Luke 23 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments
  • Luke 23:1 open_in_new

    And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. The whole multitude - It seems most probable that the chief priests, elders, scribes, and captains of the temple, together with their servants, dependents, and other persons hired for the purpose, made up the multitude mentioned here. The common people were generally favourers of Christ; and for this reason the Jewish rulers caused him to be apprehended in the night, and in the absence of the people, Luke 22:6, and it was now but just the break of day, Luke 22:66.

  • Luke 23:2 open_in_new

    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. Perverting the nation - The Greek word διαστρεφοντα, signifies stirring up to disaffection and rebellion. Many MSS. and versions add ἡμων, Our nation. They intimated that he not only preached corrupt doctrine, but that he endeavored to make them disaffected towards the Roman government, for which they now pretended to feel a strong affection!

    Several copies of the Itala add, Destroying our law and prophets. Et solventem legem nostram et prophetas.

    Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar - These were the falsest slanders that could be invented. The whole of our Lord's conduct disproved them. And his decision in the case of the question about the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar, Matthew 22:21, was so fully known that we find Pilate paid not the least attention to such evidently malicious and unfounded accusations. Neither Christ nor any of his followers, from that day until now, ever forbade the paying tribute to Caesar; that is, constitutional taxes to a lawful prince.

  • Luke 23:3 open_in_new

    And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

  • Luke 23:4 open_in_new

    Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. I find no fault in this man - According to John 18:36, John 18:38, Pilate did not say this till after our Lord had declared to him that his kingdom was not of this world; and probably not till after he had found, on examining witnesses, (Luke 23:14), that all their evidence amounted to no proof, of his having set up himself for a temporal king. See Bishop Pearce.

  • Luke 23:5 open_in_new

    And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. Saying, He stirreth up the people, etc. - In the Codex Colbertinus, a copy of the ancient Itala or Antehieronymian version, this verse stands thus: He stirreth up the people, beginning from Galilee, and teaching through all Judea unto this place; our wives and our children he hath rendered averse from us, and he is not baptized as we are. As the Jews found that their charge of sedition was deemed frivolous by Pilate, they changed it, and brought a charge equally false and groundless against his doctrine.

  • Luke 23:7 open_in_new

    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. Herod's jurisdiction - The city of Nazareth, in which Christ had continued till he was thirty years of age, and that of Capernaum, in which he principally resided the last years of his life, were both in Lower Galilee, of which Herod Antipas was tetrarch. Pilate was probably glad of this opportunity to pay a little respect to Herod, whom it is likely he had irritated, and with whom he now wished to be friends. See Luke 23:12.

  • Luke 23:8 open_in_new

    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.

  • Luke 23:10 open_in_new

    And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. The chief priests - vehemently accused him - Corrupt priests and teachers are generally the most implacable enemies of Christ and his truth. Evil passions betray those who are slaves to them. An affected moderation would have rendered these accusers less suspected, their accusations more probable, and the envy less visible than this vehemence: but envy seldom or never consults prudence: and God permits this to be so for the honor of truth and innocence. Quesnel.

  • Luke 23:11 open_in_new

    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. A gorgeous robe - Εσθητα λαμπραν. It probably means a white robe, for it was the custom of the Jewish nobility to wear such. Hence, in Revelation 3:4, it is said of the saints, They shall walk with me in White (garments), because they are Worthy. In such a robe, Herod, by way of mockery, caused our Lord to be clothed; but, the nobility among the Romans wearing purple for the most part, Pilate's soldiers, who were Romans, put on Jesus a purple robe, Mark 15:17; John 19:2; both of them following the custom of their own country, when, by way of mocking our Lord as a king, they clothed him in robes of state. See Bishop Pearce.

  • Luke 23:12 open_in_new

    And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. Pilate and Herod were made friends - I do not find any account of the cause of the enmity which subsisted between Herod and Pilate given by ancient authors; and the conjectures of the moderns on the subject should be considered as mere guesses. It is generally supposed that this enmity arose from what is related Luke 13, of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate hath mingled with that of their sacrifices. These were Herod's subjects, and Pilate seems to have fallen on them at the time they were offering sacrifices to God at the temple. Wicked men cannot love one another: this belongs to the disciples of Christ. But when Christ, his truth, or his followers are to be persecuted, for this purpose the wicked unite their counsels and their influence. The Moabites and Ammonites, who were enemies among themselves, united against poor Israel, and, as Rabbi Tanchum says, may be likened to two contending dogs, who, when the wolf comes, join together to destroy him; each knowing that, if he do not, the wolf will kill both in succession: whereas, by their union, they may now kill or baffle him. There is a proverb among the rabbins, that, when the cat and weasel marry together, misery becomes increased.

  • Luke 23:14 open_in_new

    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:

  • Luke 23:15 open_in_new

    No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him - That is, to see whether he could find that Christ had ever attempted to raise any disaffection or sedition among the Galileans, among whom he had spent the principal part of his life; and yet Herod has not been able to find out any evil in his conduct. Your own accusations I have fully weighed, and find them to the last degree frivolous.

    Instead of ανεπεμψα γαρ ὑμας προς αυτον, for I sent you to him, BHKLM, and many other MSS., with some versions, read ανεπεμψεν γαρ αυτον προς ἡμας, for he hath sent him to us. As if he had said, "Herod hath sent him back to us, which is a sure proof that he hath found no blame in him."

    Nothing worthy of death is done unto him - Or rather, nothing worthy of death is committed by him, Πεπραγμενον αυτῳ, not, done unto him. This phrase is of the same sense with ουδεν πεπραχεν αυτος, he hath done nothing, and is frequent in the purest Attic writers. See many examples in Kypke.

  • Luke 23:17 open_in_new

    (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) For of necessity he must release one - That is, he was under the necessity of releasing one at this feast. The custom, however it originated, had now been so completely established that Pilate was obliged to attend to it. See on Matthew 27:15 (note).

  • Luke 23:18 open_in_new

    And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: Away with this man - That is, Put him to death - αιρε τουτον, literally, Take this one away, i.e. to punishment - to death.

  • Luke 23:22 open_in_new

    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. 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.

  • Luke 23:23 open_in_new

    And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

  • Luke 23:25 open_in_new

    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.

  • Luke 23:26 open_in_new

    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. Simon, a Cyrenian - See on Matthew 27:32 (note).

  • Luke 23:27 open_in_new

    And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. Bewailed and lamented him - Εκοπτοντο, Beat their breasts. See on Matthew 11:17 (note).

  • Luke 23:28 open_in_new

    But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. Weep not for me - Many pious persons have been greatly distressed in their minds, because they could not weep on reading or hearing of the sufferings of Christ. For the relief of all such, let it be for ever known that no human spirit can possibly take any part in the passion of the Messiah. His sufferings were such as only God manifested in the flesh could bear; and, as they were all of an expiatory nature, no man can taste of or share in them. Besides, the sufferings of Christ are not a subject of sorrow to any man; but, on the contrary, of eternal rejoicing to the whole of a lost world. Some have even prayed to participate in the sufferings of Christ. The legend of St. Francis and his stigmata is well known. - He is fabled to have received the marks in his hands, feet, and side.

    Relative to this point, there are many unwarrantable expressions used by religious people in their prayers and hymns. To give only one instance, how often do we hear these or similar words said or sung: -

    "Give me to feel thy agonies!

    One drop of thy sad cup afford!"

    Reader! one drop of this cup would bear down thy soul to endless ruin; and these agonies would annihilate the universe. He suffered alone: for of the people there was none with him; because his sufferings were to make an atonement for the sins of the world: and in the work of redemption he had no helper.

  • Luke 23:29 open_in_new

    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.

  • Luke 23:30 open_in_new

    Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. Mountains, fall on us - As this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, and as the same expressions are used, Revelation 6:16, Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that the whole of that chapter may relate to the same event.

  • Luke 23:31 open_in_new

    For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? If they do these things in a green tree - This seems to be a proverbial expression, the sense of which is: If they spare not a tree which, by the beauty of its foliage, abundance and excellence of its fruits, deserves to be preserved, then the tree which is dry and withered will surely be cut down. If an innocent man be put to death in the very face of justice, in opposition to all its dictates and decisions, by a people who profess to be governed and directed by Divine laws, what desolation, injustice, and oppression may not be expected, when anarchy and confusion sit in the place where judgment and justice formerly presided? Our Lord alludes prophetically to those tribulations which fell upon the Jewish people about forty years after. See the notes on Matthew 24:1-51 (note).

  • Luke 23:32 open_in_new

    And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. Two other malefactors - Ἑτεροι δυο κακουργοι, should certainly be translated two others, malefactors, as in the Bibles published by the King's printer, Edinburgh. As it now stands in the text, it seems to intimate that our blessed Lord was also a malefactor.

  • Luke 23:33 open_in_new

    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. The place - called Calvary - See on Matthew 27:33 (note).

    They crucified him - See the nature of this punishment explained Matthew 27:35 (note).

  • Luke 23:34 open_in_new

    Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. They know not what they do - If ignorance do not excuse a crime, it at least diminishes the atrocity of it. However, these persons well knew that they were crucifying an innocent man; but they did not know that, by this act of theirs, they were bringing down on themselves and on their country the heaviest judgments of God. In the prayer, Father, forgive them! that word of prophecy was fulfilled, He made intercession for the transgressors, Isaiah 53:12.

  • Luke 23:35 open_in_new

    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. Derided him - Treated him with the utmost contempt, εξεμυκτηριζον, in the most infamous manner. See the meaning of this word explained, Luke 16:14 (note).

  • Luke 23:36 open_in_new

    And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, Offering him vinegar - See on Matthew 27:34 (note). Vinegar or small sour wine, was a common drink of the Roman soldiers; and it is supposed that wherever they were on duty they had a vessel of this liquor standing by. It appears that at least two cups were given to our Lord; one before he was nailed to the cross, viz. of wine mingled with myrrh, and another of vinegar, while he hung on the cross. Some think there were three cups: One of wine mixed with myrrh; the Second, of vinegar mingled with gall; and the Third, of simple vinegar. Allow these three cups, and the different expressions in all the evangelists will be included. See Lightfoot.

  • Luke 23:38 open_in_new

    And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. A superscription - See Matthew 27:37.

    In letters of Greek, and Latin and Hebrew - The inscription was written in all these languages, which were the most common, that all might see the reason why he was put to death. The inscription was written in Greek, on account of the Hellenistic Jews, who were then at Jerusalem because of the passover; it was written in Latin, that being the language of the government under which he was crucified; and it was written in Hebrew, that being the language of the place in which this deed of darkness was committed. But, by the good providence of God, the inscription itself exculpated him, and proved the Jews to be rebels against, and murderers of, their king. See the note on Matthew 27:37. It is not to be wondered at that they wished Pilate to alter this inscription, John 19:21, as it was a record of their infamy.

  • Luke 23:39 open_in_new

    And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. One of the malefactors which were hanged - It is likely that the two robbers were not nailed to their crosses, but only tied to them by cords, and thus they are represented in ancient paintings. If not nailed, they could not have suffered much, and therefore they were found still alive when the soldiers came to give the coup de grace, which put a speedy end to their lives. John 19:31-33.

  • Luke 23:40 open_in_new

    But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Dost not thou fear God - The sufferings of this person had been sanctified to him, so that his heart was open to receive help from the hand of the Lord: he is a genuine penitent, and gives the fullest proof he can give of it, viz. the acknowledgment of the justice of his sentence. He had sinned, and he acknowledges his sin; his heart believes unto righteousness, and with his tongue he makes confession unto salvation. While he condemns himself he bears testimony that Jesus was innocent. Bishop Pearce supposes that these were not robbers in the common sense of the word, but Jews who took up arms on the principle that the Romans were not to be submitted to, and that their levies of tribute money were oppressive; and therefore they made no scruple to rob all the Romans they met with. These Jews Josephus calls λῃσται, robbers, the same term used by the evangelists. This opinion gains some strength from the penitent thief's confession: We receive the reward of our deeds - we rose up against the government, and committed depredations in the country; but this man hath done nothing amiss - ατοπον, out of place, disorderly, - nothing calculated to raise sedition or insurrection; nor inconsistent with his declarations of peace and good will towards all men, nor with the nature of that spiritual kingdom which he came to establish among men; though he is now crucified under the pretense of disaffection to the Roman government.

  • Luke 23:41 open_in_new

    And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

  • Luke 23:42 open_in_new

    And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Lord, remember me, etc. - It is worthy of remark, that this man appears to have been the first who believed in the intercession of Christ.

  • Luke 23:43 open_in_new

    And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise - Marcion and the Manichees are reported to have left this verse out of their copies of this evangelist. This saying of our Lord is justly considered as a strong proof of the immateriality of the soul; and it is no wonder that those who have embraced the contrary opinion should endeavor to explain away this meaning. In order to do this, a comma is placed after σημερον, to-day, and then our Lord is supposed to have meant, "Thou shalt be with me after the resurrection I tell thee this, To-Day." I am sorry to find men of great learning and abilities attempting to support this most feeble and worthless criticism. Such support a good cause cannot need; and, in my opinion, even a bad cause must be discredited by it.

    In paradise. The garden of Eden, mentioned Genesis 2:8, is also called, from the Septuagint, the garden of Paradise. The word עדן Eden, signifies pleasure and delight. Several places were thus called; see Genesis 4:16; 2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12; Ezekiel 27:23; and Amos 1:5; and such places probably had this name from their fertility, pleasant situation, etc., etc. In this light the Septuagint have viewed Genesis 2:8. as they render the passage thus: εφυτευσεν ὁ Θεος παραδεισον εν Εδεμ, God planted a paradise in Eden. Hence the word has been transplanted into the New Testament; and is used to signify a place of exquisite pleasure and delight. From this the ancient heathens borrowed their ideas of the gardens of the Hesperides, where the trees bore golden fruit; and the gardens of Adonis, a word which is evidently derived from the Hebrew עדן Eden: and hence the origin of sacred groves, gardens, and other enclosures dedicated to purposes of devotion, some comparatively innocent, others impure. The word paradise is not Greek, but is of Asiatic origin. In Arabic and Persian it signifies a garden, a vineyard, and also the place of the blessed. In the Kushuf ul Loghat, a very celebrated Persian dictionary, the Jenet al Ferdoos, Garden of Paradise, is said to have been "created by God out of light, and that the prophets and wise men ascend thither."

    Paradise was, in the beginning, the habitation of man in his state of innocence, in which he enjoyed that presence of his Maker which constituted his supreme happiness. Our Lord's words intimate that this penitent should be immediately taken to the abode of the spirits of the just, where he should enjoy the presence and approbation of the Most High. In the Institutes of Menu, chap. Oeconomics, Inst. 243, are the following words: "A man habitually pious, whose offenses have been expiated, is instantly conveyed, after death, to the higher world, with a radiant form, and a body of ethereal substance." The state of the blessed is certainly what our Lord here means: in what the locality of that state consists we know not. The Jews share a multitude of fables on the subject.

  • Luke 23:44 open_in_new

    And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Darkness over all the earth - See the note on Matthew 27:45. The darkness began at the sixth hour, about our twelve o'clock at noon, and lasted till the ninth hour, which answered to our three o'clock in the afternoon.

  • Luke 23:45 open_in_new

    And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. The sun was darkened - See an examination of the accounts of Phlegon, Thallus, and Dionysius, on Matthew 27:45 (note).

    The veil - was rent - See Matthew 27:51.

  • Luke 23:46 open_in_new

    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 ghost. Into thy hands I commend my spirit - Or, I will commit my spirit - I deposit my soul in thy hands. Another proof of the immateriality of the soul, and of its separate existence when the body is dead.

  • Luke 23:47 open_in_new

    Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

  • Luke 23:48 open_in_new

    And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all the people - All were deeply affected except the priests, and those whom they had employed to serve their base purposes. The darkness, earthquake, etc., had brought terror and consternation into every heart. How dreadful is the state of those who, in consequence of their long opposition to the grace and truth of God, are at last given up to a reprobate mind!

  • Luke 23:49 open_in_new

    And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

  • Luke 23:51 open_in_new

    (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.

  • Luke 23:53 open_in_new

    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.

  • Luke 23:54 open_in_new

    And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the Sabbath drew on - Or, The Sabbath was lighting up, επεφωσκε, i.e. with the candles which the Jews light just before six in the evening, when the Sabbath commences. The same word is used for the dawning of the day, Matthew 28:1. Wakefield. The Jews always lighted up candles on the Sabbath; and it was a solemn precept that, "if a man had not bread to eat, he must beg from door to door to get a little oil to set up his Sabbath light." The night of the Sabbath drew on, which the Jews were accustomed to call the light. See Lightfoot.

  • Luke 23:55 open_in_new

    And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. The women also, which came - These were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, Luke 24:10. To these three, Mark, in Mark 16:1, adds, Salome; but some think that this was only a surname of one of these Marys.

  • Luke 23:56 open_in_new

    And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Prepared spices and ointments - This was in order to embalm him; which sufficiently proves that they had no hope of his resurrection the third day.

    And rested the Sabbath day - For though the Jewish canons allowed all works, necessary for the dead, to be done, even on the Sabbath, such as washing and anointing, provided they moved not a limb of the dead person, yet, as the Jews had put Christ to death under the pretense of his being a malefactor, it would not have been either prudent or safe to appear too forward in the present business; and therefore they rested on the Sabbath.

    Certain copies of the Itala have some remarkable additions in these concluding verses. The conclusion of the 48th verse, in one of them, is read thus: Beating their breasts and their foreheads, and saying, Wo to us because of what is done this day, on account of our sins; for the desolation of Jerusalem is at hand. To Luke 23:52, another adds: And when Pilate heard that he was dead, he glorified God and gave the body to Joseph. On the circumstances of the crucifixion, see the observations at the end of Matthew 27 (note), and consider how heinous sin must be in the sight of God, when it required such a sacrifice!

    Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].