SCRIPTURE: LUKE 23
JESUS BEFORE PILATE AND HEROD (vs. 1-25)
The whole assembly brought Jesus to Pilate. They accused him of subverting the nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar and claiming to be Christ. So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say” (v. 3) Pilate announced to the chief priest and the crowd that there is no basis for a charge against Jesus. But they insisted that His teachings stir up the people all over Judea, starting in Galilee and all the way here. When Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent him to Herod, who was at Jerusalem at that time and under his jurisdiction. When Herod met Jesus, he plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 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.
Pilate called together the chief priest, 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, Neither has Herod, for he went back to us, as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” (v. 17) then they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us” Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! crucify him!” (v. 21) 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. 22) But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 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.
THE CRUCIFIXION (vs. 26-43)
As they 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. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughter of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, “Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!” Then they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us, and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’. For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?’ (vs. 28-31). To other men, both criminals were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” *v., 34). And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching and the rulers sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” (v. 35). 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. 37). There was a written notice above him, which read: “This is the King of the Jews”. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (v. 39). 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. 41). Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (v. 42). Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (v. 43)
JESUS’ DEATH (vs. 44-49)
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. For the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit: (v. 46). When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man. ” (v. 47. When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee stood a distance, watching these things.
JESUS’ BURIAL ()vs. 50-56)
Joseph, a member of the Council, was a good and upright man. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea waiting for the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 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. It was Preparation Day and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then, they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commission. commandment.
THOUGHTS:
Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the crowd loudly demanded his death. In order not to risk losing his shaky position, he decided to compromise. But his decision ended up condemning an innocent man, releasing a guilty man and making friends with Hero, a wicked man. We are like Pilate when we know what is right but decide not to do it. When you have a difficult decision to make, don’t discount the effects of peer pressure. Realize beforehand that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences, social rejection, career derailment, or public ridicule. Make the right decision no matter what other people pressure you to do.
Barabbas was set free because Jesus died in his place. We too, are sinners and deserve to die. But Jesus had died in our place, for our sins and we have been set free.
The agony that Jesus suffered are: He was flogged, slapped, struck with fists, mocked, rebuked, insulted, beaten with a stick, a crown of thorns placed on his head, and stripped before being hung on the cross.
Jesus asked His Father to forgive the people who were putting him to death. And God answered that prayer by opening up the way of salvation even to Jesus’ murderers. The Roman officer and soldiers who witnessed the Crucifixion said. “Truly, this was the Son of God!”. Soon many priests were converted to Christian faith. Since we are sinners, we too played a part in putting Jesus to death. But God is gracious. He will forgive us and give us new life through his Son.
The division of the clothing of Jesus fulfilled the prophecy recorded in Psalm 22:18.
The criminal who was executed with Jesus turned to Christ for forgiveness and Christ accepted him. This shows that our deeds don’t save us. It is our faith in Christ. It is never too late to turn to God. Even those who repent at the very last moment will be with God in paradise.
Darkness covered the entire land for about three hours in the middle of the day. All nature also mourned over the tragedy of the death of God’s Son.
The curtain at the Temple’s Most Holy Place was torn into two parts upon Jesus’ death. It symbolized that at Christ’s death, the barrier between God and humanity was split in two., Now all people can approach God directly through Christ.
Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy and honored member of the Jewish high council. He was a secret disciple of Christ and boldly took a stand by asking for Christ’s body to give Him a proper burial.
The Galilean women followed Joseph to the tomb, so they knew exactly where to find Jesus’ body when they returned after the Sabbath with their spices and perfumes. These women could not do great things for Jesus, but they did what they could. They stayed at the cross when most of the disciples had fled and they got ready to anoint their Lord’s body. Because of their devotion, they were the first to know about the Resurrection. As believers, we may feel we cannot do much for Jesus. But we should take every opportunity that God has given us to do what we can do.