The Gospel According to Saint Luke
Luke 23
Chapter XXIII · Vol. IV, pp. 200–201
1 Jesus is accused before Pilate, and sent to Herod. 8 Herod mocketh him. 12 Herod and Pilate are made friends. 13 Barabbas is desired of the people, and is loosed by Pilate, and Jesus is given to be crucified. 27 He telleth the women, that lament him, the destruction of Jerusalem: 34 prayeth for his enemies. 39 Is reviled by one of the malefactors, but confessed by the other. 46 His death. 50 His burial.
1 And thea whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
a ch.22.66. Mat.27.2,11-31. Mar.15.1-20. Jn.18.28-40; 19.1-16. Ps.2.1-4; 22.1-21; 3.1; 69.1-21. Ac.2.23; 4.27,28. 1 Th.2.15.
2 And they began to baccuse him, saying, Wec found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.1
b Zec.11.8.
c ver.5. 1 Ki.18.17. Je.38.4. Ac.16.20,21; 17.6,7; 24.5. Jn.18.36; 19.12, with Mat.17.25,27; 22.21. Mar.12.17. ch.20.25,27. Ro.13.7.
1 This was a deliberate falsehood. Our Lord's decision on the subject of allegiance to Cæsar was the very opposite of that here alleged. His kingdom, too, he had declared, was not of this world.—P.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying, dArt thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him, and said, Thou sayest it.
4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, eI find no fault2 in this man.
e Mat.27.18,19,24. Mar.15.10,14. Jn.18.38; 19.4,6. He.7.26. 2 Co.5.21. 1 Pe.2.22,24; 3.18.
2 I find no fault. The Roman government now was too strong to be moved with jealousy at our Lord's claim to be King of the Jews. Pilate, therefore, disregarded the implied charge of rebellion against Cæsar. It is not improbable that Pilate was also moved by the sight of what he would consider fallen greatness. But, by whatever moved, his feelings were overruled by Providence to produce a judicial Gentile testimony to the innocence of our Lord, and an abiding record of the injustice and cruelty of his persecutors.—C.
5 And gthey were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning hfrom Galilee to this place.
g Ps.57.4.
h Mat.4.12-25. Mar.1.14. Lu.4.16-44. Jn.1.43; 2.1-12.
7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto jHerod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,3 who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
j ch.3.1; 9.7,9.
3 This was Herod Antipas, governor of Galilee, who had beheaded John the Baptist, an Idumean by descent, but a Jew by proselytism, and who had now come, at the passover, to worship at Jerusalem.—C.
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was kdesirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and lhe hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and ovehemently accused him.
o ver.2,5. Ge.19.9. Ac.6.12-14; 18.13; 24.5.
11 Andp Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a qgorgeous robe,4 and sent him again to Pilate.
p Is.49.7; 53.3. Ps.22.6; 69.9,20. Pr.29.12.
q Jn.19.5.
4 A gorgeous robe. Rather, 'a white robe;' for the word translated 'gorgeous' is applied by Polybius to the toga worn by such as were candidates for office at Rome, which is well known to have been always white. As a gift from Herod, it was intended to mock our Lord as a claimant of the kingdom; like the testimony of Pilate (ver. 4), it was converted by Providence into a second public attestation of our Lord's innocence.—C.
12 And the same day rPilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
13 Ands Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,Cited in HC 38
14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, tas one that perverteth the people; and, behold, I, having examined him before you, uhave found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death5 is done unto him.6
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
5 Nothing has been done to him by Herod as a preliminary punishment, showing that, in his estimation, he was 'worthy of death.'—C.
19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
22 Andb he said unto them the third 8time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
b See ver.20.
8 It is important to observe, that Pilate, for the third time, bears judicial Gentile witness to the innocence of our Lord; and the Jews are unable to reply with anything beyond popular clamour.—C.
23 Andc they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
c ver.5,21. Ps.22.12,16.
24 Andd Pilate gave sentence9 that it should be as they required.
d Mat.27.24-26. Mar.15.15. Jn.19.16. Ex.23.2.
9 Or, assented.
25 And he released unto them him ethat for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
26 Andg as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,1 which also bewailed and lamented him.
1 ver.55; ch.8.2,3. Mar.15.40. Mat.27.55,56. That sex which first sinned, now adhered best to the Saviour from sin.
28 But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, hbehold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.2
h ch.21.23,24; 19.43,44. Mat.24.19. Mar.13.17,19.
2 The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans occurred about forty years after this period, and doubtless many of those who now followed Jesus weeping perished in the terrible carnage which took place on the capture of the city.—P.
31 Forj if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?3
* Jesus is 'the green tree,' fair and fruitful—the Jews the 'dry tree,' unsightly and barren. And if the Romans thus consent to deliver up the innocent to death, who has never given them cause of offence—what will they do to a nation who will provoke them by rebellion and every form of private and public criminality!—C.
j Je.25.29. 1 Pe.4.17,18. Pr.11.31. Eze.20.47; 21.3,4. Mat.3.10; 12.33. Jn.15.6. Jude 12. He.6.8.
3 See note * in first column.
32 And kthere were also two others, malefactors,4 led with him to be put to death.
k Is.53.12.
4 Two others, malefactors. Rather, 'two others (who were) malefactors.'—C.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called 5Calvary, lthere they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
5 Or, the place of a skull. He.13.12.
l Jn.19.17,18. Mat.27.33,38. Mar.15.22,27,28. Is.53.12. Zec.12.10; 13.7.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, nforgive othem; for they know not what they do. pAnd they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
n Ge.50.17. Mat.5.44. Ac.7.60. 1 Co.4.12,13.
o 1 Co.2.8. ver.48. Ac.2.37,38; 3.17.
6 Father, forgive them. This gracious prayer seems, first, to include the Roman soldiers, the chief agents in the crucifixion—then the thoughtless multitude, ignorantly acting under the undue influence of their rulers. Whether it included those rulers themselves, who, knowingly, and with malice prepense, urged on the multitude that coerced Pilate, is not so evident. One thing, however, is certain, the prayer was heard, and of those who actually joined in the crucifixion, many believed, repented, and were saved, Ac. 2. 23, 37, 41.—C.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them pderided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ,q the chosen of God.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
p Mat.27.39-43. Mar.15.29-32. Ps.22.6-8,12-17; 35.15; 69.7-12,18-20.
36 And the soldiers7 also mocked him, coming to him, and roffering him vinegar,
7 The Roman soldiers 'mocked him,' out of contempt for the Jewish nation, and official loyalty to their emperor, whose sovereignty they thought was insulted by our Lord's claim upon the throne of David.—C.
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
38 Ands a superscription also was written over him, in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And tone of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
t ch.17.34-36. Mar.15.32. Mat.27.44. 2 Ch.28.22. Je.5.3.
40 But the other, answering, urebuked him, saying, vDost not thou fear God, xseeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 Andy we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: zbut this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, aLord, remember me when thou comest into bthy kingdom.8
a Ps.106.4,5. Ro.10.9,10. Jn.20.28. Phi.3.8,9. ch.18.13,38,39. 2 Ti.1.18; 4.8.
b Jn.18.36; 17.2. Ps.110.1. He.1.3; 8.1; 10.13.
8 See note * below.
* Matthew and Mark state that both the thieves reviled Jesus when on the cross, Mat. 27. 44. Mar. 15. 32. Luke says 'one of the malefactors' railed on him; but that the other rebuked the scoffer. Both narratives are doubtless correct. At first the two joined the crowd in their unseemly taunts; but one of them, when he saw the meekness of the sufferer, when he heard his words of love and pity, and when he witnessed the events which occurred, was convinced of Christ's divinity, was humbled by a sense of his own sin, and was constrained in penitence and faith to utter the prayer, 'Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.' The prayer was heard and answered; and the thief on the cross was an example, but the only one found in Scripture, of a sinner saved in the hour of death. None need despair; and yet none should venture to delay the salvation of their souls.—P.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, cTo-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.9Cited in WSC 37 · WLC 17, 82, 85 · WCF 4.2, 32.1 · HC 57
44 Andd it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth1 until the ninth hour.2
46 And gwhen Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, hFather, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47 Now iwhen the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, jsmote their breasts, and returned.
j ver.34. Ac.2.37. ch.18.13.
49 Andk all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
k Mat.27.55,56. Mar.15.40,41. ch.8.2; ver.27,55. Job 19.13. Ps.38.11; 142.4.
50 And,l behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
l Mat.27.57-61. Mar.15.42-47. Jn.19.38-42. 1 Co.1.26. Ps.22.29.
51 (The same nhad not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews: who also himself owaited for the kingdom of God.
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, pand wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
p Mat.12.40; 27.59,60. Mar.15.46. Jn.19.38-41. Is.53.9, with 2 Ki.13.21.
54 Andq that day was the preparation,3 and the sabbath drew on.4Cited in WLC 117, 121
3 The preparation, both for the sabbath and for the grand festival which was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the month, Le. 23. 6, 7.—C.
4 The sabbath drew on. That is, it was approaching sunset, when the day commenced, according to the Jewish method of computation, Ge. 1. 5.—C.
55 Andr the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
56 And they returned, and prepared sspices and ointments; and trested the sabbath-day, according to the commandment.5Cited in WLC 117, 121
s Jn.19.39. 2 Ch.16.14. Mar.16.1. ch.24.1.
t Ex.20.8-10; 31.12; 35.2. Is.56.2,4,6; 58.13,14. Je.17.24,25.
5 See note on Mar.16.1.—P.
Notes
Ver. 8. Since Herod believed that Jesus could work miracles, why did he not acknowledge him to be the Messiah? Because he attributed his admitted power of working miracles not to the power of God working in attestation of his divine commission, but to his knowledge of mere natural causes, and superior skill in some occult philosophy, such as the Egyptians and Persian magi were supposed to possess. Thus the Pharisees had also admitted his miraculous power, yet rejected his claims to be Messiah, because they attributed his miracles to Beelzebub. In all this, Herod and the Pharisees erred alike in looking merely at the miracles, and disregarding the prophecy by which they were preceded—which preceding prophecy is essential to the evidence of a divine commission, Re. 19. 10. C.
Ver. 33. Calvary. A little hill north-west of Jerusalem, in Hebrew called Golgotha, the place of a skull, from its resemblance, as is supposed, to a human skull. Calvary is derived from the Latin calvus, bald. Some have described it as a public cemetery; but the Jewish modes of burial, and care and avoidance of the bones of the dead, as well as the singular, 'skull,' not 'skulls,' will not countenance that opinion. C.
Ver. 43. Paradise. What differences, local or circumstantial, may be in the 'Father's house' and its 'many mansions,' it were presumptuous to inquire farther than is revealed. The meaning of 'paradise' is, however, settled by reference to 2 Co. 12. 4; Re. 2. 7, comp. with ch. 22. 1, &c., where it is evidently synonymous with heaven and its blessedness and glory, in allusion to that terrestrial paradise in which God and man dwelt together in holy intercourse, Ge. 2. 15. C.
Ver. 47. A righteous man. Instead of 'a righteous man,' Matthew has it 'the Son of God.' These two statements are both consistent with one another and with the doctrine of divine inspiration. upon the simple principle that the centurion uttered both expressions, while each evangelist chose that one which the Spirit directed as most suited to the first readers of his Gospel. C.
Reflections.—Sinners often presumptuously charge their own faults upon Jesus and his faithful servants; and many cement their friendship by contempt of him. How strong is the power of prejudice against him! It undervalues and derides him, because he will not gratify curiosity or answer unreasonable demands; it forms the falsest accusations; it prefers every temporal interest, or even a base malefactor, lust, or devil, to him—indignant that he should reign or have any honour in the world. Yea, often they who seem convinced of his excellency, through importunity and carnal fear, or other similar temptations, violate all the bonds of truth, and rights of conscience and honour, to injure him. Many have their affections touched with the cruelty or love of his death whose hearts are never renewed to believe in and love him. But O how astonishing the grace, the infinite grace, of our Lord Jesus, in thus suffering, dying, and praying for his enemies! How great is his power and sovereignty in triumphing over Satan on the cross, and forming one of his fellow-sufferers from a hardened thief into a strong believer, a bold confessor, a fervent supplicant, an immediate partaker of heaven; while the other dies contradicting and blaspheming! And great likewise was the honour with which his Father marked his sufferings.—His judge, his crucifiers, the attending women, and even the darkened sun, the quaking earth, and the rent vail, concur to attest his Messiahship!