26 And G2532 as G5613 they led G520 him G846 away, G520 they laid hold upon G1949 one G5100 Simon, G4613 a Cyrenian, G2956 coming G2064 out of G575 the country, G68 and on G2007 him G846 they laid G2007 the cross, G4716 that he might bear G5342 it after G3693 Jesus. G2424
And G1161 as they came out, G1831 they found G2147 a man G444 of Cyrene, G2956 Simon G4613 by name: G3686 him G5126 they compelled G29 to G2443 bear G142 his G846 cross. G4716 And G2532 when they were come G2064 unto G1519 a place G5117 called G3004 Golgotha, G1115 that G3739 is G2076 to say, G3004 a place G5117 of a skull, G2898 They gave G1325 him G846 vinegar G3690 to drink G4095 mingled G3396 with G3326 gall: G5521 and G2532 when he had tasted G1089 thereof, he would G2309 not G3756 drink. G4095 And G1161 they crucified G4717 him, G846 and parted G1266 his G846 garments, G2440 casting G906 lots: G2819 that G2443 it might be fulfilled G4137 which G3588 was spoken G4483 by G5259 the prophet, G4396 They parted G1266 my G3450 garments G2440 among them, G1438 and G2532 upon G1909 my G3450 vesture G2441 did they cast G906 lots. G2819 And G2532 sitting down G2521 they watched G5083 him G846 there; G1563 And G2532 set up G2007 over G1883 his G846 head G2776 his G846 accusation G156 written, G1125 THIS G3778 IS G2076 JESUS G2424 THE KING G935 OF THE JEWS. G2453 Then G5119 were there two G1417 thieves G3027 crucified G4717 with G4862 him, G846 one G1520 on G1537 the right hand, G1188 and G2532 another G1520 on G1537 the left. G2176 And G1161 they that passed by G3899 reviled G987 him, G846 wagging G2795 their G846 heads, G2776 And G2532 saying, G3004 Thou that destroyest G2647 the temple, G3485 and G2532 buildest G3618 it in G1722 three G5140 days, G2250 save G4982 thyself. G4572 If G1487 thou be G1488 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 come down G2597 from G575 the cross. G4716 G1161 Likewise G3668 also G2532 the chief priests G749 mocking G1702 him, with G3326 the scribes G1122 and G2532 elders, G4245 said, G3004 He saved G4982 others; G243 himself G1438 he cannot G3756 G1410 save. G4982 If G1487 he be G2076 the King G935 of Israel, G2474 let him G2597 now G3568 come down G2597 from G575 the cross, G4716 and G2532 we will believe G4100 him. G846 He trusted G3982 in G1909 God; G2316 let him deliver G4506 him G846 now, G3568 if G1487 he will have G2309 him: G846 for G1063 he said, G2036 G3754 I am G1510 the Son G5207 of God. G2316 G1161 The thieves G3027 also, G2532 which G3588 were crucified G4957 with him, G846 cast G3679 the same G846 in his G846 teeth. G3679
And G2532 they compel G29 one G5100 Simon G4613 a Cyrenian, G2956 who passed by, G3855 coming G2064 out of G575 the country, G68 the father G3962 of Alexander G223 and G2532 Rufus, G4504 to G2443 bear G142 his G846 cross. G4716 And G2532 they bring G5342 him G846 unto G1909 the place G5117 Golgotha, G1115 which G3739 is, G2076 being interpreted, G3177 The place G5117 of a skull. G2898 And G2532 they gave G1325 him G846 to drink G4095 wine G3631 mingled with myrrh: G4669 but G1161 he received G2983 it not. G3756 And G2532 when they had crucified G4717 him, G846 they parted G1266 his G846 garments, G2440 casting G906 lots G2819 upon G1909 them, G846 what G5101 every man G5101 should take. G142 And G1161 it was G2258 the third G5154 hour, G5610 and G2532 they crucified G4717 him. G846 And G2532 the superscription G1923 of his G846 accusation G156 was G2258 written over, G1924 THE KING G935 OF THE JEWS. G2453 And G2532 with G4862 him G846 they crucify G4717 two G1417 thieves; G3027 the one G1520 on G1537 his right hand, G1188 and G2532 the other G1520 on G1537 his G846 left. G2176 And G2532 the scripture G1124 was fulfilled, G4137 which G3588 saith, G3004 And G2532 he was numbered G3049 with G3326 the transgressors. G459 And G2532 they that passed by G3899 railed G987 on him, G846 wagging G2795 their G846 heads, G2776 and G2532 saying, G3004 Ah, G3758 thou that destroyest G2647 the temple, G3485 and G2532 buildest G3618 it in G1722 three G5140 days, G2250 Save G4982 thyself, G4572 and G2532 come down G2597 from G575 the cross. G4716 Likewise G1161 G3668 also G2532 the chief priests G749 mocking G1702 said G3004 among G4314 themselves G240 with G3326 the scribes, G1122 He saved G4982 others; G243 himself G1438 he cannot G3756 G1410 save. G4982 Let G2597 Christ G5547 the King G935 of Israel G2474 descend G2597 now G3568 from G575 the cross, G4716 that G2443 we may see G1492 and G2532 believe. G4100 And G2532 they that were crucified G4957 with him G846 reviled G3679 him. G846
And G2532 whosoever G3748 doth G941 not G3756 bear G941 his G846 cross, G4716 and G2532 come G2064 after G3694 me, G3450 cannot G3756 G1410 be G1511 my G3450 disciple. G3101
Then G5119 delivered he G3860 him G846 therefore G3767 unto them G846 to G2443 be crucified. G4717 And G1161 they took G3880 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 led him away. G520 And G2532 he bearing G941 his G846 cross G4716 went forth G1831 into G1519 a place G5117 called G3004 the place of a skull, G2898 which G3739 is called G3004 in the Hebrew G1447 Golgotha: G1115
Whom G3739 they set G2476 before G1799 the apostles: G652 and G2532 when they had prayed, G4336 they laid G2007 their hands G5495 on G2007 them. G846
Then G1161 there arose G450 certain G5100 of G1537 the synagogue, G4864 which G3588 is called G3004 the synagogue of the Libertines, G3032 and G2532 Cyrenians, G2956 and G2532 Alexandrians, G221 and G2532 of them of G575 Cilicia G2791 and G2532 of Asia, G773 disputing G4802 with Stephen. G4736
Now G1161 there were G2258 in G2596 the church G1577 that was G5607 at G1722 Antioch G490 certain G5100 prophets G4396 and G2532 teachers; G1320 as G5037 Barnabas, G921 and G2532 Simeon G4826 that was called G2564 Niger, G3526 and G2532 Lucius G3066 of Cyrene, G2956 and G5037 Manaen, G3127 which had been brought up G4939 with Herod G2264 the tetrarch, G5076 and G2532 Saul. G4569
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).