Chapter Twenty-Three

1–12. Christ before Pilate and Herod. – 13–25. The condemnation of Christ to crucifixion. – 26–32. Christ’s journey to Golgotha. – 33–43. The crucifixion of Christ. – 44–56. The death and burial of Christ.

Luke 23:1. And all the multitude of them rose and led Him to Pilate, The following account of the trial of Christ before Pilate and Herod is composed almost entirely by the evangelist Luke on his own; only the 3rd verse is a repetition of Mark 15:2. “All the multitude of them rose”, that is, all members of the Sanhedrin who had just completed their interrogation of Christ; “and led Him to Pilate” (see Matt 27:2).

Luke 23:2. and began to accuse Him, saying: We found that this one corrupts our people and forbids giving tribute to Caesar, calling Himself the Messiah, a king. The members of the Sanhedrin accuse Christ before Pilate of claiming the dignity of Messiah, whom they present to Pilate as a king so that he would understand them. “He corrupts our people”, that is, first of all, he leads them astray from the true path, drawing the people away from our spiritual leadership, and at the same time turns the people away from obedience to Roman authority. This accusation, in its first half, was certainly true, because the Lord indeed taught the people not to listen to the Pharisees and generally to their leaders (Matt 15:14). “He forbids giving tribute to Caesar.” This was already a complete lie (cf. Luke 20:25). “Calling Himself the Messiah, a king” – more precisely: “calling Himself the Messiah, a king.” The second word was meant to explain to Pilate what a Messiah is. By this, the enemies of Christ thought they would immediately compel Pilate to treat Christ as a dangerous political criminal.

Luke 23:3. Pilate asked Him: Are You the king of the Jews? He said to him in answer: You say so. Pilate, however, from the appearance and generally from the first impression that Christ made on him, understood that He was certainly not the one whom his accusers represented Him to be. To Pilate’s question, “Are You the king of the Jews?”, Christ answered with an indefinite expression: “You say so.” This expression Pilate apparently understood not as an affirmative answer but rather as a negative one; he understood that Christ was not at all claiming the royal throne in Judea. If Pilate had interpreted Christ’s answer as an admission of the accusation, he would certainly have begun an investigation and trial immediately, yet he did not do this. Thus, the expression “You say so” is equivalent to saying: “Do you see? Judge for yourself whether I am a king?” 28.

Luke 23:4. Pilate said to the chief priests and the people: I find no guilt in this man. Pilate, understanding Christ’s words in the indicated sense, declares to the chief priests and the people that he does not find any guilt in Christ. The evangelist Luke here notes also the presence of the “people” before the palace of Pilate.

Luke 23:5. But they insisted, saying that He stirs up the people, teaching throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. But the Jews pressed harder and harder or, rather, grew increasingly heated (ἐπίσχυον). Now they were openly saying that Christ “stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee” and to Jerusalem. It is quite possible that by the word “Judea” they meant the entire Jewish country and not only the Judean region (cf. Luke 1:5).

Luke 23:6. Pilate, hearing about Galilee, asked: Is He a Galilean? Having heard about Galilee, that is, having heard that Christ began His activity in Galilee.

Luke 23:7. And, learning that He was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Herod Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea (cf. Luke 3:1), and by sending Christ to him as his subject (Herod had come to Jerusalem at this time to celebrate the Passover festival, since he professed the Jewish faith), Pilate apparently supposed that Herod was interested in the matter of his own subject.

Luke 23:8. Herod, seeing Jesus, was greatly pleased, for he had long desired to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle performed by Him, Luke 23:9. and asked Him many questions, but He did not answer him anything. The frivolous Herod, who had long wished to see Christ in order to watch Him perform miracles, asked Christ various questions, but Christ did not deign to give him any answer, since Herod was not worthy of an answer – the questions were asked out of empty curiosity.

Luke 23:10. And the chief priests and the scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Luke 23:11. But Herod, with his soldiers, having treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, clothed Him in a bright garment and sent Him back to Pilate. Luke 23:12. And Pilate and Herod became friends with each other on that day, for before they had been at enmity with each other. Although the chief priests here again brought accusations against Christ, Herod also found no reason to pronounce Christ guilty. It was only in a feeling of wounded self-esteem, because Christ had refused to answer his questions, that he and his soldiers mocked Christ. He ordered Him clothed in a splendid garment, like those ordinarily worn by kings – not in white, such as was worn in Rome by candidates for public office, but in general a decorated one, perhaps even in purple. By this he wanted to show Pilate that such a “king” could not be dangerous to him. The evangelist Luke notes here that Herod and Pilate became friends from that time on, since Herod, according to the expression of the martyr Justin, sent Jesus to Pilate for his consideration and thereby showed his respect and trust toward Pilate (“Dialogue with Trypho the Jew”, 103). Some critics believe that the entire account of Christ’s trial before Herod is a later insertion, since they cannot find a way to explain why all the other evangelists mention this trial at all. But, properly speaking, this account brings nothing particularly significant to the course of the process conducted against Christ, and therefore the other evangelists could have omitted it.

Luke 23:13. Pilate, having called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Luke 23:14. said to them: You brought this man to me as one who perverts the people; and behold, I have examined him before you and found no fault in this man in those things of which you accuse him; Luke 23:15. and Herod as well, for I sent Him to him; and nothing worthy of death has been found in Him; Luke 23:16. therefore, having punished Him, I will release him. Luke 23:17. But he had need to release one prisoner to them for the festival. Luke 23:18. But all the people cried out: Death to Him! and release Barabbas to us. Luke 23:19. Barabbas was one who had been thrown into prison for a sedition made in the city and for murder. Luke 23:20. Pilate again called out, wanting to release Jesus. Luke 23:21. But they cried out: Crucify, crucify Him! Luke 23:22. He said to them a third time: What evil has He done? I have found nothing worthy of death in Him; therefore, having punished Him, I will release him. Luke 23:23. But they continued with a great outcry demanding that He be crucified; and their outcry and that of the chief priests prevailed. Luke 23:24. And Pilate decided that their petition should be granted, Luke 23:25. and released to them the one who had been thrown into prison for sedition and murder, whom they asked for; and he delivered Jesus to their will. Regarding the condemnation of Christ to crucifixion, the evangelist Luke essentially says the same as Mark (Mark 15:6-15), but with some changes and additions. Thus, he reports that Pilate now himself calls together the members of the Sanhedrin and the people, apparently so that from among the people some defenders of Christ might step forward (verse 13). “I have examined him before you” (verse 14). This seems to contradict the testimony of the evangelist John, who says that Pilate questioned Christ in private (John 18:33 and following). But the words of the evangelist Luke do not mean that the interrogation actually took place on the steps of the palace before the eyes of all the people. Pilate is only saying that they themselves saw that an interrogation took place; Pilate led Christ inside the palace in their view. “For I sent Him to him” (verse 15). This passage is read differently. Textus receptus: “I sent you to him.” In Tischendorf (in accordance with the majority of ancient manuscripts): “he (Herod) sent Him (Christ) to us” (Pilate, according to Roman custom, as representative of the emperor, refers to himself in the plural). The latter reading is certainly better, as it is both better attested and clearer. The Textus receptus reading cannot be accepted simply because Pilate did not send the chief priests to Herod. Our Russian translation apparently follows the tradition preserved in the ancient Syriac translations (cf. Merx, 1905, p. 486–487). “Nothing worthy of death has been found in Him” – more precisely: and so (as it appeared from my and Herod’s investigation), He (αὐτῷ – dative of possession with the passive verb) has nothing done that would be worthy of capital punishment. “Therefore, having punished Him, I will release him” (verse 16). Pilate wants to punish Christ in order to give some satisfaction to the hatred of His enemies. This punishment is not the one mentioned by the evangelist Mark (Mark 15:15); Mark mentions a punishment that was inflicted on Christ after His condemnation to death. Pilate apparently was already beginning to give in, yielding to the enemies of Christ. According to Merx’s investigation (1905, p. 488), this punishment was very severe, namely, scourging (the Greek word παιδεύω used here is equivalent to the Hebrew verb “rada”, which in the Talmud means a very cruel punishment that sometimes ends in death). “But he had need” (verse 17 and following). (See Matt 27:15 and following; Mark 15:6-15).

Luke 23:26. And as they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid the cross on him, that he might bear it after Jesus. Luke 23:27. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who were weeping and wailing for Him. Luke 23:28. But Jesus, turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children, Luke 23:29. for behold, days are coming in which they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed! Luke 23:30. then they will begin to say to the mountains: Fall on us! and to the hills: Cover us! Luke 23:31. For if they do these things with the green tree, what will happen with the dry? Luke 23:32. And they led also two criminals to be put to death with Him. The journey of Christ to Golgotha is described so thoroughly by the evangelist Luke alone; only verse 26 is borrowed from Mark (Mark 15:21). The evangelist Luke says that many “women followed Him, weeping” (ἐκόπτοντο; cf. Luke 8:52) and “wailing for Him”, considering Him to be an innocent victim of the hatred of His enemies. The Lord, at the sight of these signs of sympathy, said to them (however, Merx supposes that in the Hebrew language the expression “daughters of Jerusalem” meant not just women but all inhabitants of the capital) that their fate would also be unhappy, even more disastrous than that of Christ (because Christ after death awaits glorification, while they await only torturous and disgraceful death). It will be especially hard for them to watch the torments that will be inflicted, evidently at the destruction of Jerusalem, upon their small children. In those days they will count as happy those who have no children and in fear will call out to the mountains and hills with a plea that they quickly fall on them and end their torturous existence. Why the inhabitants of Jerusalem should expect such a terrible fate – this the Lord explains in the words: “for if they do these things with the green tree...” (verse 31). According to the usual interpretation (see, for example, Bishop Michael in the Expository Gospel), here Christ has in view Himself as “the green tree” and the Jews as “the dry”, who will be destroyed by the Romans. But such an interpretation cannot be accepted, first, because in the Gospel of Luke the Romans do not appear at all as the cause of the Savior’s death (only the Jews are guilty, who, so to speak, forced Pilate to pronounce judgment on Christ), and second, if we suppose that the evangelist presents the Romans as the “unrighteous” judge who condemned Christ, then this cannot serve as a basis for hoping that this “unrighteous” judge, who condemned the Righteous One, would treat with equal severity the enemies of that Righteous One – the wicked Jews... It is better therefore to accept the interpretation proposed by Merx (1905, p. 491). According to it, the Lord speaks here of the corruption among the ruling classes of the Jewish people that led to such terrible injustice toward Christ. But the further it goes, the more this corruption will increase. What then can the ordinary Jews expect from such leaders? What will the children of these women have to endure when these children grow up and come under the power of such cruel people as the leaders of the Jewish people? “And they led also two criminals to be put to death with Him” (verse 32; cf. Mark 15:27).

Luke 23:33. And when they came to the place called Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. Luke 23:34. But Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments, casting lots for them. Luke 23:35. And the people stood watching. And the rulers also mocked Him, saying: He saved others; let Him save Himself, if this is the Christ, the chosen one of God. Luke 23:36. The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine, Luke 23:37. and saying: If You are the king of the Jews, save Yourself. Luke 23:38. And there was also an inscription written over Him in Greek, Roman, and Hebrew letters: This is the king of the Jews. Luke 23:39. One of the criminals who were hanged reviled Him, saying: Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us! Luke 23:40. But the other, rebuking him, said: Do you not even fear God, when you are under the same condemnation? Luke 23:41. And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. Luke 23:42. And he said to Jesus: Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your kingdom! Luke 23:43. And Jesus said to him: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise. Regarding the crucifixion of Christ, the evangelist Luke relates, in essence, in agreement with Mark (Mark 15:22-32), but he has something of his own. “The place called Skull” (see Matt 27:33). “Said” (verse 34) – apparently while He was being crucified. “Forgive them”, that is, not the soldiers, who were only executors of the execution, but the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews, the true guilty parties for Christ’s death. “For they know not what they do.” The Lord somewhat softens the guilt of His enemies: they indeed did not know that they were putting to death the true Messiah (cf. 1 Cor 2:8). “And the rulers also mocked Him” (verse 35; ἐξεμυκτήριζον; cf. Luke 16:14), that is, while the people watched with curiosity at Christ’s crucifixion, the rulers were even mocking Christ. “If this is” (in Greek – εί οὗτος) – an expression of mockery and contempt: “this one here”. “The chosen one of God” (cf. Luke 9:35). “And the soldiers also mocked...” (verses 36–37). Only the evangelist Luke notes this, adding that their mockery they expressed, among other ways, in offering sour wine to the crucified Christ. Something similar is said by the evangelist Mark (Mark 15:36). From the entire character of the evangelist Luke’s account of Christ’s death, it can be concluded that these were not Roman soldiers but Jewish soldiers, most likely from among those serving in the temple. “And there was also an inscription” (verse 38). And the evangelist Luke clearly understands the placing of this inscription as mockery of Christ. “One of the criminals...” (verse 39). The evangelist Luke here describes the matter more fully than the first two evangelists, according to whom the criminals generally reviled the Lord (Mark 15:32; Matt 27:44). “Are You not the Christ...” More accurately: “Are You not the Messiah? (οὐχὶ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός) Save Yourself then and us.” “Or do you not fear God” (verse 40), that is, do you not have the fear of God in you – if you are not even able to repent at this hour – when you yourself are condemned to death, just like the One you are mocking! The one speaking was apparently repenting of the deed that brought him to the cross (cf. verse 41). “Remember me, Lord” (verse 42), that is, remember me (resurrect me and take me into Your Messianic Kingdom) when You come to earth in Your royal majesty (cf. Matt 16:28). The repentant criminal apparently heard the Lord’s teaching about His second coming for judgment to establish His glorious Kingdom, and now the impression of what he had heard became so alive under the influence of the thought of approaching death that he believed in Christ as the Messiah. Of course, the grace of God, mysteriously disposing human hearts toward faith in Christ, also helped him. “Today you will be with Me in paradise” (verse 43). Instead of a distant reward in the future of His glorious earthly Kingdom, the Lord promises the believing criminal a speedy reward: now they both, Christ and the criminal, will die (sometimes the crucified remained alive for several days), and both will enter paradise together. This paradise (ὁ παράδεισος), as can be understood from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:23), was believed by the Jews to be located in “Sheol” and was the blessed abode of righteous souls until the day of resurrection. It should not be confused with the “heavenly paradise” of which the apostle Paul speaks (2 Cor 12:4) and the Apocalypse (Rev 2:7) 29. But does Christ’s answer represent a promise to satisfy the criminal’s request? Some interpreters claim that the criminal did not receive what he asked for. But this is not true. The Lord precisely makes clear to the criminal that his request will be fulfilled, for if the criminal’s soul goes to paradise, then he is thereby assured of participation in the resurrection of the righteous and in the future glorious Messianic Kingdom.

Luke 23:44. Now it was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, Luke 23:45. while the sun’s light failed; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Luke 23:46. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said: Father! Into Your hands I commit My spirit. And having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:47. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he glorified God and said: Truly this man was righteous! Luke 23:48. And all the multitude who came together for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. Luke 23:49. And all His acquaintances and the women who had followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things. Luke 23:50. Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man, Luke 23:51. who had not consented to their counsel and deed; he was from Arimathea, a city of Judea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God, Luke 23:52. and he came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; Luke 23:53. and taking it down, he wrapped it in a linen sheet and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of stone, where no one had ever been laid. Luke 23:54. Now that day was a Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin. Luke 23:55. And the women who had come with Him from Galilee also followed and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Luke 23:56. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments; and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Regarding the death and burial of Christ, the evangelist Luke speaks in general agreement with Mark (Mark 15:33-47), though sometimes he also makes borrowings from another source known to him. “While the sun’s light failed” (verse 45). According to the Gospel of Luke, the darkness that came on about the sixth hour was caused by an eclipse of the sun, which was evidently miraculous, since during a full moon – and it was indeed a full moon then – solar eclipses do not usually occur (Merx, 1905, p. 504). “Father! Into Your hands I commit My spirit” (verse 46). Only the evangelist Luke provides this exclamation of Christ, which is a repetition, in somewhat altered form, of the words of the 30th Psalm (Ps 30:6). The Lord dies with full consciousness, and Himself commits His spirit to God, having accomplished all the work of redemption entrusted to Him. “Seeing what had taken place” (verse 47), that is, hearing Christ’s dying cry and hearing His final breath, rather than seeing the tearing of the veil (verse 45), which would have been impossible for him. “He glorified God.” He glorified Him by deed, through his confession (cf. John 9:24). However, the evangelist Luke puts into the mouth of the centurion only a confession of Christ’s righteousness, that is, His innocence, rather than recognition of Him as the Son of God, even if not in the proper sense of the word (cf. Mark 15:39). “The multitude” (verse 48), which earlier, being incited by the chief priests, demanded Christ’s execution (verses 4–5, 13, 18, 21, 23), now shows repentance, beating their breasts (cf. Luke 8:52), thereby acknowledging themselves guilty in the crucifixion of Christ (cf. Luke 18:13). The cause of such a change in the people was that they saw what had happened, that is, everything that took place at the crucifixion, and in particular the sudden darkening of the sun (verse 45) 30. “Those who knew Him” (verse 49) – these were the disciples and other followers of Christ who did not follow Him, as well as the women who came after Him from Galilee (cf. Luke 8:2 and following). They were afraid to approach the cross closely lest they incur some suspicion (the crucified were sometimes secretly stolen from the cross by their relatives and friends). “Who had not consented to their counsel and deed” (verse 51), that is, who disagreed with the Sanhedrin’s decision and the way the Sanhedrin’s members acted toward Christ. “And the Sabbath was about to begin” (verse 54). The Sabbath began in the evening of Friday, about six o’clock in the evening, with the setting of the sun. Thus, Christ’s burial was accomplished right before the beginning of the Sabbath. “And the women...also followed” (verse 55), of course, they followed Joseph from Golgotha to the place of Christ’s burial. “Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments” (verse 56). According to the Gospel of Mark, they purchased aromatics later (Mark 16:1). The evangelist Luke here more precisely determines the time of this purchase 31. * * * Notes Some critics (for example, Merx, 1905, p. 479) try to find here proof of the idea that Christ did not at all claim the dignity of Messiah, which was attributed to Him only at a later time (ibidem, p. 481). But they do not pay attention to the fact that the Lord does not wish to acknowledge Himself in His answer to Pilate only as a king, and Pilate did not ask Him about His Messiahship. Besides, Pilate asks Christ about royal dignity while understanding “kingdom” in a purely political sense, so properly speaking, Christ here does not deny His royal dignity in the special higher sense, which was affirmed to Him by the Angel at the annunciation of His birth (Luke 1:32-33). Keil, together with Schenkel, understand here the heavenly paradise, finding no grounds for the assumption of the existence of a temporary paradise in “Sheol.” But in that case the expression “today you will be...” becomes unclear. The pardoned criminal could not have entered the heavenly paradise on that very day... In some ancient Syriac translations, after the word “returned” is added: “saying: Woe to us, what has happened now because of our sins. For the devastation of Jerusalem has drawn near.” But probably these words are taken from the apocryphal Gospel of Peter, where they are given in this form: “Woe to our sins, for the judgment and destruction of Jerusalem are at hand” (Merx, 1905, p. 505). Thus, according to our reckoning, Christ’s death occurred about three o’clock in the afternoon, the burial about six o’clock in the evening, while Joseph’s journey to Pilate took place between three and six o’clock.