Luke 23
1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
We know the accusations are false. They are twisting things so Pilate will want Christ punished.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
"You said it, not me".
4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.
Pilate doesn't want anything to do with judging Christ. His wife had a vision from an angel, telling her to tell her Pilate to have nothing to do with this man Christ. Matthew 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him."
5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
Well that's Herod's jurisdiction, he was over Judea, the area called Galilee. Herod is in Jerusalem at the time during the Passover feast.
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Herod was looking for a show.
9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
Christ had nothing to say as prophesied, Ref. Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.
10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
They're pushing their lies, regardless of His innocents.
11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
Herod joined in with the rest of evil, in commanding his solders to dress Christ as a king and send Him back to Pilate.
12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
These two hated one another until they found common ground in abusing Christ.
13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Pilate can't find Christ guilty of anything the kenites and their followers say.
15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
Christ was even sent to Pilate and nothing was found worthy of death.
16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Herod is saying, he's going to whip Christ and let Him go.
17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
During The Passover the Roman government would release a prisoner.
18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
The crowed wants a kenite over Christ. They chose evil over good, Light over darkness, a murderer over life.
19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
This sedition was creating an uprising against Rome and on top of that, a murderer. The people could care less what Barabbas did or does.
20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
Pilate doesn't really want to release Barabbas, so he is trying to sway the people into rethink this.
21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
The people want Christ dead.
22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
Pilate can't get his mind around this. The people want to kill someone that has done no evil and release one that does nothing but evil. Sounds like today!
23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
The church has refused light for darkness. They worked the people up into a frenzy and the people fell for it.
24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
Pilate washes his hands of it. Ref. Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just Person: see ye to it.
25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Christ isn't thinking of Himself, even as He walks to His death. He is thinking about them and those to come in the generations up to today.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Christ will be looking for a virgin bride, one that didn't go after the things of the world, one that didn't go whoring after satan.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Once they see Christ, they finely see The Truth that's been there for them all along and it isn't going to feel good.
31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
The people = trees, that accepted The living Water grew green, they have veins flowing with blood, while those people = trees that refused Him, crucifying Him, draining His blood.
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
They're gambled for His clothing while He hung and He forgives.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Their evil had no boarders.
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
The lower class soldier didn't have good wine, they had something liken to vinegar. They could have had pity on those being crucified deep within themselves by offering them this "vinegar" to reduce the pain.
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
The rulers of the church and the crowd have gotten the soldiers to join in.
38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.
Pilate was stickin it to those church rulers. He wanted no doubt in anyone's mind Who They said Christ claimed to be.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
One of those two crucified with Christ, asked if Christ could save Himself.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
He asked the other, "Don't you fear God, seeing that you are dying, have you no repentance".
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
He shows repentance and love for Christ.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
This malefactor isn't going to a hole in the ground, waiting for sometime in the future to rise. He is going to heaven "Today" just like everyone else that dies of this flesh.
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
From noon until 3pm it was as dark as night over ALL The earth.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
The veil is what separated the holy of holies from the people within the temple. It's where we get the name Open Vail Ministry.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the Spirit.
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
This centurion was made a believer.
48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
The people's eyes where open to just how wrong they had been.
49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
All the women that had been following Christ had seen the end take place. The men were nowhere in sight.
50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
Joseph of Arimathaea, didn't follow the evil of the scribes, chief priests or the people and was the kinsman redeemer of Christ, with the right to claim His body.
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
Joseph of Arimathaea had seen enough. He wanted Christ body taken off the cross and given to him.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
A rich man's tomb.
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
This is Mary, mother of Christ Jesus and Mary Magdalene, a apostle of Christ. Matthew 27:61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. They were outside the tomb, watching the men preparing the body of Jesus Christ and laying it in the tomb.
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Christ body was placed into the tomb before 6pm on Wednesday. Thursday was the High Sabbath, were by law you shouldn't be doing such things. Matthew 27:66 And they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.