Jesus is accused before Pilate and sent to Herod, 1-7. Herod mocks him, 8-11. Herod and Pilate are made friends, 12. Barabbas is desired of the people and is released by Pilate, and Jesus is given to be crucified, 13-25. He tells the women who lament him of the destruction of Jerusalem, 26-33; prays for his enemies, 34-38. Two evildoers are crucified with him, 39-45. His death, 46-49. His burial, 50-56.
1 And the whole multitude of them arose and led him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying, that he himself is Christ a king." 3 And Pilate asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him and said, "You say it." 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and to the people, "I find no fault in this man." 5 And they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time.
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad. For he had been for a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by him. 9 Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11 And Herod with his troops set him at nothing, mocked him, arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him back to Pilate. 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity between themselves.
13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 Said to them, "You have brought this man to me as one who perverts the people, and behold, having examined him before you, I have found no fault in this man, touching those things of which you accuse him, 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him. 16 I will therefore chastise him and release him." 17 (For of necessity he must release someone to them at the feast.)
18 And they cried out all at once, saying, "Away with this man. Release Barabbas to us." 19 (He was cast into prison for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder.) 20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. 21 But they cried, saying, "Crucify, crucify him." 22 And he said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and let him go." 23 And they were urgent with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25 And he released to them him who had been cast into prison for sedition and murder, whom they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
26 And 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 so that he might bear it after Jesus.
27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women who also bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never nourished infants.' 30 Then 'they shall begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us," and to the hills, "Cover us."' 31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what will be done in the dry?"
32 And two others, who were malefactors, were led with him to be put to death.
33 And when they had come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they parted his clothing and cast lots. 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is Christ the chosen of God." 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, 37 And saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." 38 And also a superscription was written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
39 And one of the malefactors who were hanged railed on him, saying, "If you are Christ, save yourself and us." 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing amiss." 42 And he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, this day you shall be with me in paradise."
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, "Father, 'into your hands I commend my spirit.'" And having said this, he expired. 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." 48 And all the people who came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their chests and returned. 49 And all his acquaintances and the women who followed him from Galilee stood afar off beholding these things.
50 And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor. And he was a good and just man 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them) from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and petitioned for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, in which no man was ever laid before. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women who came with him from Galilee followed and beheld the sepulcher and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Luke, Chapter 23[➚]
[v.1] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:1-2; Mark 15:1; John 18:28.
[v.2-3] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:11-12; Mark 15:2-3.
[v.3-4] - Gospel Link: John 18:33, 37-38.
[v.17-23] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:15-23; Mark 15:6-14; John 18:39-40, 19:6, 15.
[v.24-25] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:24-26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1-3, 24.
[v.26] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21.
[v.30] - Quoting Hosea 10:8.
[v.33-34] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:33-36, 38; Mark 15:22-25, 27; John 19:17-18, 23-24.
[v.34] - Reference, Psalm 22:18.
[v.35-37] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-32; John 19:29.
[v.38] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; John 19:19-20.
[v.39] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32.
[v.41] - "And we indeed justly" - In other words, "And we indeed justly deserve our condemnation..." Implied from the question asked in verse 40.
[v.44] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33.
[v.45-49] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:50-56; Mark 15:37-41.
[v.46a] - Quoting Psalm 31:5 (LXX).
[v.46b] - Gospel Link: John 19:30.
[v.49] - Gospel Link: John 19:25.
[v.50-55] - Gospel Link: Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; John 19:38-42.
[v.56] - "according to the commandment" - Reference, Exodus 20:8-11. See also, Genesis 2:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:12-15.