Luke 23: Interrogation, Crucifixion, Death & Burial

• v.1-25 Before Pilate & Herod
• v.26-43 The Crucifixion of Jesus
• v.44-49 The Death of Jesus
• v.50-56 The Burial of Jesus

 v.1-25 Before Pilate & Herod

v.1-5 Before Pilate he is questioned and Pilate no basis for a charge

v.1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.

v.2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

v.3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

v.4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

v.5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

[Note: Jesus is taken to the governor and they accuse him before Pilate. Pilate ask him about being king of the Jews and after Jesus replies, Pilate says there is no charge, but they persist and mention Galilee.]

v.6-12 Jesus taken before Herod

v.6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.

v.7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

v.8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort.

v.9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.

v.10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him.

v.11,12 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

[Note: Pilate checks this so he sends him to Herod. Herod has high hopes but fruitlessly questions Jesus. Meanwhile the authorities keep accusing him so eventually Herod sends him back to Pilate.]

v.13-19 Pilate seeks Jesus’ release but the crowd bay for Barabbas

v.13,14 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.

v.15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.

v.16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”

v.18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”

v.19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

[Note: Pilate tells the authorities there is still no charge, even Herod couldn’t find a charge, so we’ll punish him and then release him! Relying on custom they demanded the release of Barabbas, a rebel and murderer.]

v.20-25 Pilate eventually capitulates

v.20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.

v.21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

v.22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

v.23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.

v.24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

v.25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

[Note: Pilate still wants to let him go but they keep shouting for him to be crucified. Again he resists, and again they kept shouting. Eventually Pilate gave way, released Barabbas, and handed Jesus over for execution.]

v.26-43 The Crucifixion of Jesus

v.26 Jesus given help to carry his cross

v.26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

[Note: Leading Jesus off to be crucified the soldier conscript a visitor to carry his cross.]

v.27-31 Women wail for him, and Jesus addresses them

v.27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.

v.28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

v.29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

v.30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

v.31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

[Note: A large crowd followed the procession and Jesus speaks to the women. A time of judgment will come, and they would wish the mountains fell on them [Hos 10:8]. If this happens to a good person, what will happen to guilty people?]

v.32,33 Two criminals are also being crucified

v.32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

v.33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.

[Note: Two criminals were also being crucified and there the three were executed.]

v.34-38 Jesus prayed but is mocked

v.34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

v.35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

v.36,37 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

v.38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.

[Note: Jesus prayed while the authorities (Jews) mocked him, and the soldiers (Gentiles) mocked him. A sign above indicated he was the king of the Jews.]

v.39-43 Different criminal reactions to Jesus

v.39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

v.40,41 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

v.42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

v.43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

[Note: One of the criminals mocked him but the other one chided the other. He asks Jesus for clemency in heaven and Jesus confirms the man will be there today.]

v.44-49 The Death of Jesus

v.44,45 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

v.46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

v.47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

v.48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.

v.49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

[Note: From noon until three, darkness falls and then Jesus commits himself to his Father and dies [Psa 31:5]. A centurion acknowledges Jesus while the crowd turn away in anguish. His followers watched from a distance.]

v.50-56 The Burial of Jesus

v.50,51 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.

v.52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body.

v.53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.

v.54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

v.55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and ow his body was laid in it.

v.56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

[Note: Joseph of Arimathea, a council member, was there and asked for Jesus’ body and so took it and buried it. It was the day before the Sabbath. The women watched from a distance, but they did nothing because the Sabbath was about to begin (nearly 6pm. Note the Jewish day was measured from 6pm to 6pm).]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: