LUKE CHAPTER 23 Luke 23:1-7 Jesus is accused before Pilate, who sendeth him to Herod. Luke 23:8-11 Herod, disappointed in his expectations, mocketh him, and sendeth him back. Luke 23:12 Herod and Pilate are made friends. Luke 23:13-25 Pilate, willing to release Jesus, is prevailed on by the clamours of the people to release Barabbas, and give Jesus to be crucified. Luke 23:26-31 Being led to the place of execution, Jesus biddeth the women who lamented hint to weep rather for themselves and their children. Luke 23:32,33 He is crucified between two malefactors, Luke 23:34 prayeth for his enemies, Luke 23:35-38 is scoffed at, Luke 23:39-43 reviled by one of the malefactors, but confessed by the other, to whom he promises a place in paradise. Luke 23:44,45 The unusual darkness, and rending the veil of the temple, Luke 23:46 Christ crieth unto God, and expires. Luke 23:47-49 The centurion's confession of him. Luke 23:50-54 Joseph of Arimathea begs his body and buries it. Luke 23:55-56 The women prepare spices, against the end of the sabbath. Ver. 1-25. The history of our Saviour's examination and trial before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, is recorded by all four evangelists, nor can it be distinctly and perfectly understood without the comparing together of what they all say, where our reader will find all such passages opened as occur in any of the evangelists about it, and stand in need of explication. The high priests, and the chief priests, and the elders had before determined our Saviour guilty of death, for blasphemy. They stoned Stephen in that case, Acts 7:59, without carrying him before the Roman governor at all, that we read of in that history; how came it to pass that they did not so by our Saviour, but make a double work of it?
1. Some think that that was rather done in a tumult, though he was carried before the council, Acts 6:12, than in a regular judicial way; for conquerors in those times, though they sometimes allowed the conquered nations courts of judicature, wherein they judged in ordinary matters according to their own laws, and had, judges of their own nations, yet ordinarily reserved capital causes to the cognizance of governors constituted by them; and this seemeth confirmed by 1 Thessalonians 18:31, where when Pilate said, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law, we read that the Jews replied, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
2. Others think that they had a power to put to death, but it was not lawful for them to put any to death upon the feast day: it was now the first day of unleavened bread. But the former seemeth more probable.
3. Or was it because they had sedition and treason to lay to his charge, which were crimes cognoscible only before the Roman governor? And possibly they were willing enough (knowing the reputation our Saviour had with the people) to lay the odium of his death upon Pilate, rather than take it upon themselves.
4. Whatever were the causes, it is most certain that it could be no otherwise, that all righteousness might be fulfilled. Not a word of what our Saviour said could pass away. He had foretold, Matthew 20:18,19 Mr 10:33,34 Lu 18:32,33, that he should not only be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and by them be condemned to death, but that he should be delivered to the Gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him; and indeed that way of putting to death by crucifying could only be done by the Gentiles, and that death he was to die. In the history of our Saviour's examination before Pilate is observable...
1. How much more justice and equity our Saviour found from a heathen, than from the Jewish churchmen: the latter condemn him without any proof, after all attempts of subornation, and seek to destroy him right or wrong; Pilate useth all endeavours to deliver him and set him at liberty.
2. How desperate the hatred is that groweth upon the account of religion in the hearts of wicked men; they prefer a person guilty of the highest immoralities and debaucheries, viz. sedition and murder, before the most innocent person that ever lived, who differed only from them in some points of religion, and those chiefly relating to traditions and ceremonies; but indeed he interpreted the will of God more strictly than their lusts would suffer them to interpret it, and lived another kind of life than they lived. Strictness and holiness of doctrine and life is that which enrages the men of the world against the preachers and professors of the gospel. See Poole on "Matthew 27:1", and following verses to Matthew 27:66, more fully.