorrows, Condemned to bleed and die. Lucy A. Bennett There were three crosses at Calvary that day, the cross of Jesus in the middle, and a criminal’s cross on each side of Him. This fulfilled Isa_53:12 He was numbered with the transgressors.23:34 With infinite love and mercy, Jesus cried from the cross, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Who knows what a Niagara of divine wrath was averted by this prayer! Morgan comments on the Savior’s love: In the soul of Jesus there was no resentment; no anger, no lurking desire for punishment upon the men who were maltreating Him. Men have spoken in admiration of the mailed fist. When I hear Jesus thus pray, I know that the only place for the mailed fist is in hell. Then followed the dividing of His garments among the soldiers, and the casting of lots for His seamless robe. 23:35-38 The rulers stood before the cross, mocking Him, and challenging Him to save Himself if He really was the Messiah, the chosen of God. The soldiers also mocked Him … offering Him sour wine and challenging His ability to save Himself. Also they put a title at the head of the cross: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWSOnce again we quote Stewart: We cannot miss the significance of the fact that the inscription was written in three languages, Greek and Latin and Hebrew. No doubt that was done in order to make sure that everyone in the crowd might read it; but Christ’s Church has always seen in itand rightlya symbol of the universal lordship of her master. For these were the three great world languages, each of them the servant of one dominant idea. Greek was the language of culture and knowledge; in that realm, said the inscription, Jesus was king! Latin was the language of law and government; Jesus was king there! Hebrew was the language of revealed religion; Jesus was King there! Hence even as he hung dying, it was true that on his head were many crowns (Rev_19:12).

Luke 23:39

S. The Two Robbers (23:39-43) 23:39-41 We learn from the other Gospel narratives that both robbers reviled Jesus at the outset. If He was the Christ, why did He not save them all? But then one of them had a change of heart. Turning to his companion, he rebuked him for his irreverence. After all they were both suffering for crimes that they had committed. Their punishment was deserved. But this Man on the middle cross had done nothing wrong. 23:42 Turning to Jesus, the thief asked the Lord to remember him when He came back and set up His kingdom on earth. Such faith was remarkable. The dying thief believed that Jesus would rise from the dead and would eventually reign over the world. 23:43 Jesus rewarded his faith with the promise that that very day, they would be together in Paradise. Paradise is the same as the third heaven (2Co_12:2, 2Co_12:4), and means the dwelling place of God. Todaywhat speed! With Mewhat company! In Paradisewhat happiness! Charles R. Erdman writes: This story reveals the truth to us that salvation is conditioned upon repentance and faith. However, it contains other important messages also. It declares that salvation is independent of sacraments. The thief had never been baptized, nor had he partaken of the Lord’s Supper. … He did in fact boldly profess his faith in the presence of a hostile crowd and amid the taunts and jeers of rulers and soldiers, yet he was saved without any formal rites. It is further evident that salvation is independent of good works. …

It is also seen that there is no sleep of the soul. The body may sleep, but consciousness exists after death. Again it is evident that there is no purgatory. Out of a life of sin and shame, the penitent robber passed immediately into a state of blessedness. Again it may be remarked that salvation is not universal. There were two robbers; only one was saved.

Last of all it may be noted that the very essence of the joy which lies beyond death consists in personal communion with Christ. The heart of the promise to the dying thief was this: Thou shalt be with me. This is our blessed assurance, that to depart is to be with Christ which is very far better.From Jesus Christ’s side one person may go to heaven and another to hell. Which side of the cross are you on?

Luke 23:44

T. Three Hours of Darkness (23:44-49) 23:44 Darkness covered the whole land (or earth, the Greek can mean either) from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, that is, from noon to 3:00 p.m. This was a sign to the nation of Israel. They had rejected the light, and now they would be judicially blinded by God. 23:45 The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. This pictured the fact that through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, a way of approach to God was opened to all who would come by faith (Heb_10:20-22). 23:46, 47 It was during these three hours of darkness that Jesus bore the penalty of our sins in His body on the tree. At the close of that time, He committed His spirit into the hands of God, His Father, and voluntarily yielded up His life. A Roman centurion was so overwhelmed by the scene that he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous Man!23:48, 49 The whole crowd was overcome by an awful sense of sorrow and foreboding. Some of Jesus’ faithful followers, including women who followed Him from Galilee, stood … watching this most crucial scene in the history of the world.

Luke 23:50

U. The Burial in Joseph’s Tomb (23:50-56) 23:50-54 Up to this time, Joseph had been a secret disciple of the Lord Jesus. Although a member of the Sanhedrin, he did not agree with their verdict in the case of Jesus. Joseph now went boldly to Pilate and asked if he might have the privilege of removing the body of Jesus from the cross and giving it a proper burial. (It was between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.) Permission was granted, and Joseph promptly wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, and which had never been used up to this time. This happened on Friday, the day of the Preparation. When it says that the Sabbath drew near, we must remember that the Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday at sunset. 23:55, 56 The faithful women … from Galilee followed Joseph as he took the body to the tomb and put it inside. Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils so that they could come back and embalm the body of the One they loved. In burying the body of Jesus, Joseph also buried himself, in a sense. That act separated him forever from the nation that crucified the Lord of life and glory. He would never be a part of Judaism again, but would live in moral separation from it and testify against it. On Saturday the women rested, in obedience to the commandment concerning the Sabbath.