March 6, 2014: Luke Chapter 23

The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 23

Originally posted Tuesday, April 1, 2008 

Luke Chapter 23:1--5 Jesus Before Pilate and Herod Antipas [see MT 27:1-2, 11-14; MK 15:1-5]

The Council had gotten what they wanted. In their minds Jesus had committed blasphemy, or it had sounded as if he had. Either way, it was close enough to take the next step in accomplishing their goal of ridding themselves of this disruptive charlatan. As a group and to show their unanimity, Luke says they deliver Jesus to Pilate to press their charges and demand Jesus' death. He has perverted our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes too Caesar, they say - a false charge not brought at the hearing; he claims to be the Messiah, a king - a false claim they have made and not affirmed by Jesus. In any case both are capital offenses. Pilate is suspicious but practical. "Are you the King of the Jews," he asks. It is a rhetorical question. Pilate knows Jesus is not the king of anything and he has heard nothing of his speaking against paying the head tax from the many Roman collaborators in Jerusalem.  "You say so," Jesus answers with no answer.

As Prefect Pilate acts as an arbitrary judge and jury in this non-Roman case. He listens and is not convinced. But the Council members persist. "He has been teaching throughout the villages of Galilee and now has come here to bother us in Judea - even in our Temple," they add. Pilate catches the Galilee comment. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, is in Jerusalem for Passover. Perhaps Pilate can avoid this case by transferring him to Herod (see Ps. 2:1-2). Luke writes about what Pilate might have been thinking as he considered the opportunity to transfer Jesus to Pilate. We know nothing of any historical reference to a bad relationship between Pilate and Antipas. Their territories bordered one another and natural issues of jurisdiction could arise, especially regarding taxation and the treatment of Roman citizens. But there is no evidence that they were enemies.

Whatever the circumstances Pilate sends Jesus to Herod who seems to be glad to see him if for no other reason than a hope he would see Jesus "perform some sign (miracle)." Jesus was no more cooperative with Herod than he was with the Sanhedrin. After the usual sport of the powerful against the weak captive -mockery, humiliation and contempt, a regal (king's) robe is put on him and he is returned to Pilate.

Luke Chapter 23:13-25 Jesus Sentenced to Death [see MT 27:15-26; MK 15:6-15]

While Matthew has followed Mark's longer version of this second scene before Pilate, Luke uses his special, briefer source. Pilate reconvenes the Sanhedrin; he repeats his previous conclusion (vs. 4) that Jesus is not guilty of anything the leaders are charging - certainly nothing deserving of the cross. Moreover, neither has Herod. He decides to flog Jesus and release him.

The response of the "chief priests, the leaders and the (newly added) people is to shout their disapproval and call for the release of Barabbas, described by Luke as an insurrectionist (traitor against Rome) and murderer. Pilate resists amid the clamor of what has become an unruly mob taking its lead from the Temple leadership. They shout all the more for Jesus' death, dismissing any further entreaties from Pilate until he acquiesces to their demand and releases the murderer Barabbas while handing Jesus over to the soldiers. We should note here that Luke has not included any of Mark or Matthew's scene of Jesus being physically abused, mocked or humiliated by the Roman soldiers before the crucifixion. Any mistreatment has been at the hands of Herod Antipas, the Jewish Tetrarch.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

We note in Luke's version of Jesus "trial" before Pilate the increasing shift of responsibility for Jesus' death from Pilate toward the Jewish leadership and the crowd. In Luke the added expression of that shift is the sending of Jesus to Herod who, as with Pilate, has found no truth in any of the charges against him.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Luke Chapter 23:26-43 The Crucifixion of Jesus [see MT 27:32-44; MK 15:21-32]

Luke has the most extensive treatment of the period between Pilate's turning Jesus over to the soldiers and the crucifixion. By comparison to Matthew he uses very little of Mark. There are two major sections that are unique to Luke. The first is in vss. 27-32. Here we read of the many people who followed Jesus. Some commentators suggest that this is the same group of people who were shouting for Jesus' death in vss. 18, 21 who have thought better of their actions before Pilate. However, since these people are silent as they follow Jesus and remain so at the cross while the leadership "scoffed at him" it is more likely they represent those who were Jesus' followers or sympathizers.

Among them were a number of women who were voicing their lament for Jesus in the Semitic manner of beating their breasts and wailing for him - an act usually offered by women at the grave site after burial. Jesus speaks to them with a warning of Jerusalem's future judgment when the Son of Man appears (vs. 19:41-44, 20-24, 21:5-6, 22:69). It would be better for those who have no children, those who are barren and have never nursed a child. Although they have once been considered unfortunate or cursed by God, they will now be considered fortunate that they will not see their children perish. The saying in vs. 30 taken from Hos. 10:8 adds to the scope of the terrible coming events (see Jer. 25:29). The people would rather die than see such horrors unfold. Jesus' last words to the women are in the form of a proverb which interprets what he has already said to the women. If they (the Romans represented by Pilate) do this (crucify Jesus) when the wood is green (now) what will they (Roman Army) do when it is dry (later when the Romans act as God's agent in destroying Jerusalem).

Jesus' crucifixion between two other prisoners would have been outside the city walls, probably along the road heading east to Jericho. There the scene would be seen by as many people as possible and serve as a deterrent to others who might think of acting against Roman interests. It would have been typical for several criminals to be executed at the same time for maximum effect and efficiency. It also serves Luke's use of Isaiah's Suffering Servant passage, "[he] was numbered with the transgressors (Isa. 53:12)." The location is called the "Skull (kranion)," probably referring to some geological formation nearby. Matthew and Mark use the Aramaic Golgotha (place of the skull, gulgulta).

Most translations include vs. 34a in which Jesus forgives the soldiers for their unknowing act of crucifying him. It is widely accepted that this portion of vs. 34 was added to later manuscript copies of Luke as a way to further shift the blame from Rome to the Jewish leadership for Jesus' death. Since the leadership knew full well what they were doing the words of the prayer could not have applied to them. The line is retained and bracketed because it is definitely in keeping with the Gospel's characterization of Jesus as a man of prayer and his consistent teachings regarding forgiveness. In vs. 34b the soldiers cast lots for Jesus' clothing which would have been removed at the cross. As with other events in Jesus' life, this also found a prophetic note in Psalm 22:18, "they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots."

Luke includes the leaders' mockery of Jesus as a false Messiah and adds that of the soldiers who tell him to save himself if he is truly the King of the Jews. While Matthew and Mark include the two criminals in the taunting of Jesus (the word used is blasphemy), Luke has one of them come to Jesus' defense. They are getting what they deserve for their crimes while "this man has done nothing wrong." The obviously repentant criminal addresses Jesus by name and asks him to remember him when he comes "into" his kingdom (his exaltation to heaven not at the second coming). Jesus' reply is part of Jewish folklore. Paradise was thought of as a garden (Garden of Eden). In Jewish Apocalyptic literature (Enoch) and Paul, there was the third heaven which was pictured as a vast oasis full of all kinds of lush vegetation and fruit-bearing trees. For Luke this would be representative of the Messianic banquet as noted in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (16:22). The unique inference of this passage (vs. 43) is its reference to an image of life after death. It differs from the widely accepted Jewish/Christian understanding of resurrection on the last day as articulated by Paul. In this sense, the dead "sleep" in the ground until the trumpet blows and Christ returns signaling the general resurrection. In this idea of Paradise, Luke adds an understanding (hinted at in John) that upon death the believer is "carried up" to Paradise (Heaven) perhaps to wait for the resurrection. It is clear that there were a number of early understandings of life after death and the interest in the subject has always provided fuel for many speculative images, from the pearly gates and golden streets to whatever the mind can imagine. As with the elusive concept of a coming Kingdom of God, such things may be better left to our dreams or to those who do not seethis world as the place where we still have much work to do. As the title of the 1943 movie advises, "Heaven Can Wait."

Luke Chapter 23:44-49 The Death of Jesus [see MT 27:45-56; MK 15:33-41]

For this passage Luke shares very little of Mark or Matthew's source. He has three differences of interest. In Matthew and Mark Jesus is silent at the point of death. Here Luke includes Jesus' prayer - with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Ps. 31:5)." There is no hint of abandonment (see MT 27:46; MK 15:34) and Jesus dies quietly, with full confidence in the God who has been with him this far.

In Luke the death evokes a response from the Centurion, not affirming Jesus as the Son of God but praising God and acknowledging Jesus' innocence (a righteous man), for Luke a further distancing of Rome from culpability in Jesus' condemnation. Praising (glorifying) God as the Centurion did is noted on a number of occasions in Luke as a response to Jesus teaching and healing.

In the last scene at the cross the crowds who have been sympathetic with Jesus as he carried his cross, now return home in grief, beating their breasts. This is reminiscent of the Tax Collector standing near the self righteous Pharisee. The former recognizes his human frailty before God and asks for mercy. In a similar manner the people have realized the enormity of the injustice committed by Jesus' death. In the fashion of Israel's understanding of God's mercy they repent of any unknown involvement they may have had in that death.

Luke Chapter 23:50-56 The Burial of Jesus [see MT 27:57 -61; MK 15:42-47]

Based on his access to a rock-hewn tomb and being a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea (possibly Ephraim) was a rich man. He was also a righteous (just) man. As such he was "waiting expectantly for the Kingdom of God." His obedience to Torah led him to perform the Jewish duty of burial before sundown and the beginning of the Sabbath. This would have been especially crucial given the requirement that a crucified person be buried by sundown no matter what the day was (Deut. 21:22-23). He had not agreed with the Sanhedrin's action against Jesus but he was not necessarily a believer in Jesus. His difference with the Council could indicate his conclusion that God's demand for justice had not been served, either by the hastiness of the hearing, or the lack of credible witnesses. In any case he sees it as his duty to treat Jesus with a respect he had not received from others. As a rich man and member of the Sanhedrin he would have access to Pilate and even if by a bribe or because Pilate agreed with Joseph that Jesus was innocent, he was able to secure permission to bury Jesus. Sundown and the beginning of the Sabbath were approaching. The women who had been watching the events at the cross from a distance followed and saw where Joseph had placed Jesus' body. Because of the Sabbath they could not perform their usual duty of preparing the body for burial. Instead they gathered together the necessary ointments and spices in preparation for their use early Sunday morning at the end of the Sabbath.