Tomorrow we'll be wrapping up the book of Luke and will be moving on to the book of Acts starting on Tuesday! You'll also see some little changes (which you may have already with the font change) to the blog, as well. A good friend of mine, Dylan Skinner, will be helping me make some upgrades in the not-so-distant future.
If you have an idea of something cool to add to the blog (whether it has to do with the content, how the posts are presented, whatever) definitely shoot me a comment or a post on my FB wall.
Without further ado, Luke 23 here we go!
Luke 23 (read it here)
After Jesus is deemed guilty by the religious leaders they take him to the Roman governor, Pilate (v. 1). They do this because it is illegal for Israelites to condemn someone to death. Since Israel was occupied by Rome, only the Roman government could execute criminals.
The religious leaders told Pilate (pronounced like pilot) that Jesus had told Jews not to pay taxes to Rome and that he was also the Messiah (well, at least one of those was true).
Pilate probably doesn't trust the religious leaders, either, because he seemingly ignores the tax issue. And Jesus doesn't shy away from affirming that he was the king of the Jews. Pilate refuses to punish him and after finding out that Jesus was a Galilean, he sends Jesus to be judged by Herod Antipas (the same guy who had John the Baptist beheaded). Herod was in charge of the Galilean region and he was in Jerusalem at the time.
Herod was actually excited to see Jesus because he had already met his right-hand man John the Baptist. Jesus didn't even speak one word to Herod. Herod had no way of telling if Jesus was crazy or just indignant so Herod and his men mocked Jesus by placing a royal robe on him and verbally ridiculing him. Herod sent Jesus and his angry mob of religious leaders back to Pilate. Neither governor truly knew what to do with Jesus.
In front of all the religious leaders and the swelling crowd that was forming, Pilate announced that Jesus did not deserve to be executed but, to appease the leaders and angry mob (that was singing Jesus' praises just days before in his entry into Jerusalem), Jesus was sentenced to be flogged.
The crowd was incensed! They shouted, "Kill him, and release Barabbas (who was in prison for mass murder, so you know) to us!" (vs. 18-19)
Call me crazy but I always like Pilate because he fought for Jesus (you'll find out the real reason why later). The shouting from the crowd grew louder and louder, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (v. 21)
After a third unsuccessful try by Pilate to insist that flogging was enough justice to the unruly crowd, Pilate sentenced Jesus as they demanded (v. 24) and also released the serial killer Barabas (v. 25)!
Even though Luke doesn't mention it here, Jesus' previous sentence (to be flogged) was carried out by the Roman soldiers before being led to his crucifixion site (see Mark15:15).
Jesus has been beaten by a lead-tipped whip (to see examples of these whips, go here) and is forced to carry his own cross. No doubt that Jesus has suffered massive blood loss. Walking in itself would take massive amounts of strength, at this point. The Roman soldiers forcibly enlist a Jew named Simon to carry Jesus' cross for him. It was completely lawful for Romans to do this. They could even make Jews carry their gear for up to a mile at any time! (Jesus refers to this Roman law in Matthew 5:41)
Jesus hears a multitude of women crying behind him. Instead of accepting their pity, he encourages them to be concerned about themselves (v. 28). Jesus knows that this is his destiny, to be sacrificed as the one-and-done sacrifice of all sacrifices, in order that we may be made acceptable to God. Sacrificing animals used to be the way to make amends to God, but from now on, Jesus would be the pathway to God.
Jesus never sugarcoats things. Even here he says, "You think things are tough now? What to see what it will be like when I'm not physically here!" (v. 31)
Jesus was crucified with two other criminals (most likely thieves, murderers would've been labeled as such). Flogging (or being whipped) was its own punishment. Pharisees could have Jews whipped up to 39 lashes (it was said that 40 would kill the average man). However, since this was done by the Romans, Jesus could've been beaten more than that. However, if the commanding officer would've let Jesus (or any other prisoner) die during his whipping, the commanding officer would share the same punishment as a consequence. Crucifixion was where such criminals were meant to die, so all others could seem them.
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While being nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed for the guilty parties. He asked for their forgiveness (v. 34).
Even in the final moments of his life, onlookers wanted Jesus to prove his Messiah-ship by performing a miracle. As we've learned so far, Jesus doesn't perform miracles for such reasons. Even one of the criminals who was being crucified next to him ridiculed him (v. 39).
The other criminal came to Jesus' defense and rebuked the other criminal (v. 40). That same criminal asks to be remembered when Jesus "comes into [his] Kingdom>" (v. 42). And Jesus doesn't make it sound like there was a waiting period or a tribulation when he says that "today you will be with me in paradise." (v. 43)
Soon after this conversation, Jesus begins to take his final breaths.
Its noon, mid-day.
Everything goes black...for...three...hours!
There is an earthquake and the curtain in the temple was torn. (This curtain enclosed a place called the "Holy of Holies." It was a place that God was thought to dwell completely. Only the High Priest would go in there once a year to offer a sacrifice for the people of Israel.) The tearing of the curtain represented that God was no longer bound to a "holy room." (As if He ever truly was.) Jesus is the new High Priest (check out Hebrews 7:27), who alone makes us right with God; no more sacrifices required!
There were a wide range of reactions to this. One Roman officer worshiped God and declared Jesus innocent (v. 47), while the angry mob went away in deep sorrow. Others could only stand and watch.
There was one religious leader, Joseph, who did not agree with the others who thought Jesus should've died. Perhaps we can assume that he was secretly a Christ-follower, because Luke tells us that Joseph was "waiting for the Kingdom of God to come." (v. 51) Joseph got permission from Pilate to give Jesus a proper burial.
Jesus was laid to rest on Friday afternoon.
It was seemingly the end of an era.
The disciples are nowhere to be found (unless Luke lops them into what he calls Jesus' friends in verse 49).
Jesus lay dead in a rock tomb.
The women who had been following Jesus since Galilee prepared spices to anoint his body, but because the Sabbath had begun, Jesus' body would have to wait until the next day.
Questions
1.) The religious leaders attempted to lie about Jesus to Pilate in saying that Jesus had instructed Jews not to pay taxes to Rome. This, of course, is a flat-out lie! I've asked something similar to this before, but if people were able to really meet the real Jesus without the crap, lies and religion that many people have labeled and marred Jesus with, do you believe that most, if not all, people would become Christ-followers? Why or why not?
2.) Jesus prays for those who nailed him on the cross. This is the perfect example of praying for those who persecute you, as Jesus instructed his followers to do. Why do you think we find it so hard to do this even when it has nothing to do with a life or death situation?
3.) The curtain in the temple was torn when Jesus died signifying the end of the practice of animal sacrifice forever! If Jesus is our High Priest, doesn't that mean we have direct access to God? If you have direct access (all you have to do is pray, well, even think!) then what is stopping you from praying? What is stopping you from asking God the tough questions?
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