Luke23

Jesus is brought before Pilate, who finds no fault in him and sends him to Herod, who also finds no cause for death. Despite Pilate's attempts to release him, the multitude demands Barabbas and insists on Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is crucified at Calvary, where he forgives his persecutors and promises paradise to a repentant malefactor. He dies after a period of darkness, and his body is laid in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimathaea.

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Jesus Before Pilate

Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate.

And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”

So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

Jesus Interrogated by Herod

When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.

And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.

Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.

Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.

And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.

That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.

Pilate Condemns Jesus

Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.

Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.

Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”

Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.

But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”

(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,

but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”

But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed.

So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.

As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.

The Road to the Cross

As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.

But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’

At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.

The Crucifixion

When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.

“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”

But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?

We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Death of Jesus

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.

The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.

When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.

But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

The Burial

Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man,

who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and was waiting for the kingdom of God.

He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.

Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.

It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.

Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

Study Notes for Luke 23

Verse 1

After the religious trial by the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71), the Jewish leaders bring Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor, as only the Roman authorities could execute a death sentence.

Verse 2

The charges presented are political (sedition, forbidding taxes) rather than religious, forcing Pilate to treat Jesus as a threat to Roman order.

Verse 3

Jesus’ ambiguous reply, 'Thou sayest it,' affirms his kingship while implicitly reframing it as non-political, thereby neutralizing the charge of sedition.

Verse 4

Luke repeatedly emphasizes Pilate’s conclusion of Jesus’ innocence (v. 4, 14, 22), highlighting that Jesus was condemned not by Roman law but by the pressure of the Jewish leadership and populace.

Verse 7

Herod Antipas was the tetrarch of Galilee. Pilate sends Jesus to him to avoid responsibility and because Herod had jurisdiction over Galileans.

Verse 8

Herod's interest was purely curiosity and a desire for entertainment, illustrating his lack of commitment to justice or truth.

Verse 9

Jesus’ silence before Herod contrasts with his earlier answers to the high priest and Pilate, perhaps fulfilling the suffering servant prophecy (Isa. 53:7).

Verse 12

This political maneuver resulted in reconciliation between Pilate and Herod, showing how dealing with Jesus brought temporary unity among those in power.

Verse 15

Pilate uses Herod’s non-condemnation as further evidence of Jesus’ innocence, establishing a dual Roman acquittal.

Verse 16

Pilate attempts a compromise—scourging (chastisement) followed by release—hoping to satisfy the crowd’s demand for punishment without executing an innocent man.

Verse 17

This parenthetical note explains the custom of releasing a prisoner during Passover, which the crowd exploits to demand Barabbas instead of Jesus.

Verse 19

Barabbas is explicitly identified as a revolutionary (sedition) and murderer, creating a stark contrast: the people choose a political criminal over the innocent Christ.

Verse 25

Pilate officially yields to the popular will, delivering Jesus to be crucified despite declaring him innocent three times (v. 4, 14, 22).

Verse 26

Simon of Cyrene, a man likely traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover, is compelled by the soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross, emphasizing Jesus’ extreme physical exhaustion.

Verse 28

Jesus shifts the focus from his own suffering to the impending judgment and destruction awaiting Jerusalem (fulfilled in 70 AD) due to their rejection of him.

Verse 29

This hyperbolic statement reflects the extremity of the coming suffering, making barrenness a blessing because childless mothers would not witness their children’s destruction.

Verse 31

A proverbial saying: if the innocent (the green tree) suffers such a fate, how much worse will the judgment be for the guilty (the dry tree, representing unrepentant Israel)?

Verse 33

Calvary is the Latin equivalent of the Aramaic 'Golgotha' (Place of the Skull). Jesus is crucified alongside two criminals, fulfilling the prophecy that he would be numbered with the transgressors (Isa. 53:12).

Verse 34

This is the first of Jesus’ seven sayings from the cross, demonstrating radical forgiveness toward his executioners. The plea 'they know not what they do' suggests a degree of culpable ignorance.

Verse 38

The inscription was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew so that all passersby could understand the official charge, ironically declaring the truth of Jesus' identity.

Verse 40

The interaction between the two malefactors is unique to Luke, serving as a powerful demonstration of repentance and faith in Jesus’ kingship even in his humiliation.

Verse 43

The second saying from the cross. 'Paradise' (a term for the Garden of Eden or the abode of the righteous dead) promises the repentant thief immediate entry into blessedness with Christ.

Verse 44

The 'sixth hour' (noon) to the 'ninth hour' (3 PM) was marked by supernatural darkness, signifying cosmic judgment and the gravity of the event.

Verse 45

The rending of the temple veil, which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, symbolizes that access to God is now opened to all through Christ’s sacrifice.

Verse 46

Jesus’ final words in Luke, quoting Psalm 31:5, show his death as a deliberate act of trust and completion, not a defeat.

Verse 47

The centurion’s confession, 'Certainly this was a righteous man,' provides the final Roman testimony to Jesus’ innocence, concluding Luke’s repeated emphasis on his lack of guilt.

Verse 48

The crowd’s reaction (beating their breasts) signals immediate remorse or recognition of the tragic injustice they had demanded.

Verse 50

Joseph of Arimathea is identified as a member of the Sanhedrin ('counsellor') who dissented from the council’s decision, demonstrating that not all Jewish leaders rejected Jesus.

Verse 54

The burial had to be completed quickly because the 'preparation' day was ending, and the Sabbath (beginning at sunset) prohibited manual labor.

Verse 56

The women’s obedience to the Sabbath commandment, despite their grief, sets the stage for their visit to the tomb on the first day of the week (24:1).

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Luke23

Jesus Before Pilate

Jesus Interrogated by Herod

Pilate Condemns Jesus

The Road to the Cross

The Crucifixion

Death of Jesus

The Burial

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