Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Luke » Chapter 23 » Verse 8-24

Luke 23:8-24 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

8 And G1161 when Herod G2264 saw G1492 Jesus, G2424 he was exceeding G3029 glad: G5463 for G1063 he was G2258 desirous G2309 to see G1492 him G846 of G1537 a long G2425 season, because G1223 he had heard G191 many things G4183 of G4012 him; G846 and G2532 he hoped G1679 to have seen G1492 some G5100 miracle G4592 done G1096 by G5259 him. G846

9 Then G1161 he questioned G1905 with him G846 in G1722 many G2425 words; G3056 but G1161 he G846 answered G611 him G846 nothing. G3762

10 And G1161 the chief priests G749 and G2532 scribes G1122 stood G2476 and vehemently G2159 accused G2723 him. G846

11 And G1161 Herod G2264 with G4862 his G846 men of war G4753 set G1848 him G846 at nought, G1848 and G2532 mocked G1702 him, and arrayed G4016 him G846 in a gorgeous G2986 robe, G2066 and sent G375 him G846 again G375 to Pilate. G4091

12 And G1161 G3739 the same G1722 G846 day G2250 Pilate G4091 and G2532 Herod G2264 were made G1096 friends G5384 together: G3326 G5037 G240 for G1063 before G4391 they were G5607 at G1722 enmity G2189 between G4314 themselves. G1438

13 And G1161 Pilate, G4091 when he had called together G4779 the chief priests G749 and G2532 the rulers G758 and G2532 the people, G2992

14 Said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Ye have brought G4374 this G5129 man G444 unto me, G3427 as G5613 one that perverteth G654 the people: G2992 and, G2532 behold, G2400 I, G1473 having examined G350 him before G1799 you, G5216 have found G2147 no G3762 fault G158 in G1722 this G5126 man G444 touching those things G3739 whereof G2596 ye accuse G2723 him: G846

15 No, G235 nor yet G3761 Herod: G2264 for G1063 I sent G375 you G5209 to G4314 him; G846 and, G2532 lo, G2400 nothing G3762 worthy G514 of death G2288 is G2076 done G4238 unto him. G846

16 I will G3811 therefore G3767 chastise G3811 him, G846 and release G630 him.

17 (For G1161 of necessity G318 he must G2192 release G630 one G1520 unto them G846 at G2596 the feast.) G1859

18 And G1161 they cried out G349 all at once, G3826 saying, G3004 Away with G142 this G5126 man, and G1161 release G630 unto us G2254 Barabbas: G912

19 (Who G3748 for G2258 G1223 a certain G5100 sedition G4714 made G1096 in G1722 the city, G4172 and G2532 for murder, G5408 was cast G906 into G1519 prison.) G5438

20 Pilate G4091 therefore, G3767 willing G2309 to release G630 Jesus, G2424 spake G4377 again G3825 to them. G4377

21 But G1161 they cried, G2019 saying, G3004 Crucify G4717 him, crucify G4717 him. G846

22 And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them G846 the third time, G5154 Why, G1063 what G5101 evil G2556 hath G4160 he G3778 done? G4160 I have found G2147 no G3762 cause G158 of death G2288 in G1722 him: G846 I will G3811 therefore G3767 chastise G3811 him, G846 and let him go. G630

23 And G1161 they were instant G1945 with loud G3173 voices, G5456 requiring G154 that he G846 might be crucified. G4717 And G2532 the voices G5456 of them G846 and G2532 of the chief priests G749 prevailed. G2729

24 And G1161 Pilate G4091 gave sentence G1948 that it should be as G1096 they G846 required. G155

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).