Day 111

Luke 23:26–43 (NIV)

²⁶ 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. ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ 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!’ ³⁰ Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ ³¹ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” ³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³ 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. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” ³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Helpful Information

‎As a means of execution, crucifixion was particularly heinous. This had as much to do with the public humiliation accompanying crucifixion as with the act itself. Bound or nailed to a stake, tree, or cross, the victim faced death with all organs intact and with relatively little blood loss. As a consequence, death came slowly, sometimes over several days, as the body succumbed to shock or asphyxiation. No standard form of crucifixion was universally practiced, though a summary outline of Roman practice is possible. Crucifixion included a flogging beforehand, with victims often required to carry their own crossbeams to the site of execution, where they were nailed or bound to the cross with arms extended, raised up, and perhaps seated on a small wooden peg. Even among the Romans this procedure was subject to variation. In his account of the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, for example, Josephus observes how hundreds of Jews were “scourged and subjected to torture of every description … and then crucified opposite the city walls.” Free to fulfill their whims in the hope of persuading those Jews remaining in the city to surrender their positions, “the soldiers out of rage and hatred amused themselves by nailing their prisoners in different positions.…”

‎Josephus’s account reminds us that crucifixion was reserved by the Romans especially for those who resisted the authority of Roman occupation. Naked and fastened to a tree, stake, or cross, located typically at major crossroads, the victim was subjected both to a particularly abhorrent form of capital punishment and to optimum, savage ridicule. The corpse of the crucified was typically left on the tree to rot or as food for scavenging birds. In this way the general populace were granted a somber reminder of the fate of those daring to assert themselves against Rome. Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

What does Jesus’ words in vs 28-31 say about His character considering His circumstances?

What do the different people in this scene represent? Where do we fit in in comparison?

Look at vs 34. How can Jesus say these words? What does it say about Him/ What does it mean for us?

Notes

vs 26- it amazes me how matter of fact the story of the actual crucifixion is. Because of Jesus' beating He cannot carry the crossbeam to the place. Roman officials could ask anyone to help for certain amount of distance. It reminds me of 9:23 where followers are called to take their cross and follow Christ.

vs 27- The crowd seems to grow with people perhaps wanting to see if Jesus would actually do a miracle to be removed from His fate. It was a common custom for women to wail in tragic situations (8:52)

vs 28- 30 - After having the weight of the cross removed from Him Jesus is able to interact with the crowd. Jesus turns the focus of the wailing back to the women because of the fate that awaits Jerusalem. His love for his people in spite of what they do to Him has been evident throughout. Even in pronouncing the judgment against them (13:34-35, 19:41-44) These words are similar to the warning in 21:20-24. It will be horrible for those who experience the destructions of Jerusalem. They will wish they were dead! Sorrow is the motivation of Jesus’ statement.

vs 31- If men will do this when God is in their midst what will they do when Jesus is gone is what I think this means. The warning of being prepared as a disciple is echoed in this statement. (22:36)

32-33 The place is called the Skull because of the outcrop of rocks looked similar to a skull.

vs 34- It is an amazing statement. The God of the world saying forgive those that have brought Him to this point! If Jesus can say this who are we not to forgive others? (11:4)

Common practice to cast lots to see who would get the clothes that had value.

vs 35-43 Look at the views of those at the crucifixion.

· People - there role seems to be more of and audience though they were the ones who shouted "Crucify Him!" They are guilty by just standing and looking, not doing anything to protest what is happening.

· Rulers- The Jewish leaders finally get their way. All the venom comes out. Their hatred of Jesus is so great. They think they have solved the problem of Jesus. Their words of coming down from the cross are another temptation for Jesus. It would have been gratifying for the moment to show His power. But it was not the way of God. The sacrifice has to be made!

· Soldiers- represent the rest of the world- they really do not understand what they are doing (vs 34) They flaunt their so called power thinking they control the situation when it is all part of God's plan. They do not understand how appropriate the sign truly is that shows the charge that caused Jesus' death

· Two criminals - All of us are guilty and deserve death. These two represent us. The question is do we realize who Christ is and what He offers? The one mocks like everyone else. The other understands the true position of Jesus, His innocence and His power. He even understands that Jesus' kingdom isn't about this earth. He asks for forgiveness and Jesus grants it.

vs 43 Today you will be with me- No question this is immediate. There is not a period of time of waiting to be in Jesus' presence. The question becomes what is paradise. Most believe it is not the final place that we will be. Rather it is where believers wait the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven and earth.