1 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.
8 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.
13 And Pilate called together the chief priests 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.
17 `Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner.'
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.
26 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, To-day 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.
50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, 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.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 23
Commentary on Luke 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
Lu 23:1-5. Jesus before Pilate.
(See on Mr 15:1-5; and Joh 18:28-19:22.)
Lu 23:6-12. Jesus before Herod.
(See Mr 15:6.)
7. sent him to Herod—hoping thus to escape the dilemma of an unjust condemnation or an unpopular release.
at Jerusalem … at that time—to keep the passover.
8. some miracle—Fine sport thou expectedst, as the Philistines with Samson (Jud 16:25), O coarse, crafty, cruel tyrant! But thou hast been baulked before (see on Lu 13:31-33), and shalt be again.
9. answered … nothing—(See Mt 7:6).
10. stood and vehemently accused him—no doubt both of treason before the king, and of blasphemy, for the king was a Jew.
11. his men of war—his bodyguard.
set him at naught, &c.—stung with disappointment at His refusal to amuse him with miracles or answer any of his questions.
gorgeous robe—bright robe. If this mean (as sometimes) of shining white, this being the royal color among the Jews, it may have been in derision of His claim to be "King of the Jews." But if so, "He in reality honored Him, as did Pilate with His true title blazoned on the cross" [Bengel].
sent him again to Pilate—instead of releasing him as he ought, having established nothing against Him (Lu 23:14, 15). "Thus he implicated himself with Pilate in all the guilt of His condemnation, and with him accordingly he is classed" (Ac 4:27) [Bengel].
at enmity—perhaps about some point of disputed jurisdiction, which this exchange of the Prisoner might tend to heal.
Lu 23:13-38. Jesus Again before Pilate—Delivered Up—Led Away to Be Crucified.
(See on Mr 15:6-15; and Joh 19:2-17).
26. Cyrenian—of Cyrene, in Libya, on the north coast of Africa, where were many Jews who had a synagogue at Jerusalem (Ac 6:9, and see Ac 2:10). He was "the father of Alexander and Rufus" (Mr 15:21), probably better known afterwards than himself, as disciples. (See Ro 16:13).
out of the country—and casually drawn into that part of the crowd.
laid the cross—"Him they compel to bear His cross," (Mt 27:32)—sweet compulsion, if it issued in him or his sons voluntarily "taking up their cross!" It would appear that our Lord had first to bear His own cross (Joh 19:17), but being from exhaustion unable to proceed, it was laid on another to bear it "after Him."
27-31. women—not the precious Galilean women (Lu 23:49), but part of the crowd.
28. not for me, &c.—noble spirit of compassion, rising above His own dread endurances, in tender commiseration of sufferings yet in the distance and far lighter, but without His supports and consolations!
30. mountains … hills, &c.—(Ho 10:8), flying hither and thither as they did in despair for shelter, during the siege; a very slight premonition of cries of another and more awful kind (Isa 2:10, 19, 21; Re 6:16, 17).
31. green tree—that naturally resists the fire.
the dry—that attracts the fire, being its proper fuel. The proverb here plainly means: "If such sufferings alight upon the innocent One, the very Lamb of God, what must be in store for those who are provoking the flames?"
Lu 23:32-38, 44-46. Crucifixion and Death of the Lord Jesus.
(See on Joh 19:17-30).
Lu 23:39-43. The Two Thieves.
39. railed on him—catching up the universal derision, but with a turn of his own. Jesus, "reviled, reviles not again"; but another voice from the cross shall nobly wipe out this dishonor and turn it to the unspeakable glory of the dying Redeemer.
40. Dost not thou—"thou" is emphatic: "Let others jeer, but dost thou?"
fear God—Hast thou no fear of meeting Him so soon as thy righteous Judge? Thou art within an hour or two of eternity, and dost thou spend it in reckless disregard of coming judgment?
in the same condemnation—He has been condemned to die, but is it better with thee? Doth even a common lot kindle no sympathy in thy breast?
41. we … justly, &c.—He owns the worst of his crimes and deserts, and would fain shame his fellow into the same.
nothing amiss—literally, "out of place"; hence "unnatural"; a striking term here. Our Lord was not charged with ordinary crime, but only with laying claim to office and honors which amounted to blasphemy. The charge of treason had not even a show of truth, as Pilate told His enemies. In this defense then there seems more than meets the eye. "He made Himself the promised Messiah, the Son of God; but in this He 'did nothing amiss'; He ate with publicans and sinners, and bade all the weary and heavy laden come and rest under His wing; but in this He 'did nothing amiss': He claimed to be Lord of the Kingdom of God, to shut it at will, but also to open it at pleasure even to such as we are; but in this He 'did nothing amiss!'" Does His next speech imply less than this? Observe: (1) His frank confession and genuine self-condemnation. (2) His astonishment and horror at the very different state of his fellow's mind. (3) His anxiety to bring him to a better mind while yet there was hope. (4) His noble testimony, not only to the innocence of Jesus, but to all that this implied of the rightfulness of His claims.
42. said unto Jesus, &c.—Observe here (1) The "kingdom" referred to was one beyond the grave; for it is inconceivable that he should have expected Him to come down from the cross to erect any temporal kingdom. (2) This he calls Christ's own (Thy) kingdom. (3) As such, he sees in Christ the absolute right to dispose of that kingdom to whom He pleased. (4) He does not presume to ask a place in that kingdom, though that is what he means, but with a humility quite affecting, just says, "Lord, remember me when," &c. Yet was there mighty faith in that word. If Christ will but "think upon him" (Ne 5:19), at that august moment when He "cometh into His kingdom," it will do. "Only assure me that then Thou wilt not forget such a wretch as I, that once hung by Thy side, and I am content." Now contrast with this bright act of faith the darkness even of the apostles' minds, who could hardly be got to believe that their Master would die at all, who now were almost despairing of Him, and who when dead had almost buried their hopes in His grave. Consider, too, the man's previous disadvantages and bad life. And then mark how his faith comes out—not in protestations, "Lord, I cannot doubt, I am firmly persuaded that Thou art Lord of a kingdom, that death cannot disannul Thy title nor impede the assumption of it in due time," &c.—but as having no shadow of doubt, and rising above it as a question altogether, he just says, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest," &c. Was ever faith like this exhibited upon earth? It looks as if the brightest crown had been reserved for the Saviour's head at His darkest moment!
43. Jesus said, &c.—The dying Redeemer speaks as if He Himself viewed it in this light. It was a "song in the night." It ministered cheer to His spirit in the midnight gloom that now enwrapt it.
Verily I say unto thee—"Since thou speakest as to the king, with kingly authority speak I to thee."
To-day—"Thou art prepared for a long delay before I come into My kingdom, but not a day's delay shall there be for thee; thou shalt not be parted from Me even for a moment, but together we shall go, and with Me, ere this day expire, shalt thou be in Paradise" (future bliss, 2Co 12:4; Re 2:7). Learn (1) How "One is taken and another left"; (2) How easily divine teaching can raise the rudest and worst above the best instructed and most devoted servants of Christ; (3) How presumption and despair on a death hour are equally discountenanced here, the one in the impenitent thief, the other in his penitent fellow.
Lu 23:47-56. Signs and Circumstances Following His Death—His Burial.
(See on Mt 27:51-56; Mt 27:62-66; and Joh 19:31-42).