Luke 23
OGC**Butler’s Comments
Chapter Twenty-three
(Luke 23:1-56)**
THE SON OF MAN CRUCIFIED
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
Why did the Jews take Jesus to Pilatewhy didn-’t they kill Him themselves (Luke 23:1 ff.)?
Why did Herod want to see some sign by Jesus (Luke 23:8)?
What charges did the Jews make against Jesus to Pilate (Luke 23:14)?
After Pilate had declared Jesus innocent of the charges, why did he propose to chastise Jesus before releasing Him (Luke 23:16)?
Why did Pilate finally give in to the demands of the Jews that Jesus be crucified (Luke 23:24)?
What did Jesus mean in His reference to the green wood and the dry (Luke 23:31)?
What does death by crucifixion mean (Luke 23:33)?
How could Jesus promise the thief on the cross salvation if he had not been baptized (Luke 23:43)?
How could a Roman centurion praise God at the crucifixion of Jesuswhich God was he praising (Luke 23:47)?
What is the day of Preparation? What significance has the note of the day of Jesus-’ crucifixion (Luke 23:54)?
**Applebury’s Comments
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Outline**
A.
Luke told about the trial of Jesus before Pilate and Herod (Luke 23:1-25).
The first trial before Pilate (Luke 23:1-7).
a)
The charge against Him.
(1)
Perverting the nation.
(2)
Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar.
(3)
Claiming that He is Christ the King.
b)
The
investigation of the charges by Pilate.
(1)
Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered affirmatively.
(2)
His verdict: I find no fault in this man.
c)
The urgent complaint: He stirs up the nation from Judea to Galilee.
d)
The governor’s decision: Send Him to Herod, the ruler of Galilee.
The trial before Herod (Luke 23:8-12).
a)
The attitude of Herod: Delighted at this turn of events, for he hoped to see Jesus work some miracle.
b)
The investigation by Herod: He questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus refused to answer.
c)
The complaint: The priests and scribes pressed their charges.
d)
The outcome of the trial: Herod and soldiers mocked Jesus and returned Him to Pilate. Pilate and Herod became friends that very day.
The second trial before Pilate (Luke 23:13-25).
a)
The verdict: Pilate reviewed the case and again pronounced Jesus innocent.
b)
The verdict of Herod: Nothing worthy of death done by Him.
c)
The plan to release Jesus: Twice announced and twice rejected. The Jews said, Release Barabbas; crucify Jesus.
d)
The third and final effort to save Him:
(1)
Pilate asked, What evil has he done? The Jews urged that He be crucified.
(2)
Pilate gave in, passed sentence on Jesus, and released Barabbas.
B.
Luke told about the crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:26-49).
The circumstances leading to the crucifixion (Luke 23:26-32).
a)
Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross.
b)
The crowds following and lamenting Him.
c)
Jesus comforted them.
(1)
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves and your children.
(2)
Trials of the days to come: Fortunate are the childless; asking the mountains to fall and cover them; this in the green tree, what of the dry?
d)
The other two who were also to be put to death.
The crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33-38).
a)
The place: The skullCalvary.
b)
The prayer: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
c)
The people:
(1)
Parting His garments among them.
(2)
The people stood looking on.
(3)
The rulers scoffed: Let him save himself.
(4)
The soldiers mocked Him.
d)
The sign: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
The other two who were crucified with Him (Luke 23:39-43).
a)
One scoffed, and was rebuked by the other.
b)
The other said, Remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. Jesus said, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
The death of Jesus (Luke 23:44-49).
a)
The thing that happened: Darkness and rending of the temple veil.
b)
The word of Jesus: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
c)
The end: He gave up the ghost, that is, He died.
d)
The reaction of those who saw Him die.
(1)
The centurion: Certainly this was a righteous man.
(2)
The crowds: They returned, smiting their breasts.
(3)
His acquaintances and the women from Galilee: They stood some distance away, seeing these things.
C.
Luke told about the burial of Jesus (Luke 23:50-56).
The facts about Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:50-52).
a)
He was a righteous man.
b)
He had not consented to the crucifixion of Jesus.
c)
He had been looking for the kingdom of God.
d)
He asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.
The facts about the burial (Luke 23:53-56).
a)
Joseph prepared the body for burial and laid it in the tomb.
b)
The time: The day of Preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin. There was still time to prepare the spices before the sabbath actually began ((Luke 23:56).
c)
The women prepared spices and ointments and rested on the sabbath.
Summary
The Jews agreed that Jesus should be put to death because, as they said, He was guilty of blasphemy. But they knew that such a charge would mean nothing to Pilate. What could they say to the governor that would get him to consent to the death of Jesus? He was perverting the nation of the Jews! That would do it, for the governor had to keep peace. But just to make sure, they added two more charges, forbidding to give tribute to Caesar and saying that He was a king. Pilate examined Jesus and three times pronounced Him innocent. When he learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Him to Herod who questioned Him at length but found nothing worthy of death in Him. But the Jews pressed the issue and threatened to take the case to Caesar. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, he ordered Jesus to be crucified. Jesus went out bearing His own cross, but soon Simon of Cyrene was compelled to bear the cross to the place of crucifixion. Jesus tried to comfort the women of Jerusalem as they followed Him. They would sufferperhaps at the destruction of Jerusalemmore hardships later on. They would cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them and cover them from that persecution. On the cross, Jesus prayed, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. He said to the dying thief, Today, shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Just before He died, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. The centurion who commanded the soldiers that executed the three looked at Jesus as He died and said, Certainly this was a righteous man. Later he said, This was God’s Son. Joseph of Arimathea who had been a secret disciple of Jesus went to Pilate and asked permission to take the body of Jesus down an bury it. It was the day of Preparation and the sabbath was about to begin. The women prepared spices and ointments and rested on the sabbath.
Questions
Why did the Jews change their charge when they brought Jesus before the governor?
What are the three charges which they presented before Pilate?
What evidence could they present to support them?
What was Pilate’s verdict after examining Jesus?
Why did he send Him to Herod?
What was the attitude of Herod when he saw Jesus?
What examination of the charges did he make?
What was the verdict of Herod?
Why did he and Pilate become friends at that time?
What plan did Pilate use to attempt to get the people to agree to the release of Jesus?
When did the people reverse the decision made at the trial?
Who was Simon of Cyrene? What did he do?
What was to happen to the Daughters of Jerusalem?
What does Calvary mean? Golgotha?
What did Jesus mean by His prayer: Father forgive them?
Why did He say to the thief, Today you will be with me in Paradise?
Where are the dead awaiting the resurrection?
What is the significance of Jesus using the words of Psa 22:1?
How does Paul explain the reason for the death of Christ?
What was unfair about the remark, He saved others, but he can-’t save himself?
Why was the sign over the cross written in three languages?
Why did Pilate refuse to change what he had written?
What made the difference between the death of Jesus and that of two who were crucified with Him?
What proof is there that Jesus actually died?
What are the two statements of the centurion? What do they mean?
Who was Joseph of Arimathea?
What had been his attitude toward Jesus?
Why did he ask Pilate for the body?
Who helped him?
On what day was Jesus buried?
Luke 23:1-7
Applebury’s Comments
The First Trial Before Pilate Scripture
Luke 23:1-7 And the whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king. 3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest. 4 And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no fault in this man. 5 But they were the more urgent, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judaea, and beginning from Galilee even unto this place. 6 But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. 7 And when he knew that he was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him unto Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days.
*Comments
and brought Him before Pilate.*In the three Jewish trials, the leaders had satisfied themselves that they had found an excuse to put Jesus to death. But what about the governor? Why should a Roman care if the God of the Jews had been blasphemed?
The Jews were well aware of this; they, therefore, brought an entirely different charge against Him when they appeared before Pilate. There were three counts against Him: (1) Perverting the nation, (2) Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and (3) He said that Himself is Christ the King.
The most dangerous of the three, they seemed to think, was the firstperverting the nation. But it was the lastmaking Himself a kingthat finally caused the governor to give in. Against his better judgment, against the advice of his wife, and against the concurrence of Herod in his own opinion Pilate granted the Jews-’ demand that He be crucified. See John 19:12.
They may have thought that such evidence as the presence of large crowds following Him wherever He went, especially at the triumphal entry where they praised Him as king, would be sufficient evidence to sway Pilate’s judgment. Roman governors were responsible for keeping the peace and putting down any uprising that might challenge the authority of Caesar. The charge about forbidding to give tribute to Caesar was plainly a perversion of the facts in the case. See Luke 20:20-26. The third charge was true but not in the sense in which they presented it, for His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:26). Moreover, Pilate was well aware of the fact that they had delivered Him up out of envy (Matthew 27:18).
*I find no fault in Him.*Pilate pronounced Jesus innocent three times; yet in the end, he acceded to the demands of the Jews and ordered the innocent Christ to be crucified.
*He asked whether the man were a Galilean.*Jesus-’ ministry, for the most part, had been carried on in Herod’s territory. Learning of this, Pilate eagerly sought to shift the responsibility of Jesus-’ case to Herod. But Herod, after examining Him, sent Him back to Pilate who announced that Herod had found nothing worthy of death in Him (Luke 23:15).
Luke 23:1-25
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 1
Indicted (Luke 23:1-25)**
23 Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate. 2And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king. 3And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him, You have said so. 4And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no crime in this man. 5But they were urgent, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9So he questioned him at some length; but he made no answer. 10The chief priests and the scribes stood by vehemently accusing him. 11And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate.12And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him; 15neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; 16I will therefore chastise him and release him.
18 But they all cried out together, Away with this man and release to us Barabbas19a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder.20Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; 2lbut they shouted out, Crucify, crucify him! 22A third time he said to them, Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him. 23But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
**Luke 23:1-5 Pronounced an Insurrectionist: **Matthew records the remorse of Judas (Matthew 27:3-10) in advance of its chronological order apparently so as not to interrupt his subsequent narrative of the trial before Pilate. Judas-’ regret (Gr. metameletheis, not metanao which means repentsee 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 where these two words are shown in contrast) must have taken place after Pilate’s ratification of the Sanhedrin’s sentence because they had returned to their Hall of Hewn Stones (cf. Matthew 27:3). Most harmonies of the gospel accounts place Matthew’s account of what Judas did before the Sanhedrin’s trip to Pilate’s judgment hall. There is a sorrow of the world that produces deathit is a remorse or regret without the decision to change. Repentance, on the other hand, is a sorrow that is climaxed by change. It is significant that the complete innocence of Jesus could have such impact on one who was so devoted to crass materialism. Certainly if the one who betrayed Him testifies to His innocence in such a manner, he was innocent.
Pilate’s judgment seat was in the Tower of Antonia, the Roman army barracks just north of and attached to the Temple courts. Pilate’s permanent residence was at Caesarea on the sea coast of Palestine. Pontius Pilate, it is alleged, was the son of Marcus Pontius, a general of the Roman army in Spain during Agrippa’s war against the Cantabri. He was a friend of the famous royal prince Germanicus and married to Claudia Procula, granddaughter of Augustus the emperor (see our comments on Pilate at Luke 3:1-6). To understand Pilate’s behavior at the trial of Jesus, one must be aware of his former dealings with the Jews and the pressures he felt from the terrifying political inquisitions perpetrated by Tiberius Caesar in his later years. Pilate had a relatively free hand in ruling Judea responsible directly to Tiberius. In Pilate was vested the power of life and death for all Roman provincials. He was both final judge and governor. The territory of Judea, being under the direct rule of a Roman procurator, was not allowed to execute capital punishment even on a Jewish citizen (cf. Josephus, Antiquities IX: Luke 1:1; John 18:31). Pilate was in continual conflict with the Jews. Most procurators were. The Jews would not let them be otherwise. When Pilate first came to Palestine he wanted to abolish all Jewish laws and customs, but found this politically impossible. He brought effigies of Caesar to Jerusalem and set them up at night. When the Jews heard, they came by the hundreds and camped around his palace at Caesarea imploring him to remove them. He refused, called them to his judgment seat, surrounded them with an army in ambush, and threatened to kill them. They refused and threw themselves down on the pavement baring their necks to the sword. Pilate had to retreat. Another time he ordered an aqueduct to be built to improve Jerusalem’s water supply and attempted to pay for it with Temple treasure. The Jews rioted, Pilate ordered them slain, but had to face continued hatred of the Jewish populace for having used sacred funds. Later, he ordered some Galileans slain as they were in the act of offering sacrifice (cf. Luke 13:1) for some reason known only to him. This may have been the reason he and Herod Antipas were at odds with one another. Finally, about A.D. 36, a self-appointed prophet asserted that Moses-’ tabernacle and holy vessels were buried on Mt. Gerizim (in Samaria). A multitude of Jews, attempting to climb the hill and dig these alleged vessels up was slain by order of Pilate. Pilate was then called to Rome, banished, and, tradition says, he committed suicide near Vienne (Gaul). The relations between the Jews and Pilate were very strained. He detested them, and they hated him. The Jews were on the lookout for some cause to petition Tiberius Caesar for the removal of Pilateand Pilate knew it. Only by yielding to the clamor of the Jews for the death of Jesus (30 A.D.) did he last until 36 A.D.
The whole company (Gr. plethos) of the Jewish council (not the multitudes) rose as an official body and took Jesus before Pilate. The Sanhedrin began to accuse Jesus (Gr. kategorein, from which categorize originates) charging Him officially with a capital crimeinsurrection. They said they had found (Gr. heuromen, to find by investigation) this fellow (Gr. touton) perverting the Jewish nation. The Greek word diastrephonta is translated perverting and means literally, turning through. The accusation is that Jesus has been going throughout the nation subverting, twisting, distorting and corrupting people by the thousands, teaching them to resist Caesar’s taxes and claiming himself to be a king. Pilate later uses the word, apostrephonta, (Luke 23:14) which literally means, Turning away the people. Of course, Jesus was not guilty of the charge of forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar. In fact, He had advocated just the opposite (cf. Luke 20:21-26). And, He was not guilty of the charge of claiming to be king in the way the Jews intended Pilate to understand it.
Pilate did not observe the full legal procedure carried out in the courts at Romehe was not required to. But he did imitate it to a certain extent. He had full discretion in judgment. No Jew had the right of appeal to Caesar unless he was also a Roman citizen. Roman procurators were usually content for the provincials to govern themselves provided they did nothing to impinge upon the authority of Rome. Any conviction on a capital charge had to be referred to the Roman procurator for ratification or reversal. The Jewish council could condemn but not execute (cf. Josephus, Ant. IX:1:1; John 18:31).
When Pilate accepted Jesus as a prisoner he did not do so as a court of appeal. Jesus made no appeal. Pilate was bound to review the proceedings themselves by which Jesus had already been tried and brought before him. And that was all Pilate was bound to do. The Jews would not enter the Praetorium (Gr. praitorion, lit. general’s tent but later, residence or judgment hall of the provincial governor) because they believed they would be defiled (John 18:28). It appears Pilate, by his question about accusation (John 18:29) was going to try the case in due form of law and for some undisclosed reason the Jews had not expected him to adopt this attitude (John 18:30). They act as if they had reason to suppose Pilate knew quite well why they had brought Jesus before him. They apparently thought Pilate would just do what they wanted him to do with the prisoner, assuming they had already found Him guilty! Pilate either guessed, or had advanced information, that Jesus-’ Jewish trial was a farce. We are told later that Pilate knew the Jews had delivered Jesus for envy (Matthew 27:16). Pilate evidently saw an opportunity to agitate, belittle and get back at these Jewish hypocrites. Realizing Pilate was going to insist on a formal trial, the Jewish rulers began to accuse Jesus of perverting their nation in a tax revolt against Rome and making Himself a king. These accusations were lies. These rulers knew Jesus had never done any of them. They are accusing Him of what was the desire of their own hearts. The Jewish refusal to pay tribute to Caesar a few years after Jesus-’ death is what precipitated the conflict ending in the destruction of Judaism (70 A.D.).
The charge of sedition made, Pilate’s next step was to interrogate the prisoner (Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3; John 18:33). He began by asking, Are you king of the Jews? John tells us Jesus first answered by asking Pilate, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? (John 18:34). In other words, In what sense do you use the word -king-’?as a Roman official trying to decide whether I claim to be an earthly king in opposition to Caesar? Or, are you merely repeating a question put into your mouth by my Jewish countrymen who know quite well that I do no claim to be that sort of king? Pilate replies: I am repeating the charge of your country-men (John 18:35). You and they are Jews. You must know in what sense they use the term king and you will know what they mean better than Iwhat then have you done, exactly?
Jesus did not back away. He said, My kingship is not of this world.. He asserted that He did have a kingship in the sense in which He had often made the claim to Messiahship. But He would have Pilate understand that His kingship was not of this world (cf. John 18:36). He made no claim to any worldly throne as the Jewish council had accused Him. Jesus said, in effect, I am not guilty of sedition against Rome’s political sovereignty.
Pilate again said, So you are a king? Luke and the other Synoptics record Jesus-’ second answer, You have said so. Modern speech would translate that into, You have it correct, I am the Messiah of the Jews. John records the additional statement of Jesus here, For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice, (John 18:37). Pilate’s soliloquy, What is truth? was not said flippantlyhe was wrestling with his conscience. He had a premonition where this would eventually come to a head. Eventually he would have to decide either to release this idealistic, but innocent, Jewish rabbi and incur the wrath of these detestable rulers, or give in and execute Him. Truth is justice in action. Pilate knew that. Everyone knows that by instinct or conscience. Pilate also knew he had better make no political blunders with Tiberius on the throne in Rome. So, while he was being pressed by his conscience to act justly and truthfully, and with the desire to get one up on these antagonists of his, the Jews, and considering the practical consequences of what he would do, he philosophized on, What is truth? He probably asked the question to himself as much as to anyone else. The more he reflected on this question and the more he thought about Jesus, the more he was convinced that Jesus was not guilty of sedition or political rebellion against Rome.
Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes (Luke 23:4), I find no crime in this man. The Greek word aition is strictly a legal term meaning, a crime, a legal ground for punishment. It was clearly a verdict in the judicial sense of not guilty. Here, the trial should have been over. The highest tribunal in the land at that point had spoken. The prisoner should have been freed.
The verdict of Pilate sent the Jews into a fit of rage. Luke uses the Greek verb epischuo which means literally, intensely strong to describe their reaction. Mark says at that point the chief priests accused him of many things (Mark 15:3) and Pilate asked him, Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you? But Jesus said nothing more to Pilate not even answering one of the charges. Pilate was amazed.
**Luke 23:6-12 Perverse Interrogation: **Amid the shouting and tumult of the accusations of the Jews against Jesus, Pilate overheard the cry that the prisoner had been teaching in Galilee. This gave Pilate an idea. He inquired whether Jesus were a Galilean. Pilate and Herod (tetrarch of Galilee) had been political enemies for some time. Each had probably tried to court the favor of Rome by slandering the other concerning their administration of assigned portions of Palestine. Pilate did not want to intensify the estrangement and saw at once an opportunity, since this prisoner was a Galilean, to appease Herod and express his contempt for the Jewish rulers in one stroke. He would send the prisoner to Herod as a gesture of political courtesy. Herod was in Jerusalem at that moment having come to observe the Passover.
Herod had been wanting to see Jesus to make sure He was not John the Baptist returned from the dead (cf. Luke 9:7-9). Herod knew he had blundered in the execution of John the Baptistthe deed had intensified the hatred of the populace against him; it alerted Rome to his ineffectiveness; it bothered his conscience. Rome would depose him, and he knew it, if he should blunder in public favor again like he had with John the Baptist. So Herod intended to play this one close to his vest. He would not plunge into this without thinking. Herod besought Jesus to do some sign for him, Apparently Herod, too, recognized that Jesus posed no real political threat or he would have found some way to condemn Jesus to execution. Since Jesus presented no political problem, Herod decided he would not make trouble for himself where there was none. All he intended was to amuse himself with some signs from the Galilean prophet, talk with Him about His teachings, and send Him back to Pilate. But Jesus would do no signs nor would He talk. Herod was the pig and dog of Mat 7:6. He wanted to see the power of the miraculous and hear about Jesus-’ teachings only for carnal reasons. He wanted to be amused. He wanted to exploit Jesus, not learn from Him for any righteous reasons.
Luke alone records the details of Herod’s interrogation. Jesus-’ refusal to speak to Herod shocks our sensibilities at first. It seems too out of character for Jesus to pass up an opportunity to speak to the worst of sinners about his soul. Apparently Jesus was manifesting for the record that Herod had evidence enough and teaching enough to which he might respond to God’s will should he choose to do so. Jesus-’ silence is saying that any further discussion with Herod about spiritual matters would be to no avail until Herod should repent in accordance with the truth he already had. Those who have no love for the truth, but take pleasure in unrighteousness will be allowed to continue in their self-chosen delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, etc.). Herod is the one person in all the New Testament Jesus refused to talk with. He talked with Pilate and Judas, but not with Herod.
All the time Herod was trying to get Jesus to answer his questions, the chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently (Gr. eutonos, lit. well-stretched or extending) accusing Jesus. They were raging beyond all boundaries of propriety for spiritual leaders and judges of the nation. Herod would not allow himself to be trapped into another faux pas. He refused to be swayed by the Jewish priests and pronounced no sentence. Herod was the craftier of the two governors. He ridiculed Jesus as a nobody and sent Him back to Pilateperhaps with a written note of conciliation. But Herod did display his perverse and wicked mentality. When Jesus would not satisfy his curiosity with a sign or a word, Herod had Him mocked and physically abused. Herod and Pilate became friends (Gr. philoi, sometimes translated lovers) from that very day.
**Luke 23:13-25 Proclaimed Innocent: **Pilate did initially what his conscience told him was right. He called together the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews and the people. He told them he had examined (Gr. anakrinas, a legal term denoting the preliminary investigation for gathering evidence for the information of the judges) Jesus and indeed (Gr. kai idou, lit. and behold) had found Him not guilty of any of the charges they had brought against Him. Eight times Pilate would insist Jesus was innocent:
a.
John 18:38, before He sent Jesus to Herod.
b.
Luke 23:15, immediately after Jesus-’ return from Herod.
c.
Luke 23:20, again he tried to release Jesus.
d.
Luke 23:22, Pilate said again he found no crime in Jesus, and offered to chastise Jesus and release Him.
e.
John 19:4, after Pilate had scourged Jesus.
f.
John 19:6, when Pilate said, Take Him yourselves and crucify him, I find no crime in him.
g.
John 19:12, after Jesus warned Pilate of his sin, Pilate again sought to release Him.
h.
Matthew 27:24, Pilate tried to convince himself he had released Jesus and was free of the criminal actions of the Jews.
Pilate also insisted to the Jews that Herod found Jesus innocent of their charges against Him.
No matter how much Pilate implored, the Jewish rulers were implacable. They would not listen to reason; they threw caution to the wind and shouted down the Roman procurator. Pilate had to find an alternative. Suddenly he thought of the Roman custom of releasing a prisoner (cf. Matthew 27:15; Mark 15:6; John 18:39) (probably a political prisoner) on festival days in the provinces. Some say Pilate was following the normal practice by offering the Jews the choice between Jesus and Bar-Abbas; not really! Matthew (Matthew 27:15) says the usual custom was to let the provincials choose whom they wanted. Pilate offered them only one alternativeJesus or Bar-Abbas. Pilate capitulated! All jurisprudence has been abrogated. Pilate did not insist on law. He found a way to compromise, but it was a capitulation of principle. He hoped the Jews had rather have the harmless Jesus loosed than a murdering, thieving insurrectionist and troublemaker like Bar-Abbas. About that time Pilate’s attention was diverted by a note from his wife. This gave the Jewish rulers an opportunity to stir up the crowd to cry out for Bar-Abbas, (see Matthew 27:19-20). After reading his wife’s note he asked again for their choicethey cried again, Bar-Abbas! As for the one who called himself, Christ, they cried, Crucify him! Pilate insisted a third time that Jesus was innocent (Luke 23:18-22). He then compounded his compromise and offered to chastise Jesus.
The name Bar-Abbas means, son of the father. That may be, as G. Campbell Morgan notes, a title rather than a name. Peter’s name was Simon, but he was titled, Bar-Jonah, son of Jonah. Matthew and Mark say the insurrectionist the Jews asked to be released in place of Jesus was simply a man called Bar-Abbas. This man may have given himself the title, son of the father, claiming to be the Messiah. From the time of the Hasmonean family until long past the time of Jesus many false Messiah’s arose seducing some of the Jews to follow them. Bar-Abbas was not a common criminalhe was a political radical, a terrorist, who had attempted to overthrow the Roman rule of Palestine. He had been captured and imprisoned and awaited execution. Pilate, cagily, left them with only a choice between a man who had tried, by force, to set up an earthly Jewish kingdom (Bar-Abbas) or a man who claimed to be the only true Messiah but who maintained the kingdom was a spiritual relationship to God by faith and that it could exist in this world even under Roman political rule. The Jews, in demanding the release of Bar-Abbas and the crucifixion of Jesus, manifested their carnal expectations concerning God’s kingdom. Once he compromised justice by not releasing the innocent prisoner, Pilate feels like he must continue in the course at all costs. Actually, Pilate could have freed Jesus at any time. All he had to do was say the wordand suffer the consequences. When his first compromise did not work, he tried another. He offers to chastise Jesus and then let him go. He hoped scourging Jesus would placate the emotions of the mob. The Greek word for chastise is paideusas from the root word which means child. The word means literally, instruct, correct, discipline. Sometimes the chastising was used to cross-examine a defendant to see if he was telling the truth or not. Sometimes it was used as a form of punishment for one found guilty of a crime to correct the wrongdoer. Pilate wanted to subject Jesus to this last-resort form of cross-examination hoping it would convince the Jews once for all that He was innocent.
The Roman scourge was a whip with several thongs, each loaded with acorn shaped balls of lead, or sharp pieces of bone or spikes. Stripped of his clothes, his hands tied to a column or a stake, with his back bent, the victim was lashed with these whips by six soldiers. Each stroke cut into the flesh until the veins and sometimes the intestines were laid bare. Often the whips struck the victims face knocking out eyes and teeth. It sometimes ended in death.
John’s gospel tells us that at this moment Pilate took Jesus (into the procurator’s judgment hall) and scourged him (John 19:1-12). Pilate then brought Jesus out before the Jews and made his famous statement, Ecce homo (Behold, the man). Three more times here he tried to proclaim Jesus innocent and release Him. The third time the Jews cried out, If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend; everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar (John 19:12). Luke simply says, And their voices prevailed (Luke 23:23). Indeed, their implied threat to represent Pilate as an enemy of Caesar prevailed over the voice of conscience in Pilate’s heart. Up to this point he kept trying every way he knew to release Jesus and placate the Jews at the same time. But now it is Pilate’s neck or Jesus-’! So at 6 a.m. Friday morning, Nisan 15, 30 A.D., Pilate said to the Jews, Here is your king (John 19:14). But the Jews shouted all the more, that he should be crucified. Pilate said, Shall I crucify your king? But the chief priests, not being altogether truthful, said, We have no king but Caesar (John 19:14). Pilate saw that he was not going to get by without ordering Jesus crucifiedthe Jewish mob looked like it was about to riot. He took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves (Matthew 27:24-25). The mob shouted back, His blood be on us and on our children (Matthew 27:25). Pilate gave official (Gr. epekrine) sentence that their demand (crucifixion) should be granted. He released Bar-Abbas and gave Jesus up to their will (Gr. thelematî). Crucifixion was exclusively a Roman method of executing criminals. The Jewish method of execution was death by stoning. Jews considered any one crucified (hanged on a tree) to be cursed (Galatians 3:13). They specifically wanted Jesus to be crucified. Such an execution would imply innocence on their part in His death and it would infer that Jesus was cursed. Little did they know that this was God’s plan for Jesusto become a curse for the whole world (Galatians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
We would expect Jesus to be the central figure at the trials. But the more we look at the narrative, the more we are impressed with the fact that Pilate and the Jewish rulers are the focusat least on the surface. That is because it is not really Jesus who is on trialit is mankind represented in Pilate and the Jews. Men are in the docks, not the Son of man. He is innocent. What they do with Absolute Innocence incriminates them!
Luke 23:8-12
Applebury’s Comments
The Trial Before Herod Scripture
Luke 23:8-12 Now when Herod saw Jesus, He was exceeding glad,: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him. 9 And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
*Comments
When Herod saw Jesus.*Herod at one time had been frightened by the reports of the miracles of Jesus. He concluded that Jesus was John the Baptism risen from the dead and, therefore, able to perform these signs. Later, a report was circulated that Herod wanted to kill Jesus. There was another shift in his attitude, by the time of His trial. He was delighted to see Jesus, for he wanted to see Him work a miracle. Jesus, of course, did not grant his wish. After he and his men had treated Him with every indignity, Herod returned Him to Pilate. On that day these two rulers who had been at enmity with each other became friends.
Luke 23:13-25
Applebury’s Comments
The Second Trial Before Pilate Scripture
Luke 23:13-25 And Pilate called together the Chief Priest and the rulers, and the people, 14 and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15 no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him. 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 18 But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:19 one who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison. 20 And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus; 21 but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him. 22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him. 23 But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done. 25 And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
*Comments
I will therefore chastise him and release him.*Pilate may have believed that this cruel and inhuman beating would satisfy the Jews-’ desire for vengeance. But they noisily demanded that He be crucified.
*and release unto us Barabbas.*Barabbas was a notable prisoner who had been guilty of all the things that had been charged against Jesus and more, for he was actually a murderer. But the misguided mob chose Barabbas and demanded the death penalty for Jesus.
On the day of Pentecost, the 3,000 reversed that decisionrepentedand accepted Jesus as Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36-38). See also Acts 3:15-18.
Luke 23:26-49
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 2
Impaled (Luke 23:26-49)**
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. 28But Jesus turning to them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, -Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!-’ 30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, -Fall on us-’; and to the hills, -Cover us.-’ 31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One! 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, 37and saying, If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself! 38There was also an inscription over him, This is the King of the Jews.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! 40But the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. 42And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 43And he said to him, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,45while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! And having said this he breathed his last. 47Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, Certainly this man was innocent! 48And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.49And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.
**Luke 23:26-31 Empathy: **As soon as Pilate turned Jesus over to the Jews with an official edict to have Him crucified, Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, called the small band on duty together, stripped His clothes off, put a scarlet robe on him, jammed a plaited crown of thorns down on His head, put a reed in His right hand, and kneeled before Him, mocking Him with the words, Hail, King of the Jews (Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20). They spat upon Him and struck Him in the head with a reed. Spitting in a person’s face indicated gross contempt (Numbers 12:14; Deuteronomy 25:9; Job 30:10; Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:30), and when performed by an unclean person it produced defilement (Leviticus 15:8). This psychologically demeaning and abusive experience; following the mock trials and the scourging constituted a terrible prelude to the excruciating spiritual struggle and physical torture of the cross.
As they led Him away to be crucified, they seized a bystander by the name of Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. Jesus probably bore the cross Himself until they neared the gate in the northern wall of the city. It was Roman practice to make the accused bear a 300 pound cross to the place of execution. The accused usually wore a sign announcing his crime. As the accused proceeded through the city bearing his cross he was often flogged by Roman whips and pelted with rocks and other missiles from the gaping multitudes along the way to execution. Apparently Jesus was going too slowly or He may have fallen under its weight. The latter would be more likely when one considers the devastating tortures He endured for hours and hours prior to this experience. The man pressed into service to carry His cross was from North Africa (Cyrene) but he was evidently a Jew (named, Simon). Alexander and Rufus were his sons and probably Christians (Romans 16:13). Simon may have later become a Christian himself. A scene as this would call forth the natural tender-sympathies of women.
These were women of Judea or Jerusalemnot of Galilee. They were wailing out of pure feminine pity and empathy for Him. The wells of human pity almost always overflow the feminine heart in the presence of suffering. But, almost incredibly, Jesus warned them, Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. He was not spitefully slighting their sympathy but He knew that His death was going to result in something even more terrible for Jerusalem and its inhabitants (cf. Luke 19:41-44; Luke 21:3-32). He is repeating, in capsule form, what He had already announcedthe doom of Jerusalem and Judaism. The Romans will crucify Jesus (at the insistence of the Jews) who is The Green Wood but which will not be consumed because there is no real crime in Him. The Romans will destroy the Jewish nation which is The Dry Wood because it is guilty of killing the Son of God. The time will come to these wailing Jewish women when they will wish they had not borne any children.
Evidently these Jewish women were not believersonly sympathizers. They wailed because they took pity on His fleshly torture. His physical weakness is all they saw, however. They had not seen His deity. May we suggest that we too may be overly inclined to show pity only for the physical torture Jesus had to endure and may miss focusing our contrition in the **right **place. What we should lament is our sin and the injustice of the perfect Son of man having to be made sin on our behalf. If we come to the cross and pity His physical suffering primarily, we have not really grasped the deepest truth concerning His sorrow. As G. Campbell Morgan said: In the last analysis, Jesus is never an object of pity on the part of sinful, condemned humanity. He is the Object of wonder and of true worship, as He is seen moving in regal splendor towards His Cross. It is nothing short of awesome that Jesus, in these hours of severest psychological and physical torture, could take time to show concern and deep sympathy for the Jewish nation and warn them once more of the heinousness of their evil. These are the only words He spoke between Pilate’s judgment and the cross!
**Luke 23:32-34 Execution: **Now Luke tells the story of the crucifixion. Along with the other gospel writers he states the facts with incredible brevity! This brevity is for a purpose. Had the gospel writers gone into great detail about the physical aspects of the crucifixion, it would only have intensified the human inclination to concentrate on the physical and miss the spiritual.
They took Jesus out, His only companions were two criminals (Gr. kakourgos, lit. evil-workers), and proceeded to a place called, The Skull. Matthew and Mark call it in Greek, Golgothan, (Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22) which is a transliteration of the Hebrew word, gulegoleth. The Hebrew word means, bald, round, skull-like mound or hill. Luke calls it in Greek, kranion, which is simply, Skull. The KJV in Luke 23:33 follows the Latin Vulgate and translates, Calvary. The Latin word calvaria is a rendering of the Greek kranion, both of which mean skull. A fourth century tradition says Golgotha was where the Church of The Holy Sepulchre now stands (within the city walls at Jerusalem). The more likely site is Gordon’s Calvary discovered in 1849, a few hundred feet northeast of the Damascus Gatesometimes known as the Green Hill (outside the ancient walls of Jerusalem). Hebrews 13:12 may indicate (unless it is to be interpreted symbolically) Jesus was put to death outside the city. The traditional site for Golgotha was for many years associated with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre marking the spot where Constantine, in dismantling a pagan temple, allegedly found the sepulchre where Christ had been buried. Constantine’s mother, Queen Helena built a Christian church there in 326-330 A.D, Recently, Miss Kenyon, an archaeologist, discovered the ruins of an ancient stone quarry near the Church. The quarry could be dated from 700 B.C. to sometime after 70 A.D. Some have theorized, that a quarry would necessarily be outside the ancient city walls and, therefore, the location of ancient Golgotha may very well have been near where the Church is now (see map on page 471). We prefer Gordon’s Calvary because of the following reasons:
a.
The place of executing, both with the Romans and the Jews was customarily outside the city or camp (Palutius, a Roman general wrote of this in his Military Glories, 2:4:6; see also Deuteronomy 17:5; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:58; Hebrews 13:12; Leviticus 24:14; Numbers 15:36).
b.
John 19:20 says the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. and apparently where passers-by would be able to see clearly the spectacle. even those afar off (Mark 15:40).
c.
Gordon’s Calvary is only a few hundred feet northeast of the Damascus Gate.
d.
Prevailing archaeological opinion is that the wall of Jerusalem is now just where it was in Jesus-’ day.
e.
There is only one place around Jerusalem which has borne, and still bears, the name Skull Hill, that is Gordon’s Calvary.
f.
Gordon’s Calvary is near where the Tower of Antonia was (Pilate’s judgment hall) and Gordon’s Calvary would appear to be the most readily accessible place (away from crowded streets of the city) to carry on the act of crucifixion.
The origin of crucifixion as a method of execution may be traced to the Phoenician, Carthaginean, Persian and Median civilizations. Syrians and Greeks also used this barbaric instrument of death. The Romans adopted the practice because of the unparalleled suffering it inflicted and the spectacle it presented. It was inflicted on vicious criminals and slaves. It proved to be an effective deterrent to widespread crime or sedition. A Roman citizen could choose execution other than by crucifixion. The Jews would impale a dead man to signify a curse upon him (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:22-23) but never would they execute anyone by crucifixion. Their profound hatred of Jesus is intensely revealed in their cry, Crucify him! An article in Time magazine, January 18, 1971, brought to light some new and important information on the method of crucifixion by the Romans. In June 1968, thirty-five human skeletons were found by archaeologists in Israel dating back to the first century A.D. near the old Damascus Gate of Jerusalem. Among them the skeleton of a young adult male whose name, Yehohanan (John, in Aramaic), was inscribed on a burial ossuary. The man’s heel bones were penetrated by the rusty remains of a seven-inch long nail. The nail had been bent by trying to force it into a knot. The only way to get the body down from its cross was to cut its feet off and remove the entire complexpiece of wood, nail, feet and the rest of the bodyfor burial. This is the first firm physical evidence of an actual crucifixion in the ancient Mediterranean world. It is very significant because: It tends to revise classical artist’s concepts of the manner of crucifixion.
See article Where Did Jesus Die? by Wm. Palmer in Christian Standard 3-19-78.
The crucified Jesus is usually shown in an erect position, fastened to the cross by nails driven through hands and feet. To some scholars, that interpretation seemed highly implausible. With the bulk of the victim’s weight suspended from his hands, his body would sag; it would become extremely difficult for the breathing muscles to operate, and death would follow rapidly. The delicacy of the hand-structure would also tend to tear and come loose from the nails supporting all the body weight.
According to a reconstruction of Yehohanan’s crucifixion by Nicu Haas, anatomist and archaeologist, the nails were driven through the forearms to provide greater support. The victim’s legs were twisted to one side and folded up, then a nail and a piece of wood forming a cleat were nailed into his feet near the heel bone. This unnatural position served the purpose of the executioners very well: it would have prolonged both the victim’s life and his agony. Incidentally, Yehohanan’s skeleton gave evidence that the traditional coup de grace (a blow breaking both legs to hasten the victim’s death by hemorrhage and shock) had been administered.
Usually an anesthesia was given to the victim of crucifixion, a mixture of wine and myrrh (Gr. smurna, a gum-resin from a tree which grows in Yemenan astringent, antiseptic and stimulant) and also mixed in with this was gall (Gr. chole, which some think may have been a small dosage of reptilian venom). But Jesus refused to be anesthetized! He was determined to drink the cup of God’s wrath upon sin to the full, (see Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23).
With cold-blooded detachment the Romans would securely fasten the mutilated body to the cross. The ringing hammer against nail, mingled with shrieks of pain (from many other victims) produced a chilling sensation in the bystanders. With a dull thud and more screams from the victim the cross would be dropped into a hole with the victim nailed to the wood, suspended between earth and sky. All that remained was the wait for death. The pain of tearing flesh and muscle cramps became unbearable. Many victims fainted, revived, and fainted again, often, before death. Severe inflammation of open wounds from scourging and the nails occurred. Exposure to the elements of heat and cold (at night); rain and sunshine; insects and birds pecking at the helpless victims, created agony beyond comprehension. The arteries of the head and stomach were surcharged with blood creating excruciating headaches and stomach cramps plus psychological trauma, Tetanus with attendant convulsions often set in. Death rarely came before thirty-six hours elapsed. Nine days is the longest record of torturous endurance on a cross. This form of execution engulfed the victim not only with pain, but with moral reproach and public humiliation!
It was 9:00 a.m. in the morning (Mark 15:25 calls it the third hour) when Jesus was nailed to the cross. Placing Jesus between two thieves was intended to humiliate Him further. All manner of derisive, abusive and mocking taunts were probably being hurled at Jesus as He was being nailed to the timbers. There was not one sympathetic, helpful word or touch until the word of one of the thieves. Of course, His mother, other women and John the apostle were there, but they were not allowed near Him. And what was Jesus doing as the Roman soldiers were driving the spikes into His hands and feet? He was praying for the forgiveness of His executioners. The Greek verb aphes is in the imperfect tense meaning Jesus kept on saying, Father suffer them (or, wait for them) for they know not what they are doing Luke 23:34. This is the first word from the crossthere will be six others. Luke records three of the seven words from the cross, John records three, and Matthew and Mark record the other one. These words are precious revelations of what was passing through the mind of our Savior in these final hours.
The Greek word aphes (forgive) is the same word used in Matthew 19:14, aphete, where it is translated suffer or allow, and in Matthew 27:49 where it is translated wait. Jesus was not asking God for blanket forgiveness here, nor was He praying for the immediate forgiveness of His executioners without their repentance. No where in the scriptures is such a doctrine taught. What Jesus was praying was that God would wait with divine forebearance, put off His wrath upon these who were unaware of their heinous crime, until they might have an opportunity to respond to a better knowledge of what they had done. These Roman soldiers were under military orders, carrying out an assignment given them by their superiors. They would assume Jesus to be guilty, unless they were privy to Pilate’s statements to the Jews. Paul says if the rulers had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8). Peter said the same thing in Acts 3:17. But now God commands all men everywhere to repentand He has given assurance by raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:30-31), After Jesus-’ resurrection these executioners, and all men everywhere (Colossians 1:23), did have an opportunity to know for Paul said the gospel was preached to the whole world in his lifetime. At that time they must respond in repentance and obedience to covenant terms (immersion in water) to have the forgiveness Christ prayed they might have opportunity to choose. No man should take sin lightly. Jesus was not praying for indiscriminate forgiveness or universal salvation. Jesus was pleading for time for men who had no opportunity to know of Him as the vindicated, validated Lord of glory.
Pilate had written a placard with the title, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, (cf. John 19:18-22). It was written in the three main languages spoken or read then, Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Pilate probably did it more to express his contempt and spite toward the Jewish rulers than for anything else. It may have been for the sake of the Roman official records since blasphemy of a foreign god would not be a capital crime by Roman law. The Jews objected but Pilate said it would remain that way, so the soldiers nailed the sign to the cross. Next, the soldiers divided His garments (plural). He probably wore a turban, a cape or cloak, a girdle or belt, sandals and the under-garments. They divided these among themselves and decided to cast lots for the seamless tunic (cf. John 19:23-25) which was of extra-ordinary workmanship. This action was foreknown by God and predicted about a thousand years before it occurred (cf. Psalms 22:18).
**Luke 23:35-39 Excoriation: **The people stood by watching. The extreme cruelty of crucifixion often left those who witnessed it in speechless shock. The Jewish rulers, however, were so filled with raging malice they were impervious to the inhumanity of it all and scoffed as they heaped verbal abuses upon Jesus. Matthew says they cried blasphemous words (Gr. eblasphemoun, derided) at Jesus (Matthew 27:39), wagging their heads or nodding in the direction of the cross as if sneering at this end for the alleged Messiah. Their taunt, He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One, was a verbal reinforcement of their disbelief and maliciousness. The soldiers mocked (Gr. enepaizon, to play like a child, to sport or jest with) Jesus and so did the Jewish rulers (Matthew 27:41; Mark 15:31). The rulers affirmed their opinion that God wanted nothing to do with Jesus by saying, He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, I am the Son of God (Matthew 27:43). One of the saddest spectacles about Jesus-’ crucifixion was the conduct of those around the cross. Rather than sit in silence and think or observe, they circled and paced about, spilling out venomous spite and hate like wild animals (bulls, Psalms 22:12) circling around a wounded and dying prey. Note the admission of the rulers in their statement, He saved others. that Jesus had done miracles. Perhaps they were remembering the resurrection of Lazarus. Would they have believed had Jesus come down from the cross? Did they believe the miracles they admitted He did? Did they believe after He arose from the dead? Some did (Acts 6:7)!
Matthew and Mark indicate that both the thieves started reviling Jesus (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32). Luke mentions the one because the other repented. Perhaps the thieves felt they were dying before their time and Jesus was the causethey were undoubtedly crucified with Jesus to bring additional shame upon Him. The one thief said much the same as the rulers, If you are the Christ as you allege, save yourself and us from this excruciating death. His concept of the Christ was carnal too. Luke uses the Greek word eblasphemei to describe the thief’s railing at Jesus, Luke 23:39.
**Luke 23:40-43 Exaltation: **Suddenly, one of the thieves began to rebuke the other, Do you not fear God! Then he began to confess his sin, … we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds.. He then added his belief of Jesus-’ innocence, saying, but this man has done nothing wrong. He repented, or changed his mind and actions, from that of blaspheming Jesus to asking for His help. The thief believed Jesus was going to somehow fulfill His claim of Messiahship and come into His kingdom. He surely did not think Jesus would survive death on the cross, so he must have believed in some kind of spiritual or other-worldly kingdom. Jesus would have welcomed such faith in the multitudes to whom He preached so often and so intently. But how could this thief have come to such conclusions about Jesus?
a.
John the Baptist’s preaching was widely known and heard.
b.
Jesus-’ teachings and miracles were even more widely known and talked about.
c.
If the thief was a Jew, he probably knew something of Old Testament prophecies and rabbinic traditions.
d.
Both these thieves may have heard about the things said at Jesus-’ trials, or they may have been onlookers at the trials.
e.
The one thief was impressed with the divine behavior of Jesus at His crucifixion like the Roman soldier was.
At that moment Jesus spoke His second utterance from the cross: Today, you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43). The word paradeiso is the Greek translation of a Persian word which originally meant garden or park. It is found only three times in the New Testament (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7). There is a Hebrew word, parades, in Son 4:13; Nehemiah 2:8; Ecclesiastes 2:5 translated forest or orchard. In Jewish Apocrypha the word is used extensively to denote the place of happiness to be inherited by the righteous. Jesus used the word only once. When Jesus spoke to the thief it was no time to use theological words so He used a word of the vernacular, Paradise. No human being knows the location of Paradisebut wherever Jesus went that very day, this thief was with Him, (cf. also Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31). The question arises, how could this thief be saved without being baptized?
a.
Obviously Jesus could give salvation to anyone on any terms He wished so long as His last will and testament had not been probated by His death (cf. Hebrews 9:16).
b.
While a man still lives he has the right to dispense his possessions as he may see fit (cf. Matthew 9:2-8; Luke 7:48). But after his death, his property must be dispensed according to the terms of his will (cf. Hebrews 9:15-28).
c.
Christ’s last will and testament was probated (from Latin, probare; to prove or establish) on the Day of Pentecost, A.D. 30, when its divine authority was attested to by His resurrection and subsequent miracles of the Holy Spirit. On that day the Lord’s executors gave the terms of Christ’s willrepent and be immersed, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38).
d.
Since that time, everyone who wishes to be in Paradise with Christ must obey the terms of His probated will!
**Luke 23:44-49 Exclamation: **John records the third utterance from the cross: Woman, behold your son! (the apostle, John); and, Behold your mother! (John 19:25-27). Four women; Mary, Jesus-’ mother; Mary Magdalene; Mary, mother of James and Joseph (also wife of Clopas); and Salome, mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John) (also Jesus-’ aunt); and John, the beloved apostle, stood with the crowd around the cross. It was blazing noon-day (Luke calls it, the sixth hour); Jesus had been on the cross three hours. Now is fulfilled Simeon’s prediction (Luke 2:35), a sword will pierce your (Mary, the mother) heart also. Jesus is Mary’s Lord, to be sure, but just now He is her son, the baby who lay upon her breast long ago, the lad of Nazareth, the good, true, holy boy who grew into manhood under her loving eyes. From that hour John the apostle took Mary into his home (John 19:27).
Luke (as well as Matthew and Mark) document for us the fact that there was an unnatural darkness, at midday, over the whole land, which lasted for three hours. Luke, according to the Nestle text, used the Greek word, eklipontos, from which the English word eclipse comes, to describe this darkness. It was, however, no natural eclipse because it was full-moon time (being Passover time). This was a miraculous darkness (Gr. skotos, the word which all three of the Synoptics use to describe the phenomenon). The darkness probably did not cover the whole earth. One pagan historian, however, does discuss it. Phlegon, Roman astronomer, speaking of the fourteenth year of the reign of Tiberius (29-30 A.D.) says, … the greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared.
The supernatural rending of the veil of the Temple is recorded by Luke (Luke 23:45) here. Matthew and Mark (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38) place it at the moment of Christ’s death. A careful examination of Luke’s account indicates he is making a summarization for he says that the darkness and the rending of the veil took place sometime, and Luke is not intending to be exact, during the three hours from the sixth hour (noon) until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), The veil was apparently torn in two (from top to bottom, Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38) at the ninth hour when Jesus breathed his last (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46). This incident was very evidently a miracle. It was not caused by the earthquake because Matthew says that happened after the veil was rent (Matthew 27:51-53). Edersheim says this veil was 60 ft. long (that is six stories), 30 ft. wide, and the thickness of the palm of a man’s hand (about 4-5 inches). It was a composite of 72 equal squares of material and took scores of priests to manipulate. Rabbinical literature tells of two veils in Herod’s Temple, one before the doors into the Holy Place, and one before the entrance to the Holy of Holies. The one torn in two was undoubtedly the veil before the Holy of Holies. Hebrews 9:1-28 is clearly a reference to this historic event as symbolizing the spiritual reality that was accomplished at the death of Christ. This miracle, witnessed no doubt by many priests, may be part of the reason many priests became followers of Christ later (see Acts 6:7).
Between noon and 3:00 p.m. Jesus made four more utterances from the cross:
a.
Eli, Eli, lama sa-bach-thani? this is Aramaic meaning, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? (cf. Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).
It is the cry of God, Himself, on the cross coming into identification of Himself with the issue of the sin of man.
God interposed Himself with an oath (Hebrews 6:17) at the cross, and took man’s place.
It is God-man entering into the experience of both at the point where reconciliation must be achieved.
It is the Incarnate God becoming His own curse upon sin and sinners (Galatians 3:13).
It is Him who knew no sin, being made to be sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21).
It is God being both Just and the Justifier of those who believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:26).
It is the cry of a soul at the uttermost of sinseparating the soul from its Creator. It is the cry of the agony of absolute estrangement from God and all its consequences.
It is the cry of a soul at the uttermost of sorrowsorrowing over its loss of identity because forsaken by God, the soul is lost even to itself!
It is the cry of the soul in the presence of the Divine silence. God withdrawsdarkness and silence like no one has ever experienced. It is the silence and withdrawal of Hell!
It is a word from the lips of God. God is expressing from the human lips of His Son the fact that the pains and penalties of human sin were HisHe took them for us!
It was all the cries of all the doubts of all humanity at the seeming injustices and incongruities of life and death. My God, why?. Is there any answer? Yes! If Calvary raises these questions, Easter morning answers them! God has not forsaken man!
b.
I thirst. (John 19:28)
Six hours of physical and psychological torture more severe than any person has ever known is what Jesus has endured thus far.
His tongue probably was swollen, his lips parched and cracked, and his every nerve crying out for the relief of a cooling drink.
Soldiers say that on the battlefield all other agony of torn bodies and severed limbs is forgotten in the agony that exceeds them allthat of thirst.
And someone gave Him vinegar on a sponge, attached to a reed or a limb off an hyssop shrub.
How could Jesus drink the wine-vinegar now after refusing the wine and myrrh at first. Vinegar alone (soured wine) has no anesthetic value, and, now He has tasted to the full His primary cup and it is now finished.
He who is the Water of Life drank the bitter cup of sin for the whole world there so those who believe and obey Him may drink the sweet wine of victory and forgiveness.
c.
It is finished (John 19:30).
He cried it with a loud voice. It was a shout of triumph, not of defeat.
The Greek word is tetelestai, a perfect tense verb meaning, It has been brought to fulfillment with a continuing result of fulfillment. In other words, what Jesus completed on the cross will continue to stand as completed. It will never need to be completed again! (cf. Hebrews 9:25-28; Hebrews 10:12-14, etc.).
The word of God for the redemption of mankindso far as the Son’s part was concernedwas completed.
All the types, symbols and prophecies of the Old Testament pointed to this moment (Daniel 9:24-27; Isaiah 53:1-12; Zechariah 13:1 ff)FINISHED!
Luke alone records the last utterance from the cross (Luke 23:46): Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! The Greek verb, parathesomai, is the same word as its noun form in 2 Timothy 1:12 where Paul says he is persuaded God is able to keep that which he has committed to Him. It is a word which means deposited with or entrusted with. Matthew says Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. Matthew uses apheken, a Greek word which means Jesus released, delivered, dismissed or yielded up or let go His spirit. Jesus finished His work in the earthly body given Him (see Hebrews 10:5-10), dismissed His spirit, and deposited it, along with His redemptive work, with the Father for safekeeping and use as the Father intended it. Jesus was in control all the way. He did not release His spirit until it was finished. He was King. No man took His lifeHe gave it! Matthew records (Matthew 27:51-53) that when Jesus breathed His last, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many.
The centurion (Matthew adds, and those assigned with him) and all the multitudes assembled to see the sight of the crucifixion, saw sights they had not expected. Darkness for three hours, earthquake and other phenomena (about which they all heard) were things which flooded their minds with awe and agitated anxiety (Gr. sphodra, violent restlessness). The women stood at a distance and saw these things (Matthew 27:55-56). The on-lookers returned home beating their chests (Gr. stethe, chestis the word from which the medical term, stethoscope, comes). It was customary to display publicly such emotions as grief, anguish, remorse or shock (see Luke 18:13). It is still a custom of the people of the Middle East. Perhaps some of the on-lookers, having had time to be away from the mobs shouting, Crucify Him, and having seen His divine behavior, had begun to realize Who this was and what they had done! Luke says the centurion praised God and said, Certainly this man was innocent. Matthew and Mark report that the centurion said, Truly, this man was a Son of God! The Greek phrase in Matthew and Mark is alethos theou huios en houtos. Literally that would be translated: Truly, of a god, a son was this man. The absence of the definite article in Greek constitutes, where the context indicates, the equivalent of the indefinite article in English. We believe the context indicates that here. Furthermore, in Greek, the noun with the definite article identifies, but the noun without the definite article qualifies. In this phrase we have the noun (theos) without the definite article. This centurion was a pagan and probably had no concept of monotheism. Romans often made their emperors and other famous men gods and worshiped them. Especially did the Romans idolize stoic endurance of suffering. The centurion was honest-hearted enough to recognize Jesus-’ innocence (Gr. dikaios, justness). So what he is exclaiming is that Jesus-’ behavior, and the signs he had seen, indicated to him Jesus was probably a son of a god! He knew Jesus was different from any other human beings he had ever known.
John notes that it was the day of Preparation (Gr. paraskeue, Friday), Mark expressly says Preparation was the day before the Sabbath (Mark 15:42), and the Jews, meticulously careful that no bodies be left hanging after sundown Friday (which would be the beginning of Sabbath), encouraged Pilate to speed up the execution (John 19:31-37). Romans employed a very grim method of hastening execution by crucifixionthey smashed the legs of the victim with an iron hammer. This kept the victim from being able to support himself so his body sagged and cut off his breathing and he suffocated. Also, the utter shock of such treatment usually precipitated immediate death. John emphatically states as an eyewitness that Jesus was dead. John notes that the soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus because He was already dead, (John 19:33). One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear (John 19:34) and at once there came out blood and water. It is very important that we mention John’s eyewitnessed testimony here, for if Jesus did not really die, He was not really raised from the dead. In fact, that is the primary thesis of Dr. Hugh Schonfield’s celebrated book, The Passover Plot. He theorizes that Jesus did not really die on the cross but He had plotted earlier with some of His friends that they should drug Him while He was being crucified. Then when He appeared dead, they should ask for His body and put Him in a tomb so that He might later come out and appear to have risen from the dead. We prefer to accept the testimony of an eyewitness, John, rather than the theory of someone writing two thousand years removed from the actual event.
Applebury’s Comments
The Crucifixion of Jesus Scripture
Luke 23:26-49 And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus.
27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck. 30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31 For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? 32 And there were also two others, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33 And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots. 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen. 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar, 37 and saying, If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself. 38 And there was also a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us. 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss, 42 And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom, 43 And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise. 44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 the sun’s light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit; and having said this, he gave up the ghost, 47 And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. 48 And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts, 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.
*Comments
Simon of Cyrene.*John says that Jesus went out, bearing His own cross; that is, He started to the place of the crucifixion carrying the cross (John 19:17). His agony in Gethsemane and the ordeal of the trial could easily have been the cause of His needing help to bear the heavy burden of the cross. Simon of CyreneCyrene was a country in north Africawas compelled to bear it after Jesus.
Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free? No; there’s a cross for everyone, And there’s a cross for me.
*Daughters of Jerusalem.*Jesus spoke to the women who were following Him, trying to comfort them in this hour of His ordeal. He reminded them, however, that they were also facing an ordeal that would come at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. The suffering of that day would cause some of them to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. What they were suffering was likened to the green tree; He asked, What shall be done in the dry?
*The place called The Skull,*The other writers use the Aramaic name Golgotha, which means skull or, when translated into Latin, Calvary.
*And Jesus said.*Luke gives three of the words Jesus spoke from the cross. The first is found in Luke 23:34, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
The context seems to suggest that He was speaking of those who were actually nailing Him to the cross. The rulers and others were also there, but He had already indicated on several occasions that nothing but doom awaited them because their rejection of Him was final, and no repentance was to be expected. But, of the crowds who had become involved in their sins, many would reverse their decision and find forgiveness through repentance and baptism in the name of the one who prayed Father, forgive them.
The second, given in Luke 23:43, is, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
According to Acts 2:27, which is a quotation from Psalms 16:10, Jesus was in Hades while his body lay in the tomb. Paul speaks of Paradise_ and identifies it with the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:4). He also suggests that being absent from the body means being present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-9). Jesus had indicated that Hades is the place where both the good and the bad are to be found after death. (Luke 16:23).
It is correct, then, to say: (1) That Paradise is the place where the righteous dead await the resurrection, and (2) that the dying thief was told that he would be there with Jesus.
The third statement, found in Luke 23:46, is, Into thy hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46).
He had come from the Father. As He prayed in the shadow of the cross He said, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (John 17:5). See also Philippians 2:5-11.
Matthew and Mark mention only one saying of Jesus from the cross: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).
This is a quotation from Psalms 22:1. It reveals the real meaning of the death of Christ. It was more than physical death; it was separation from the Father. The answer to the cry of Jesus is found in Paul’s statement, Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). As Son of ManHe was also Son of GodGod made Him represent sin. The death that He died, He died unto sin once for all (Romans 6:10). There will never be another sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 10:18).
The cross, then, is not only the symbol of God’s love, it is also the symbol of God’s punishment for sin, Let those who would know the meaning of hell look at the death of Him who was made sin on our behalf.
John records three of the sayings of Jesus on the cross. The first, found in John 19:26-27, is: Woman, behold thy son. Jesus committed His mother to the care of John. Then He said to John, Behold thy mother. There is reason to believe that John may have been her nephew. Just why Jesus put His mother in John’s care rather than one of her own sons is not stated.
The second saying is: I thirst (John 19:28). This indicates something of the torture Jesus was suffering as He was dying on the cross.
The third is: It is finished (John 19:30). In His prayer before going to the cross, He had said, I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work thou hast given me to do (John 17:4). That work was finished at the cross. The final sacrifice was made. The new and living way into the refuge which He prepared was opened (Hebrews 6:19-20; Hebrews 10:19-22).
*He saved others.*Although they spoke out of malicious wickedness, they spoke the truth. He had saved others, and His death would save the multitude that no man can number of those who wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-14). But He had to die in order to do it. In His death, He brought to nought him who has power of death, that is, the devil.
*THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.*John says that the sign over the cross was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. Pilate wanted everyone to read the sign and know that Rome had thus disposed of the one who, the Jews said, made himself a king. He refused to change the wording of the sign so as to relieve the Jews of the ignominy of having their king die on a Roman cross. See John 19:19-22.
*And one of the malefactors.*Two robbers were put to death at the time Jesus was crucified. Three crosses were planted on Calvary. The death of Jesus provided the only possible way of escape from eternal punishment (Acts 4:12). Calvary’s crosses dramatize this gospel truth.
*he gave up the ghost.*that is, He died. The evidence is conclusive: (1) The darkness and the earthquake provided the setting; (2) the temple veil was rent from the top to the bottom, suggesting that something unusual had happened that it should be torn in this manner; (3) the expression of the centurion who saw Him die (Mark 15:39). A Roman soldier knew death when he saw it. He said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (4) The soldier pierced the side of Jesus-’ body from which there came blood and water. It was the soldiers-’ judgment that He was already dead, but this was done to make sure of it (John 19:33). (5) The enemies of Jesus were concerned only that the body be kept safely in the tomb; they did not question the fact of Jesus-’ death.
*And when the centurion.*Soldiering was never considered a soft business. Execution of criminalsand, no doubt, many innocent peoplewas all in a day’s work for Roman soldiers. But there was something different about the death of Jesus of Nazareth. When the centurion heard Him say, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and saw all the things that were happening, he glorified God and said, Certainly this was a righteous man. Thus he concurred in the judgment of both Pilate and Herod that this man had done nothing worthy of death; He was innocent.
According to Matthew, the centurion said, Truly this was God’s Son (Matthew 27:54). In doing so, he recognized the deity of Jesus.
Some have assumed that a pagan soldier could not mean by this remark that He was anything other than a son of the godspagan gods. But what about the centurion who loved the Jewish nation and built their synagogue? Jesus commended his faith which was unlike anything He had found in all Israel. Cornelius was another exception. God heard the prayers of this devout, God-fearing man even though he was a Gentile (Acts 10:1-4).
There is no good reason to question the meaning of the centurion’s confession. He believed that Jesus was God’s Son. The resurrection of Our Lord proved him right (Romans 1:3-4).
Luke 23:33-35
SERMON NO. EIGHTEEN
BEHOLDING THE CRUCIFIED ONE
Introduction
I. SPECTACLE OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. After the betrayal and arrest come the trials. He was shamed by His own (high priest). Herod plays with Him like a cat would a mouse. He mocks Him and allows Him to be smitten in the mouth. Then Jesus is returned to Pilate a second time. Pilate has Him scourged with a whip made of leather and bone until His back is a bleeding mass of raw flesh. Pilate wants to release Him. But the Jews cry Crucify Him, his blood be upon us and upon our children. Release unto us Barabbas the murderer. And, for political reasons, Pilate releases Him to be crucified.
And so the humiliated, tortured, betrayed, exhausted Son of God goes out bearing a 300 pound cross of wood. Through the streets of the city He goes, stumbling, dragging this cross along as the throngs cast stones and spit upon him. Up the long hill of Golgotha. There He is grabbed roughly by the soldiers and laid down upon the cross, BUT HE OFFERS NO RESISTANCE. The steel spikes are brutally driven into the quivering flesh of His hands and then His feet. The excruciating pain is relayed from the nerves to His brain. And what comes from his mouth? Agony and screams? NO! Hate and curses? NO! Wonder of wonders, His lips part to speak a blessingFather forgive them, for they know not what they do.
II. AND THE PEOPLE STOOD BEHOLDING. What did they behold in the crucified One? What did those around the cross see? They saw much the same thing as men and women see in the Crucifixion today. THE CRUCIFIXION WAS NECESSARY. IT WAS IN GOD’S PLAN FOR JESUS CONTINUALLY TAUGHT I MUST DIE. IT WAS A SPECTACLE OF LOVE FOR MAN TO BEHOLD. IT WAS A PLANNED SPECTACLE FOR IT WAS PROPHECIED. Luke 2:1-52.
Discussion
I.
THE ROMANS. They beheld Him through eyes of Indifference. Pilate made two tries to release Him and saw that politics demanded His death so he washed his hands of the whole matter. WHAT WAS ONE MORE DEAD JEW?? AFTER ALL PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY. He had many responsibilities of more importance than the squabbles of the Jews. HE JUST HAD OTHER THINGS TO DO MORE IMPORTANT THAN LISTENING TO THIS NAZARENE’S CLAIMS OR BEING TOUCHED BY HIS INNOCENCE. Notice the calloused indifference of the soldiers who methodically nailed him to the cross and then sat down to gamble over his garments. There are multitudes today who look at the Crucified One through eyes of indifference. THEY COULDN-‘T CARE LESS THAT A MAN DIED SOME 2000 YEARS AGO. THEY ARE TOO BUSY WITH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS SUCH AS POLITICS, PTA, KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES. THEY HAVE SO CALLOUSED THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR EMOTIONS THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER TOUCHED WITH THE LOVE SHOWN IN THE CROSS.
They thought they saw Weakness. Pilate said, Don-’t you know I have the power of life and death over you. and still you say nothing in your own defense? This Nazarene had even taught the doctrines of weaklings according to them. WHO EVER HEARD OF TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK? GOING THE SECOND MILE? RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL? BUT A LOOK AT ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOWS THIS TO BE THE GREATEST ACT OF COURAGE HISTORY HAS EVER WITNESSED. MY LORD WAS NO WEAKLING NOR COWARD! HE WAS A MAN OF ALL MEN. THOSE WHO STOOD WATCHING HIM WERE THE WEAK, SPINELESS, GROVELING COWARDS. THESE WERE AFRAID TO FACE UP TO THE DEMANDS AND CONSEQUENCES OF HIS TEACHINGS. THE WEAKLINGS CANNOT TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, AND WILL NOT GO THE OTHER MILE.
They thought they saw Foolishness. He claimed to be a King, but where was His kingdom? They scoffed at Him as a religious crackpot. He had claimed to be a God. but none of their gods had ever acted like He didHOW FOOLISH! WITH THEIR GODS IT WAS OPPOSITEMEN DIED FOR THEIR GODS. He claimed to be dying in the place of men. This the wise heathen philosophers could not accept as sensible. The Greek philosophers at Athens scoffed at Paul’s preaching the gospel of the cross and resurrection. (Acts 17:1-34).
HEAR WHAT MODERN UNBELIEVERS HAVE TO SAY. Dressed in the pious robes of ecclesiastical finery, giving the unsuspecting world the impression he is a follower of Christ, Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, former head of the World Council of Churches says, We hear much of the substitutionary theory of the atonement. This theory to me is immoral. If Jesus paid it all or if He is the substitute for me, or if He is the sacrifice for all the sin of the world, then why discuss forgiveness? The books are closed. Another has paid the debt, borne the penalty, I owe nothing. I am absolved. I cannot see forgiveness as predicted upon the act of someone else. It is my sin. I must atone. The theologians today do not see Jesus dying for our sins. They see him merely dying a tragic death for his misguided conviction that he had a special mission. IT WAS NO ACCIDENT IT WAS PLANNED BY GODREAD THE PROPHETS, AND SEE HOW GOD MOVES IN AND THOUGH ALL OF HISTORY! If a prince or a king, passing by an execution, should take the condemned man’s place and suffer in his place the deed would ring through all history, and be quoted as an amazing instance of heroic pity; and well deserved would be all the words of praise and admiration which would record and eulogize it. Yet, our Lord Jesus did this, and infinitely more for those who were not merely criminals, but enemies to His own throne and person. This is a wonder of wonders. But it meets with small praise. The most of men around us have heard of it, and treated it as of little import; as an idle tale; as a pious legend; as a venerable fable; as an unpractical myth. Even those who know, believe and admire are cold in their emotions with regard to the story of the atonement. Herein is love which ought to set our hearts on fire, and yet we scarcely maintain a smoldering spark of enthusiasm. So said Spurgeon. We preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumbling block and unto Gentiles foolishness. For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. DO YOU STAND WITH THE GENTILES AS YOU BEHOLD THE CROSS???
II.
WHAT DID THE JEWS SEE AS THEY BEHELD HIM? To them His crucifixion was a stumbling block. What did they cry as they circled the cross? If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. He saved others, himself he cannot save. THEY STUMBLED AT THE IDEA OF A CRUCIFIED AND HUMILIATED JEWISH MESSIAH. They had made up their minds ages ago just what type of Saviour they would accept. THEY WANTED A SOCIAL REFORMER, A POLITICAL LIBERATOR WHO WOULD LEAVE THE RELIGIOUS STATUS QUO ALONE. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE ARE MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE TODAY WHO STUMBLE AT THE SAME THING. THEY LOOK AT THE CHURCH AS A FAILURE! THEY HAVE TRIED TO USE AND ABUSE THE CHURCH AS A SOCIAL REFORM MOVEMENT, TO LIBERATE AND CONTROL POLITICS, BUT THEY WON-‘T HAVE IT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SOULS OF MEN!
They stumbled at His claims to be divine. I believe Jesus could have gotten by and perhaps even have been honored if He had claimed to be just another prophet. Many would allow Him this much today. But when He claimed to: forgive sins, come before Abraham, be the Messiah, and demanded rule over their hearts THEY CRIED BLASPHEMY. THEY COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY TEACHING THAT ASSOCIATED HIM WITH GOD.
MODERN THEOLOGIANS REBEL AT THE IDEA THAT GOD HAS ASSOCIATED HIMSELF WITH MAN OR HAS COME INTO THE REALM OF HISTORY. THEY SAY HE MUST BE WHOLLY TRANSCENDENTWHOLLY OTHER. THEY SAY WE LIMIT GOD’S POWER AND HOLINESS WHEN WE SAY THAT HE CAME IN THE FORM OF FLESH. TO THE CONTRARY, TO RELEGATE GOD ONLY TO THE REALM OF THE WHOLLY OTHER LIMITS HIS POWER AND HOLINESS. HOW COULD A GOD WHO HAD NO DESIRE TO BE TOUCHED WITH OUR INFIRMITIES, TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO US IN HISTORY, BE RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY AND LOVING??? They felt they were rid of One whose righteousness they could not stand. As long as He was alive, they could not live with themselves, their consciences cried out against them, AND MEN AND WOMEN TODAY REJECT JESUS IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DO AS THEY PLEASE, HAVING PUT BLINDERS UPON THEIR OWN CONSCIENCES. NO ONE WANTS TO MEASURE HIMSELF BY THE PERFECT STANDARD. JESUS CHRIST. WHEN HIS PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS SHOWS US OUR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, WE TRY TO HIDE OURSELVES IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER. USUALLY BY COMPARING OURSELVES WITH OURSELVES.
They saw in the Crucified One their scapegoat. Their High Priest had said, It is expedient that one should die for the nation, lest the Romans come and take away our nation and our place. IS HE NOT BEING USED AS A SCAPEGOAT TODAY? SOME HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST BUT, UPON FINDING THEY CAN-‘T HAVE HIM AND THE WORLD TOO, THEY FALL AWAY AND CRUCIFY AFRESH THE SON OF GOD, BY COUNTING THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHEREWITH THEY WERE SANCTIFIED AN UNHOLY THING. cf. also Hebrews 6:1-6. AND THEN WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY USE HIS CHURCH AND HIS SAINTS AS THEIR EXCUSE FOR BACKSLIDING. THEY HARP ON THE HYPOCRITES. OR THEY HARP ON THE IDEA THAT CHRISTIANS ARE TOO UNCOMPROMISING, TOO INTOLERANT, FORGETTING JESUS HIMSELF SAID THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYSTWO CLASSES OF HUMANITY, SAVED AND LOST. WHERE DO YOU STAND TODAY AND BEHOLD THE CRUCIFIED ONE? ARE YOU WITH THE JEWS? IF YOU ARE A BACKSLIDER, YOU ARE WITH THEM.
III.
WHAT DO BELIEVERS BEHOLD? One of the thieves beheld the Son of God and in faith and trust committed His soul to Him. We see sin condemned in the flesh. Jesus came in the flesh and lived a sinless life in the flesh, tempted in all points like as we are and WON THE VICTORY OVER SIN AND BECAME THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS! He fulfilled the requirements of the law of God, even the sentence and penalty of the law which says, The soul that sinneth it shall die.
We see there the propitiation for our sin. WE BEHOLD JESUS AS HE SUFFERED THE AGONY OF THE SECOND DEATH FOR US. AND THEN WE READ AS HE HIMSELF REVEALS FROM HEAVEN TO JOHN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONTHAT SUCH AS ARE BELIEVERS, OVER THEM THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER.
We see God manifesting Himself as being Just and the Justifier. God decreed in His law that sin must be punished. If He went back on His word, He would be a powerless, unjust God. BUT HOW CAN HE HAVE LOVE AND SAVE MEN AND STILL PUNISH SIN? HE ACCOMPLISHED IT ALL IN THE CROSS OF CALVARY WHERE HE PUNISHED SIN AND SAVED MAN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!
We see sin as it was never shown before in all of its evilness. As a sinner man is a slave who must be redeemed, an enemy who must be reconciled, a dead corpse which must be resurrected and given new life, a captive whose powerful oppressors must be overthrown and a criminal who must be justified. WE SEE THE HOLY AND PERFECT HATE WHICH GOD HAS FOR SIN IN THE GIVING OF THE LIFE OF HIS SON.
We see the love and power of God manifested. The word of the cross may be foolishness to some. BUT TO THOSE WHO ARE BEING SAVED IT IS BOTH THE POWER AND THE WISDOM OF GOD. GOD’S INFINITE WISDOM KNEW THAT THE CROSS WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO DRAW MEN UNTO HIM IN SINCERE FAITH. And I, if I will be lifted up, will draw all men unto me. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friend. For the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts. for while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. A man may decide many things in this life simply by human reason and knowledge. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL, HE MUST HAVE A POWER THAT IS BEYOND HUMAN REASON. THAT POWER IS PROVIDED IN THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. IT IS GOD’S DIVINE SEAL. GOD, DESIRING TO SWEAR WITH AN OATH, COULD SWEAR BY NONE GREATER THAN HIMSELF, SO HE SEALED HIS PROMISE BY SIGNING HIS OATH IN HIS OWN BLOOD. THE BLOOD OF HIS SON UPON THE CROSS.
Conclusion
YOU SAY, I WANT SOME ASSURANCE. I WANT SOME AUTHORITY. I WANT SOME POWER BEHIND ANY PROMISES OF SALVATION. THERE IT IS IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. His death was sufficient for your sins. His resurrection is power for your new life. The entire New Testament says it is so. YOU MAY BECOME A NEW CREATURE. YOU MAY HAVE YOUR SINS BLOTTED OUT. YOU MAY HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT COME AND LIVE WITH YOU.
HOW DO YOU CONTACT THIS DEATH? By faith? YES, BUT MORE! For contacting His death comprehends all of our obedience. By simply repenting? YES, BUT MORE! By prayer? YES, BUT MORE! By making public confession of faith? YES, BUT MORE. IT IS FULL AND COMPLETE OBEDIENCE. Romans 6:1-23. We are baptized into his death; planted together with Him. Colossians 2:1-23. We are buried with Him in baptism. IT IS HERE THAT THE FINAL ACT IN OUR CONTACTING THE DEATH TAKES PLACE.
HOW DO YOU LOOK UPON THE CRUCIFIED ONE THIS EVENING? I pray with all my soul that you look with faith trusting and seeking to obey Him in all things. He has become the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Remember what He told Nicodemus. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life. John 3:13
YOU KNOW THE ACCOUNT OF THE ISRAELITES AND THE SERPENT OF BRONZE ON THE STAFF. THOSE BITTEN OF THE FIERY SERPENTS WERE CURED WHEN THEY LOOKED, IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE, UPON THE BRONZE SERPENT LIFTED UP THERE IN THE WILDERNESS. BUT IF THEY DELAYED. PROCRASTINATED IN UNBELIEF, THEY DIED! There was an old man converted at the age of 68. One day he sat crying as the minister was preaching on the text, No man liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Later, with tears streaming down his cheeks, he approached the preacher. The preacher asked him what was the matter. Oh, sir that textit is true! he replied. I did not know the Lord until I was 68. I stopped at my son’s home this morning and said, Come on son, and go with me to church this morning. and he laughed as he replied, No, Dad, I-’ve got plenty of time; I-’ll wait until I Amos 68 to get religion, like you did. I walked on down the street until I came upon my grandchildren playing and said, Come on kids, let’s go down to Bible School this morning. No, they replied, we are busy, Grandpa; we will wait until we are old to start going to Sunday School and church like you did. Sir, he said to the preacher, I would give my right arm if I could live my life over. Napoleon, the little general, paced the floor of his tent. Half of his troops had been destroyed and the battle yet raged. A messenger rushed in with the shout, Tidings, sire, You have won the victory. Yes, replied Napoleon quietly, I have won the victory but another such victory would cost me my kingdom. YOU MAY HAVE WON THE VICTORY OVER THE SERMON: YOU MAY HAVE WON THE VICTORY OVER CONSCIENCE, OVER PRAYERS OF MOTHER, OVER PLEADINGS OF YOUR WIFE, BUT ANOTHER SUCH VICTORY MAY COST YOU YOUR ETERNAL SOUL!
Luke 23:50-56
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 3
Interred (Luke 23:50-56)**
50 Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; 56then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
**Luke 23:50-52 Compassion: **The fact of Jesus-’ death is of such importance we here summarize the gospel’s testimony to it:
a.
He gave up His spirit (John 19:30).
b.
The centurion stood facing Him and saw that He had breathed His last (Mark 15:39).
c.
The soldiers came to break His legs but saw that He was already dead (John 19:33).
d.
John saw Him die and claims to be an eyewitness (John 19:35).
e.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus knew He was dead, Matthew 27:57 ff., John 19:39, two council members of the Jewish Sanhedrin.
f.
Pilate made sure by questioning the centurion that Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44-45).
g.
Joseph and Nicodemus put His body in a tomb and rolled a stone against the door (Matthew 27:59 ff,; Mark 15:46 ff.; Luke 23:50 ff.; John 19:38 ff.)
Joseph’s home town, Arimathea, was fifteen miles east of Joppa. Joseph was a rich man, indicated by the fact that he had a tomb hewn for himself out of solid rock. He was a respected member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43**) **and was looking for the kingdom of God. This undoubtedly infers he believed the prophets of the Old Testament and believed Jesus was the fulfillment of them. He was a good man (Luke 23:50-51) who had voted contrary to the Sanhedrin’s sentence of death for Jesus. G. Campbell Morgan notes: It is an interesting fact that on that day, when He was dead, those who cared for His final burial were secret disciples.. In the hour of crisis, it is often some loud-voiced Peter who says, Though all forget Thee, yet will not I, who fails, while the secret disciples suddenly gain courage. It was Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, men who loved, and men who believed in the coming of the kingdom, who buried Jesus. No hand but the hand of love ever touched the dead body of Jesus. Those who loved and believed Him took Him down from the cross, and put His body in a grave they provided. It was those who loved Him and believed Him who anointed His body with spices. God would not give the body of His Son to the pagans or the Jewish rulers to desecrate further.
**Luke 23:53-56 Crypt: **Just down the slope west from Gordon’s Calvary is a garden. At the north end is a rock wall with an opening. One must stoop to enter. There is a runway there where a large round stone might be moved back and forth. Within the opening is a room, nine or ten feet square. There is a ledge on the east side of the room just large enough to hold a human body for burial. Many scholars believe this is the actual tomb of Joseph where Jesus-’ body was interred. It does seem to fit every specification of the scriptural account. Note the following:
a.
He was buried in a tomb no one else occupied ever before.
b.
One hundred litras (80 lbs. U.S.) of burial spices were used.
c.
There was no time for hired mourners or the other customary rites of Jewish burial at the home.
d.
The body was wrapped limb by limb with spices sprinkled profusely upon each bandage.
e.
The body was not carried on a bier to the grave as was customary.
f.
Everything was hurried and without ceremony.
g.
It was in a rich man’s tomb (fulfillment of Isa 53:9).
h.
His body did not see corruption (decay) according to prophecy also (Psalms 16:10).
Because it was late Friday evening, and the sabbath began at sundown, the women (those who had come with Jesus from Galilee) simply followed Joseph and Nicodemus to the tomb to make certain they could find it after the Sabbath to anoint it with spices. Luke says, they saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. then they returned to the city to prepare spices and ointments. This is significant. There have been many theories attempting to explain away the testimony of the empty tomb where the dead body of Jesus had been interred. These are attempts to deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus. One of those theories is that the women got lost on their return to the garden, after sabbath, and came to a tomb which was empty, but it was not the tomb where Jesus had been buried. The information Luke recorded was that the women took dangerous but exacting measures to be certain they would not return to the wrong tomb. In light of Luke’s record which, according to his own preface (Luke 1:1-4), was written only after the most extensive accumulation of eyewitnessed testimony, it seems ludicrous to try to explain the empty tomb by theorizing these women went to the wrong tomb!
Now the enemies of God have done their utmost. The pretended ruler of this world thinks he has devoured the man-child (cf. Revelation 12:1-6). If God is to be dethroned, this will be the hour, for His Son has been put to death and buried. The greatest power-confrontation of all time has come to a head. The battle has been fought! But who is victor? Not Satan. He has, in fact, sealed his own doom. He has suffered final and absolute defeat. He has been cast out (John 12:31), destroyed (Hebrews 2:14-15), judged (John 16:11), and bound (Matthew 12:29, etc.). Death has no power over Jesus (John 14:30)it cannot hold Him! His followers will go to the tomb to see Him but they will be told they are seeking the living among the dead! God is victor! He took the worst the devil could ever do to both God and man, the death of the Son of God and man, and made it the justification of both God and man!
We cannot here continue commenting on the meaning of the death of Christ. That remains for the epistles of the New Testament. The purpose of the gospel records was simply to document the facts of His death as written testimonies of eyewitnesses. It is nothing short of supernatural that those who wrote these gospel accounts, some twenty years after the events, did not indulge in expansive interpretations of the facts they recorded. It should be considered proof that the gospels were written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that they do not regale the reader with interpretations of events as most human reporters do.
STUDY STIMULATORS:
What kind of pressures would Pilate be under that would make him want to appease a vanquished Jewish hierarchy? Didn-’t Pilate have freedom to override their demands if he wished? Is Pilate the only political official ever to feel this kind of pressure? How should we expect politicians to react under such presssure? How does God expect them to react?
Does it appear to you that Pilate began his review of the charges against Jesus with honesty and justice in mind? Or, maybe he thought he could use this incident to torment his Jewish tormentors? What do you think? In light of unchristian human behavior, what do you think of Pilate?
Why didn-’t Jesus talk to Herod? Does it bother you that Jesus did not even try to get Herod to repent? May we use Jesus-’ conduct as an example to follow in certain confrontations we may have?
What does the demand of the Jews to have Bar-Abbas released instead of Jesus show about their purposes and relation to God’s Word?
What does the scripture say about those who violate their own conscience? (cf. Romans 2:12-16; Romans 14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 10:23-30). Is that what Pilate did?
What is your reaction to Jesus-’ compassionate warning to the women of Jerusalem as He, Himself, was being abused on the way to Calvary? Could you be like Him in such circumstances? Are you supposed to be?
What do you think of the method of execution by crucifixion? Do you think it had a deterrent-value? Is execution necessarily supposed to be humane? Is crucifixion any less humane than Jewish death by stoning?
When Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those crucifying Him, did God answer His prayer? When? How?
Where is Paradise? When did Jesus go there? Is that where all believers go after death?
How could a secret disciple of Jesus like Joseph of Arimathea get such courage to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus and bury it in his own tomb? What had he done at the Jewish trials of Jesus? Why? Should Joseph have done more in Jesus-’ defense?
What is significant about all the documented details of Jesus-’ death and burial? Did Jesus really die? What if He did not?
What about the importance of the women seeing where He was buried?
Applebury’s Comments
The Burial of Jesus Scripture
Luke 23:50-56 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councilor, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of God: 52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain. 54 And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
*Comments
a man named Joseph.*Another man named Joseph had watched over Jesus in His infancy. Now this good and righteous man who was looking for the kingdom of God boldly identified himself with Him in His death. That took courage. But Joseph had not consented to this wicked deed; he had agreed with Pilate and the centurion that Jesus was innocent. It is true that he had been a secret disciple (John 19:38), but he could no longer remain so. He asked Pilate’s permission to take the body of Jesus from the cross. He prepared it for burial and laid it in his own new tomb.
Nicodemus, the inquiring Pharisee whom Jesus taught the lesson of the New Birth, the bold defender of Jesus who was being condemned by all his colleagues, brought spices and helped Joseph with the burial. See John 3:1-5; John 7:50; John 19:39-41.
*And it was the day of Preparation.*That is, Friday, for the sabbath was about to begin. The women had only time enough to prepare the spices before sundown. They rested on the sabbath and came early on the first day of the week to complete their sorrowful task.
Summary
The Jews agreed that Jesus should be put to death because, as they said, He was guilty of blasphemy. But they knew that such a charge would mean nothing to Pilate. What could they say to the governor that would get him to consent to the death of Jesus? He was perverting the nation of the Jews! That would do it, for the governor had to keep peace. But just to make sure, they added two more charges, forbidding to give tribute to Caesar and saying that He was a king. Pilate examined Jesus and three times pronounced Him innocent. When he learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Him to Herod who questioned Him at length but found nothing worthy of death in Him. But the Jews pressed the issue and threatened to take the case to Caesar. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, he ordered Jesus to be crucified. Jesus went out bearing His own cross, but soon Simon of Cyrene was compelled to bear the cross to the place of crucifixion. Jesus tried to comfort the women of Jerusalem as they followed Him. They would sufferperhaps at the destruction of Jerusalemmore hardships later on. They would cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them and cover them from that persecution. On the cross, Jesus prayed, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. He said to the dying thief, Today, shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Just before He died, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. The centurion who commanded the soldiers that executed the three looked at Jesus as He died and said, Certainly this was a righteous man. Later he said, This was God’s Son. Joseph of Arimathea who had been a secret disciple of Jesus went to Pilate and asked permission to take the body of Jesus down an bury it. It was the day of Preparation and the sabbath was about to begin. The women prepared spices and ointments and rested on the sabbath.
Questions
Why did the Jews change their charge when they brought Jesus before the governor?
What are the three charges which they presented before Pilate?
What evidence could they present to support them?
What was Pilate’s verdict after examining Jesus?
Why did he send Him to Herod?
What was the attitude of Herod when he saw Jesus?
What examination of the charges did he make?
What was the verdict of Herod?
Why did he and Pilate become friends at that time?
What plan did Pilate use to attempt to get the people to agree to the release of Jesus?
When did the people reverse the decision made at the trial?
Who was Simon of Cyrene? What did he do?
What was to happen to the Daughters of Jerusalem?
What does Calvary mean? Golgotha?
What did Jesus mean by His prayer: Father forgive them?
Why did He say to the thief, Today you will be with me in Paradise?
Where are the dead awaiting the resurrection?
What is the significance of Jesus using the words of Psa 22:1?
How does Paul explain the reason for the death of Christ?
What was unfair about the remark, He saved others, but he can-’t save himself?
Why was the sign over the cross written in three languages?
Why did Pilate refuse to change what he had written?
What made the difference between the death of Jesus and that of two who were crucified with Him?
What proof is there that Jesus actually died?
What are the two statements of the centurion? What do they mean?
Who was Joseph of Arimathea?
What had been his attitude toward Jesus?
Why did he ask Pilate for the body?
Who helped him?
On what day was Jesus buried?