ลูกา 23:52 วิจารณ์

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.

Mary stands for Eve, and Joseph stands for another Joseph. He who asked for his corpse was also named Joseph. The earlier Joseph was a righteous man who did not denounce Mary publicly. The other one was also a righteous man because he did not consent to the detractors. So that it might be clear that the Lord was entrusted at the beginning to one having this name when he was born, he further allowed one with this name to prepare him for burial when he was dead. This name receives the full reward for serving him at his birth in the cave and for having served his corpse at the tomb.

Now mystically, the just man buries the body of Christ. For the burial of Christ is such as to have no guile or wickedness in it. But rightly did Matthew call the man rich, for by carrying Him that was rich he knew not the poverty of faith. The just man covers the body of Christ with linen. Do thou also clothe the body of Christ with His own glory, that thou mayest be thyself just. And if thou believest it to be dead, still cover it with the fulness of His own divinity. But the Church also is clothed with the grace of innocence.

(de Con. Ev. lib. iii. c. 22.) Now John says, that Joseph was a disciple of Jesus. Hence it is also here added, Who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. But it naturally causes surprise how he who for fear was a secret disciple should have dared to beg our Lord's body, which none of those who openly followed Him dared to do; for it is said, This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. We must understand then, that he did this from confidence in his rank, by which he might be privileged to enter familiarly into Pilate's presence. But in performing that last funeral rite, he seems to have eared less for the Jews, although it was his custom in hearing our Lord to avoid their hostility.

Someone might say of last Sunday’s sermon, in which we preached that there was no less glory in Joseph’s grave receiving the Lord than in holy Mary’s womb begetting him, “What comparison can there be between the womb and the grave, since the one brought forth a son from its innermost bowels while the other only gave him a place of burial?” But I say that Joseph’s love was no less than Mary’s, since she conceived the Lord in her womb and he did so in his heart. She offered the secret place of her inmost members to the Savior; he did not deny him the secret place for his own body. She wrapped the Lord in swaddling clothes when he was born; he wrapped him in linen cloths when he died. She anointed his blessed body with oil; he honored it with spices. Each one’s service is similar and each one’s love is similar; hence each one’s reward must also be similar. But there is this difference: an angel called Mary to her service, but righteousness alone persuaded Joseph.

Let us see, then, what happens to the Lord’s body after they take it down from the cross. Joseph of Arimathea, a righteous man, as the Evangelist says, took it and buried it in his new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. Blessed is the body of the Lord Christ, which in birth comes forth from a virgin’s womb and in death is placed in the grave of a righteous man! Clearly this body is blessed. Virginity brought it out, and righteousness held it! Joseph’s grave held him incorrupt, just as Mary’s womb preserved him inviolate. In the one, a man’s impurity does not touch him; in the other, death’s corruption does not hurt him. In every way, holiness and virginity are bestowed on that blessed body. A new womb conceived him, and a new grave enclosed him. The womb is the Lord’s womb. It is virginal. The tomb is virginal. Should I not rather say that the tomb itself is a womb? There is, in fact, a great similarity. Just as the Lord came out from his mother’s womb living, so also he rose living from Joseph’s tomb. Just as he was born from the womb in order to preach, so also now he has been reborn from the tomb in order to evangelize. The last birth is more glorious than the first. The first conceived a mortal body, but the last brought out an immortal one. After the first birth, he descends to hell, but after the last birth, he returns to the heavens. The last birth is more religious than the first. The first kept the Lord of the whole world locked in the womb for nine months, but the last held him in the belly of the grave for only three days. The first offered hope to all rather slowly, but the last raised salvation for all quite quickly.

He approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph, indeed, was of great dignity in the world, but he is praised for having greater merit before God, so that by the righteousness of his merits he was worthy to bury the Lord’s body, and by the nobility of his worldly power he could receive the same body. For not just anyone unknown could approach the governor and obtain the body of the crucified.

So then being fitted by the righteousness of his works for the burial of our Lord's body, he was worthy by the dignity of his secular power to obtain it.

Joseph had not revealed himself before, but now he does a praiseworthy deed. Despite being a member of the council and a wealthy man, he boldly asks for the body of a Man who was crucified as a rebel and insurrectionist, and pays no attention to any danger, even though wealth is timid, but requests and honorably buries Him in a tomb hewn in stone, where no one else had been laid before, so that slanderers could not say that the body of another had risen.

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.

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.