Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Luke » Chapter 23 » Verse 27-38

Luke 23:27-38 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

27 And G1161 there followed G190 him G846 a great G4183 company G4128 of people, G2992 and G2532 of women, G1135 which G3739 also G2532 bewailed G2875 and G2532 lamented G2354 him. G846

28 But G1161 Jesus G2424 turning G4762 unto G4314 them G846 said, G2036 Daughters G2364 of Jerusalem, G2419 weep G2799 not G3361 for G1909 me, G1691 but G4133 weep G2799 for G1909 yourselves, G1438 and G2532 for G1909 your G5216 children. G5043

29 For, G3754 behold, G2400 the days G2250 are coming, G2064 in G1722 the which G3739 they shall say, G2046 Blessed G3107 are the barren, G4723 and G2532 the wombs G2836 that G3739 never G3756 bare, G1080 and G2532 the paps G3149 which G3739 never G3756 gave suck. G2337

30 Then G5119 shall they begin G756 to say G3004 to the mountains, G3735 Fall G4098 on G1909 us; G2248 and G2532 to the hills, G1015 Cover G2572 us. G2248

31 For G3754 if G1487 they do G4160 these things G5023 in G1722 a green G5200 tree, G3586 what G5101 shall be done G1096 in G1722 the dry? G3584

32 And G1161 there were also G2532 two G1417 other, G2087 malefactors, G2557 led G71 with G4862 him G846 to be put to death. G337

33 And G2532 when G3753 they were come G565 to G1909 the place, G5117 which G3588 is called G2564 Calvary, G2898 there G1563 they crucified G4717 him, G846 and G2532 the malefactors, G2557 one G3739 G3303 on G1537 the right hand, G1188 and G1161 the other G3739 on G1537 the left. G710

34 Then G1161 said G3004 Jesus, G2424 Father, G3962 forgive G863 them; G846 for G1063 they know G1492 not G3756 what G5101 they do. G4160 And G1161 they parted G1266 his G846 raiment, G2440 and cast G906 lots. G2819

35 And G2532 the people G2992 stood G2476 beholding. G2334 And G1161 the rulers G758 also G2532 with G4862 them G846 derided G1592 him, saying, G3004 He saved G4982 others; G243 let him save G4982 himself, G1438 if G1487 he G3778 be G2076 Christ, G5547 the chosen G1588 of God. G2316

36 And G1161 the soldiers G4757 also G2532 mocked G1702 him, G846 coming G4334 to him, and G2532 offering G4374 him G846 vinegar, G3690

37 And G2532 saying, G3004 If G1487 thou G4771 be G1488 the king G935 of the Jews, G2453 save G4982 thyself. G4572

38 And G1161 a superscription G1923 also G2532 was G2258 written G1125 over G1909 him G846 in letters G1121 of Greek, G1673 and G2532 Latin, G4513 and G2532 Hebrew, G1444 THIS G3778 IS G2076 THE KING G935 OF THE JEWS. G2453

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 PilateDelivered UpLed 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 DeathHis Burial.

(See on Mt 27:51-56; Mt 27:62-66; and Joh 19:31-42).