Luke 23:22 Kommentar

This chapter carries on and concludes the history of Christ's sufferings and death. We have here, I. His arraignment before Pilate the Roman governor (Luk 23:1-5). II. His examination before Herod, who was tetrarch of Galilee, under the Romans likewise (Luk 23:6-12). III. Pilate's struggle with the people to release Jesus, his repeated testimonies concerning his innocency, but his yielding at length to their importunity and condemning him to be crucified (Luk 23:13-25). IV. An account of what passed as they led him to be crucified, and his discourse to the people that followed (Luk 23:26-31). V. An account of what passed at the place of execution, and the indignities done him there (Luk 23:32-38). VI. The conversion of one of the thieves, as Christ was hanging on the cross (Luk 23:39-43). VII. The death of Christ, and the prodigies that attended it (Luk 23:44-49). VIII. His burial (Luk 23:50-56).

And the whole multitude of them,.... Of the chief priests, Scribes, and elders; the whole of the sanhedrim, excepting Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea, having in their court condemned Christ to death: arose; from the council chamber, where they sat in judgment upon him: and led him unto Pilate, the Roman governor, and into the praetorium, or judgment hall, where causes were tried by him; hither they brought Jesus, having bound him as a prisoner and a malefactor, that their sentence might be confirmed by civil authority, and that he might be put to the death of the cross, which was a Roman punishment.

And they were instant with loud voices,.... They were urgent, and insisted upon his crucifixion, and pressed hard for it, and exerted their voices, and more loudly called: requiring him, that he might be crucified: desiring it in the most importunate manner; signifying, that it must be, that nothing else would content them: and the voices of them, and the chief priests, prevailed; upon Pilate to grant their request, contrary to the dictates of his own conscience, the conduct of Herod, and the message of his wife; the people being set on by the chief priests, and the chief priests joining with them, their numbers were so great, and their requests were pressed with so much force, and violence, and importunity, that Pilate could not withstand them.

The word of the Lord is rich, and according to the opinion of Solomon, "it must be written on the heart" not once but also twice and "three times." Let us to the best of our ability also now attempt to add something to what was said long ago. Let us show how "as a type of things to come" this one male goat was sacrificed to the Lord as an offering and the other one was sent away "living." Hear in the Gospels what Pilate said to the priests and the Jewish people: "Which of these two do you want me to send out to you: Jesus, who is called the Christ, or Barabbas?" Then all the people cried out to release Barabbas and to hand Jesus over to be killed. Look, you have a male goat who was sent "living into the wilderness." He carried with him the sins of the people who cried out and said, "Crucify, crucify!" The first is a male goat sent "living into the wilderness." The second is the male goat that was offered to God as an offering to atone for sins. Christ made a true atonement for those who believe in him.

Celsus goes on to say that "those who killed Jesus suffered nothing for a long a time afterwards." We must inform him and all who are prone to learn the truth. The Jewish people called for the crucifixion of Jesus with shouts of "Crucify him, crucify him!" They preferred to set free the robber who had been thrown into prison for sedition and murder. They wanted Jesus, who had been delivered through envy, to be crucified. The city where all these things happened was attacked shortly after this. After a long siege, it was totally overthrown and destroyed. God judged the inhabitants of that place unworthy of living the life of citizens together. Although it may seem incredible to say, God spared this people in delivering them to their enemies. He saw that they were incurably against any improvement and were daily sinking deeper and deeper into evil. All this happened to them because the blood of Jesus was shed at their instigation and on their land. The land was no longer able to bear those who were guilty of so fearful a crime against Jesus.

Here Pilate, who as a judge acquits Christ, is made the minister of His crucifixion. He is sent to Herod, sent back to Pilate, as it follows, Nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him, and behold nothing worthy of death is done unto him. They both refuse to pronounce Him guilty, yet for fear's sake, Pilate gratifies the cruel desires of the Jews.

He is sent to Herod, sent back to Pilate. And although neither of them pronounce him guilty, they still comply with the desires of someone else's cruelty. Indeed, Pilate washed his hands, but he did not wash away his deeds; for a judge ought not to yield to envy or fear, so as to deliver the blood of an innocent person. His wife warned him: grace shone in the darkness; divinity was evident; yet she did not temper the sacrilegious sentence in this way.

Similarly, I think that this is a prototype of all judgments that they would condemn those whom they believed to be innocent. However, it is evident that the Gentiles are more tolerant than the Jews, as Pilate's association with them demonstrates, and they are more persuaded by divine works.

They brought the holy and just One to Pilate. They spoke violent and unrestrained words against him and poured out falsely invented accusations. They persisted in the ferocity with which they accused him. Pilate then ruled that it should be as they desired, although he had publicly said, “I find no wickedness in this man.” It says, “They cried out, ‘Away with him, crucify him!’ ” The Lord had rebuked this unmerciful and unlawful cry by the voice of the prophet Isaiah. It is written, “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry!” In another place, he said of them, “Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.” It is written again, “Their princes shall fall by the sword, because of the rudeness of their tongue.”

Many have been crucified throughout the world, but the demons are not afraid of any of these. These people died because of their own sins, but Christ died for the sin of others. He “did not sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” It was not Peter, who could be suspected of partiality, who said this, but Isaiah, who, although not present in the flesh, in spirit foresaw the Lord’s coming in the flesh. Why do I bring only the prophet as a witness? Take the witness of Pilate himself. He passed judgment on him, by saying, “I find no guilt in this man.” When he delivered him over and washed his hands, he said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man.” The robber is another witness to Jesus’ innocence. He is the first man to enter paradise. He rebuked his friend and said, “We are receiving what our deeds deserved, but this man has done nothing wrong, because you and I were present at his judgment.”

But he said to them the third time: "What evil has this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will chastise him, therefore, and release him." He earnestly sought to satisfy the people with this chastisement, to prevent them from raging to the extent of crucifying the Savior, not only having offered him by pleading but even mocking and scourging, showing it to the desires of the wicked, and the words of the evangelist John, and even the column to which he is bound bears witness. He who used to free the shackled submitted his members, full of God, to lashes. The aforementioned column, placed in the Church of Mount Zion, shows clear traces to those who behold it up to this day. But although Pilate did these things, observe what the insatiable fury of the sacrilegious desires.

This chastisement wherewith Pilate sought to satisfy the people, lest their rage should go even so far as to crucify Jesus, John's words bear testimony that he not only threatened but performed together with mockings and scourgings. But when they saw all their charges which they brought against the Lord baffled by Pilate's diligent questioning, they resort at last to prayers only; entreating that He might be crucified.

Three times did Pilate acquit Christ, for it follows, And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I will chastise him, and let him go.

Pilate proposes for a third time to release Him, and for a third time they cry out against Christ, so that by this threefold outcry they might definitively confirm their thirst for murder. And they—as the blessed Peter says—"denied the Holy and Righteous One," and asked for a murderer to be granted to them (Acts 3:14). For they love what is like themselves (which is why they take part in it), because they themselves also revolted against the Romans and became the cause of countless murders and of their own destruction. The Lord foretells this through Jeremiah: "I have forsaken My house; I have left My heritage; the dearly beloved of My soul I have given into the hands of her enemies. My heritage has become to Me like a lion in the forest; it has raised its voice against Me: therefore I have hated it" (Jer. 12:7–8). And Hosea again: "Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me; destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! I redeemed them, yet they spoke lies against Me… Their princes shall fall by the sword for the insolence of their tongue" (Hos. 7:13, 16).

Thus it came to pass, the once holy nation rages to slay, the Gentile Pilate forbids slaughter; as it follows, Pilate therefore spoke again unto them, but they cried out, Crucify, &c.

Christ is led to Pilate, and accused by the Jews, Luk 23:1, Luk 23:2. Pilate examines, and pronounces him innocent, Luk 23:3, Luk 23:4. The Jews virulently accuse him, Luk 23:5. Pilate, understanding that he was of Galilee, sends him to Herod, by whom he is examined, Luk 23:6-9. The chief priests and scribes vehemently accuse him, and Herod and his soldiers mock him, Luk 23:10, Luk 23:11. Pilate and Herod become friends, Luk 23:12. Pilate, before the chief priests, rulers, and people, pronounces Christ to be innocent, and offers to release him, Luk 23:13-20. The Jews clamor for his condemnation, and Pilate gives him up to their will, Luk 23:21-25. Simon bears his cross, Luk 23:26. The people bewail him, and he foretells the destruction of the Jewish state, Luk 23:27-31. He and two malefactors are brought to Calvary, and are crucified, Luk 23:32, Luk 23:33. He prays for his crucifiers, Luk 23:34. He is derided, mocked, and insulted by the rulers, and by the soldiers, Luk 23:35-37. The superscription on the cross, Luk 23:38. The conduct of the two malefactors, to one of whom he promises paradise, Luk 23:39-43. The great darkness, Luk 23:44, Luk 23:45. He gives up the ghost, Luk 23:46. The centurion and many others are greatly affected at his death, Luk 23:47-49. Joseph of Arimathea begs the body, and puts it in his own new tomb, Luk 23:50-53. The women prepare spices and ointments to embalm him, Luk 23:54-56.

I have found no cause of death in him - I find no crime worthy of death in him. There is nothing proved against him that can at all justify me in putting him to death, So here our blessed Lord was in the most formal manner justified by his judge. Now as this decision was publicly known, and perhaps registered, it is evident that Christ died as an innocent person, and not as a malefactor. On the fullest conviction of his innocence, his judge pronounced him guiltless, after having patiently heard every thing that the inventive malice of these wicked men could allege against him; and, when he wished to dismiss him, a violent mob took and murdered him.

JESUS BEFORE HEROD. (Luk 23:6-12) sent him to Herod--hoping thus to escape the dilemma of an unjust condemnation or an unpopular release. at Jerusalem . . . at that time--to keep the passover.