Christ is Crucified

Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. 

With infinite love and mercy, Jesus cried from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Who knows what a Niagara of divine wrath was averted by this prayer!

Morgan comments on the Savior’s love: In the soul of Jesus there was no resentment; no anger, no lurking desire for punishment upon the men who were maltreating Him. Men have spoken in admiration of the mailed fist. When I hear Jesus thus pray, I know that the only place for the mailed fist is in hell.

Then followed the dividing of His garments among the soldiers, and the casting of lots for His seamless robe.

Luke 23:35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

Luke 23:36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, :37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” 

Gall” simply refers to something bitter. Mark 15:23 identifies it as myrrh, a narcotic. The Jews had a custom, based on Pr 31:6, of administering a pain-deadening medication mixed with wine to victims of crucifixion, in order to deaden the pain. 

Tasting what it was, Christ, though thirsty, “was unwilling to drink,” lest it dull His senses before He completed His work. 

The lessening of physical pain would probably not have diminished the efficacy of His atoning work. But He needed His full mental faculties for the hours yet to come. It was necessary for Him to be awake and fully conscious, for example, to minister to the dying thief.

Luke 23:38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS 

All 4 gospel writers mentioned the inscription, but each reported a slightly different variation. Both Luke and John (19:20) said that the inscription was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, so the varying reports in the gospels may simply reflect variant ways the inscription was translated on the placard itself. It is even more likely that all 4 evangelists simply reported the substance of the inscription elliptically, with each one omitting different parts of the full inscription. All 4 concurred with Mark that the inscription said THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mt 27:37; Mk 15:26; Jn 19:19).

 Luke added “THIS IS” at the beginning, and Matthew started with “THIS IS JESUS.” John’s version began, “JESUS OF NAZARETH.” Putting them all together, the full inscription would read “THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

 Stewart: writes we cannot miss the significance of the fact that the inscription was written in three languages, Greek and Latin and Hebrew. No doubt that was done in order to make sure that everyone in the crowd might read it; but Christ’s Church has always seen in it—and rightly—a symbol of the universal lordship of her master. For these were the three great world languages, each of them the servant of one dominant idea. Greek was the language of culture and knowledge; in that realm, said the inscription, Jesus was king! Latin was the language of law and government; Jesus was king there! Hebrew was the language of revealed religion; Jesus was King there! Hence even as he hung dying, it was true that “on his head were many crowns” (Rev. 19:12).

 Luke 23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 

Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 report that both criminals were mocking Christ along with the crowd.

As the hours wore on, however, this criminal’s conscience was smitten, and he repented.

When the impenitent thief resumed his mocking (v. 39), this thief rebuked him and refused to participate again.

Luke 23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

Luke 23:41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 

The penitent thief’s prayer reflected his belief that the soul lives on after death;  that Christ had a right to rule over a kingdom of the souls of men; and that He would soon enter that kingdom despite His impending death.

His request to be remembered was a plea for mercy, which also reveals that the thief understood he had no hope but divine grace, and that the dispensing of that grace lay in Jesus’ power.

All of this demonstrates true faith on the part of the dying thief, and Christ graciously affirmed the man’s salvation (v. 43).

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus rewarded his faith with the promise that that very day, they would be together in Paradise. Paradise is the same as the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2, 4), and means the dwelling place of God.

Charles R. Erdman writes:This story reveals the truth to us that salvation is conditioned upon repentance and faith.

However, it contains other important messages also. It declares that salvation is independent of sacraments. The thief had never been baptized, nor had he partaken of the Lord’s Supper.…

He did in fact boldly profess his faith in the presence of a hostile crowd and amid the taunts and jeers of rulers and soldiers, yet he was saved without any formal rites.

It is further evident that salvation is independent of good works.…

It is also seen that there is no “sleep of the soul.” The body may sleep, but consciousness exists after death. Again it is evident that there is no “purgatory.” Out of a life of sin and shame, the penitent robber passed immediately into a state of blessedness.

Again it may be remarked that salvation is not universal. There were two robbers; only one was saved.

Last of all it may be noted that the very essence of the joy which lies beyond death consists in personal communion with Christ.

The heart of the promise to the dying thief was this: “Thou shalt be with me.” This is our blessed assurance, that to depart is “to be with Christ” which is “very far better.”

From Jesus Christ’s side one person may go to heaven and another to hell. Which side of the cross are you on?

Luke 23:44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 

Darkness covered the whole land (or earth, the Greek can mean either) from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, that is, from noon to 3:00 p.m. This could not have been caused by an eclipse, because the Jews used a lunar calendar, and Passover always fell on the full moon, making a solar eclipse out of the question. This was a supernatural darkness.