Luke 23

Introduction

Luke 23 narrates the trial, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus -- the climax of Luke's entire Gospel. What distinguishes Luke's account from the other Synoptics is his emphasis on Jesus' innocence, declared repeatedly by Pilate, confirmed by Herod, acknowledged by one of the crucified criminals, and finally proclaimed by the Roman centurion. Luke alone records Jesus' appearance before Herod Antipas, the address to the weeping women of Jerusalem, and the extended dialogue between Jesus and the two criminals. These unique episodes reveal Luke's theological priorities: Jesus goes to his death not as a helpless victim but as the righteous Servant of God who forgives his executioners, promises paradise to a repentant sinner, and entrusts his spirit to his Father with sovereign calm.

The chapter also highlights the theme of reversal that runs throughout Luke's Gospel. Barabbas -- guilty of insurrection and murder -- is released, while Jesus -- innocent of every charge -- is condemned. The rulers mock Jesus as a failed Messiah, yet ironically their taunts proclaim the truth: he is the Christ, the Chosen One, the King of the Jews. The darkness that covers the land and the tearing of the temple curtain signal that something of cosmic significance is taking place. And at the end, it is not the powerful but the humble -- a member of the council who dissented, faithful women from Galilee -- who tend to the body of Jesus and prepare for what comes next. Luke's Passion narrative is a story of injustice overcome by grace, of power revealed in weakness, and of death that opens the way to life.

Jesus Before Pilate (vv. 1-5)

Notes

The ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος ("the whole assembly/multitude") refers to the Sanhedrin, which had conducted the preliminary hearing in Luke 22:66-71. The charges they bring before Pilate are entirely political, a strategic reframing of the religious charges from the earlier trial. The verb διαστρέφοντα ("perverting/subverting") is a strong word meaning to twist or turn aside -- they accuse Jesus of leading the nation astray. The charge of forbidding taxes to Caesar is a deliberate distortion of what Jesus actually said (Luke 20:25), where he affirmed the legitimacy of paying tribute. The third charge -- claiming to be Χριστὸν βασιλέα ("Christ, a king") -- is technically true in a spiritual sense but is framed to sound like political sedition.

Pilate's question -- Σὺ εἶ ὁ Βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων ("Are you the King of the Jews?") -- cuts to the charge that would matter to a Roman governor. Jesus' reply, Σὺ λέγεις ("You say so"), is neither a denial nor an unqualified affirmation. The emphasis falls on "you" -- "it is you who say this." Jesus acknowledges the title but distances himself from the political meaning Pilate would attach to it.

Pilate's first declaration of innocence -- Οὐδὲν εὑρίσκω αἴτιον ("I find no grounds for a charge") -- is the first of three such declarations in Luke (see also vv. 14, 22), forming a pattern unique to this Gospel that emphasizes Jesus' complete innocence. The accusers respond with ἐπίσχυον ("they grew stronger/more insistent"), and their mention of Galilee inadvertently provides Pilate with a way to defer the case.

Jesus Before Herod (vv. 6-12)

Notes

This episode is unique to Luke and fulfills the prophecy of Psalm 2:1-2, where "the kings of the earth" and "the rulers" conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed -- a connection made explicit in Acts 4:25-27. Herod here is Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, the same ruler who beheaded John the Baptist (Luke 9:9) and whom Jesus called "that fox" (Luke 13:32). He was in Jerusalem for the Passover festival.

Herod ἐχάρη λίαν ("rejoiced exceedingly") -- but his joy is entirely self-serving. He wants entertainment, hoping to see a σημεῖον ("sign/miracle"). Luke had foreshadowed this curiosity in Luke 9:9, where Herod said, "Who is this about whom I hear such things?" His questioning is described as ἐν λόγοις ἱκανοῖς ("with many words/at considerable length"), but Jesus responds with absolute silence -- οὐδὲν ἀπεκρίνατο ("he answered nothing"). This silence echoes the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:7, who "did not open his mouth."

The verb ἐξουθενήσας ("treated with contempt/despised") is a strong term suggesting utter disdain. Herod and his soldiers dress Jesus in an ἐσθῆτα λαμπράν ("splendid/bright robe") -- probably a white or shining garment, mocking his pretensions to royalty.

The note that Herod and Pilate ἐγένοντο φίλοι ("became friends") on this day is a darkly ironic observation. Their shared contempt for Jesus -- one through mockery, the other through cowardice -- forges an alliance between two men previously at odds. The hostility between them may have stemmed from the incident recorded in Luke 13:1, where Pilate had killed some Galileans (Herod's subjects) while they were offering sacrifices.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas (vv. 13-25)

Notes

Pilate's second declaration of innocence (v. 14) uses formal legal language: ἀνακρίνας ("having examined/investigated") is a judicial term for a formal hearing. The verb ἀποστρέφοντα ("misleading/turning away") in verse 14 is different from the διαστρέφοντα of verse 2, showing Pilate restating their charge in his own words. His verdict is emphatic: οὐθὲν εὗρον αἴτιον ("I found nothing worthy of accusation").

Verse 17 is absent from the earliest manuscripts (P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) and is likely a scribal harmonization with Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6, which explain the custom of releasing a prisoner at the feast. Most modern translations note this textual variant.

The crowd's cry Αἶρε τοῦτον ("Away with this man!") uses a verb that means "take away" or "remove" -- a demand for elimination. The name Barabbas (Βαραββᾶν) means "son of the father" in Aramaic, creating a profound irony: the crowd chooses a "son of the father" who is a murderer and insurrectionist over the true Son of the Father. Barabbas had been imprisoned for στάσιν ("insurrection/revolt") and φόνον ("murder") -- the very political crimes of which Jesus was falsely accused.

The doubled cry Σταύρου σταύρου αὐτόν ("Crucify, crucify him!") is unique to Luke, its repetition adding urgency. Pilate's third declaration of innocence (v. 22) is his most desperate: "What evil has this man done?" But the voices κατίσχυον ("prevailed/overpowered") -- the same verb used of overcoming by force. The verb ἐπέκρινεν ("decided/pronounced sentence") in verse 24 appears only here in the New Testament, a formal judicial term meaning to ratify or confirm a verdict. Luke's phrasing in verse 25 is devastating in its simplicity: Pilate released the insurrectionist and murderer, and παρέδωκεν ("handed over") Jesus τῷ θελήματι αὐτῶν ("to their will") -- not to justice, but to the mob's desire.

The verb παιδεύσας ("having punished/flogged") that Pilate proposes in verses 16 and 22 is a euphemism for scourging. The word literally means "to discipline" or "to educate" (it is the root of our word "pedagogy"), but in a Roman legal context it referred to a severe beating, often with a flagellum. Pilate offers this brutal punishment as a lesser alternative to execution, hoping it will satisfy the crowd.

The Road to the Cross (vv. 26-31)

Notes

Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21). Cyrene was a city in North Africa (modern Libya) with a large Jewish population. Mark adds that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus, suggesting these were known figures in the early church. Luke alone notes that Simon carried the cross ὄπισθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ("behind Jesus"), language that echoes the call to discipleship: "If anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Simon becomes an unwitting illustration of what it means to bear the cross after Jesus.

The address to the Θυγατέρες Ἰερουσαλήμ ("Daughters of Jerusalem") is unique to Luke. The women were ἐκόπτοντο καὶ ἐθρήνουν ("mourning and lamenting") -- the first verb literally means "to beat the breast" in grief, and the second describes formal lamentation. Jesus' response redirects their grief prophetically. The pronouncement that "blessed are the barren" is a shocking reversal of the normal Jewish blessing on fruitfulness (Psalm 127:3-5) and points to a coming calamity so severe that childlessness will be counted a mercy -- the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The quotation from Hosea 10:8 -- "they will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'" -- is also echoed in Revelation 6:16. It expresses the desire to be hidden from divine judgment. Jesus' final saying -- εἰ ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ ταῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ τί γένηται ("if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?") -- is a proverbial saying. The ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ ("green/moist wood") represents Jesus, the innocent one, and the ξηρῷ ("dry wood") represents guilty Jerusalem. If Rome does this to an innocent man, what will it do to a rebellious city? The proverb anticipates the destruction of Jerusalem with terrible clarity.

The Crucifixion (vv. 32-38)

Notes

The place called Κρανίον ("The Skull") is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic "Golgotha" (John 19:17). The Latin form is "Calvaria," from which we get "Calvary." Whether it was named for its skull-like appearance or its association with executions is uncertain.

The prayer Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς· οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν ("Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing") is unique to Luke. Some important manuscripts (P75, Sinaiticus original hand, Vaticanus) include it, while others omit it. The majority of textual scholars believe it is original to Luke but was removed by some scribes who found it difficult to accept -- particularly after the destruction of Jerusalem, which some interpreted as God's judgment on those who crucified Jesus. The imperfect tense ἔλεγεν ("he was saying/he kept saying") suggests Jesus prayed this repeatedly, returning to it again and again as the hours passed. The prayer fulfills Jesus' own teaching in Luke 6:27-28 ("love your enemies... pray for those who mistreat you") and anticipates Stephen's similar prayer in Acts 7:60.

The dividing of garments by casting lots fulfills Psalm 22:18. The triple mockery -- from rulers, soldiers, and one of the criminals -- forms a crescendo of rejection. The rulers use the title ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ ἐκλεκτός ("the Christ of God, the Chosen One"), echoing the divine voice at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:35). The verb ἐξεμυκτήριζον ("sneered/scoffed") literally means "to turn up the nose" -- a vivid image of contempt. The irony is devastating: "He saved others" is true; "let him save himself" misunderstands the very nature of his mission. He cannot save himself precisely because he is saving others.

The soldiers offer ὄξος ("sour wine/vinegar"), the cheap wine that Roman soldiers drank, fulfilling Psalm 69:21. The inscription -- Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΩΝ ΟΥΤΟΣ ("THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS") -- was the official charge, the titulus placed above the condemned. Meant as mockery, it proclaimed the truth. Luke's version is the simplest of the four Gospels; John adds that it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek (John 19:20).

The Two Criminals (vv. 39-43)

Notes

This episode is unique to Luke and is theologically significant in the Passion narrative. The first criminal's words echo the mockery of the rulers and soldiers -- Οὐχὶ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός ("Are you not the Christ?") -- treating Jesus' messianic claim as grounds for self-rescue. The verb ἐβλασφήμει ("kept blaspheming") in the imperfect tense suggests ongoing verbal abuse.

The second criminal's response stands in sharp contrast. He ἐπιτιμῶν ("rebukes") the first -- the same verb Luke uses of Jesus rebuking demons and storms. His confession is threefold: (1) he acknowledges the fear of God, (2) he admits the justice of his own punishment -- ἄξια ὧν ἐπράξαμεν ἀπολαμβάνομεν ("we are receiving what is worthy of what we have done"), and (3) he declares Jesus' innocence -- οὐδὲν ἄτοπον ἔπραξεν ("he has done nothing wrong"). The word ἄτοπον literally means "out of place" or "improper" -- not even a minor offense.

His request -- μνήσθητί μου ὅταν ἔλθῃς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν σου ("remember me when you come into your kingdom") -- is an astonishing act of faith. He addresses Jesus by name alone (some manuscripts add "Lord"), and he sees a kingdom where others see only a cross. The verb μνήσθητι ("remember") echoes Old Testament prayers to God (Psalm 25:7, Psalm 106:4).

Jesus' reply goes well beyond the request. The criminal asked to be remembered at some future time; Jesus promises σήμερον ("today") -- immediate presence. The word Παραδείσῳ ("Paradise") is a Persian loanword meaning "garden" or "enclosed park," used in the Septuagint for the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8). In later Jewish thought it designated the blessed abode of the righteous dead. It appears only two other times in the New Testament: 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7.

Interpretations

The placement of the comma in "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" has been debated. The standard reading places the comma after "you," making "today" modify "you will be with me in Paradise" -- a promise of immediate entry into blessedness. Some traditions (notably certain Adventist interpreters) place the comma after "today," reading it as "Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise" -- making "today" modify the act of telling rather than the timing of Paradise. The overwhelming majority of Greek scholars and English translations support the first reading, since ἀμήν σοι λέγω ("truly I tell you") is a fixed formula in the Gospels that never includes a temporal modifier, and the adverb σήμερον most naturally modifies the main clause.

This passage is also significant in debates about the intermediate state. Those who affirm conscious existence between death and resurrection see here a clear promise of immediate fellowship with Christ after death. Those who hold to "soul sleep" interpret Paradise as a future reality, with "today" referring to the moment of promise. The passage also bears on the doctrine of salvation by grace: the criminal has no works, no baptism, no time for moral reform -- only faith expressed in a desperate petition, and Jesus accepts him fully.

The Death of Jesus (vv. 44-49)

Notes

The darkness from the ὥρα ἕκτη ("sixth hour," i.e., noon) to the ὥρας ἐνάτης ("ninth hour," i.e., 3 PM) is recorded in all three Synoptics. The phrase τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκλιπόντος ("the sun's light failing") uses a word from which we derive "eclipse," though a solar eclipse is astronomically impossible during Passover (a full moon). The darkness is a supernatural sign, echoing the plague of darkness in Exodus 10:22 and the prophetic imagery of Amos 8:9 ("I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight").

The tearing of the καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ("curtain of the temple") μέσον ("in the middle/down the center") carries theological significance. This was most likely the inner veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33) -- a chamber the high priest alone could enter, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Its tearing signifies that through Jesus' death, access to God's presence is now open to all (see Hebrews 10:19-22). Luke places this event before Jesus' death, unlike Matthew and Mark who place it after, perhaps to show that God's act of opening access coincides with the moment of sacrifice.

Jesus' final words -- Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου ("Father, into your hands I commit my spirit") -- are a quotation of Psalm 31:5, with the addition of "Father" at the beginning. The verb παρατίθεμαι ("I commit/entrust") is the same word used for entrusting a deposit to someone for safekeeping. Unlike Mark and Matthew, where Jesus cries out in anguish ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"), Luke presents Jesus dying with sovereign trust and intimate communion with the Father. The verb ἐξέπνευσεν ("he breathed his last/expired") literally means "he breathed out" -- a quiet, deliberate release of life.

The centurion's response is distinctive in Luke. In Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:39, he declares, "Truly this was the Son of God." In Luke, he says Ὄντως ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος ἦν ("Certainly this man was righteous"). The word δίκαιος can mean both "righteous" and "innocent," and Luke likely intends both senses -- this is the final human testimony to Jesus' innocence in the chapter, coming from a Gentile soldier. The crowds who had called for Jesus' death now return τύπτοντες τὰ στήθη ("beating their breasts"), a gesture of grief and perhaps dawning remorse. The acquaintances and the women from Galilee εἱστήκεισαν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ("stood at a distance"), fulfilling Psalm 38:11 ("My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague").

The Burial of Jesus (vv. 50-56)

Notes

Joseph of Arimathea is described as a βουλευτής ("council member"), meaning a member of the Sanhedrin -- the very body that had condemned Jesus. Luke emphasizes that he was ἀγαθὸς καὶ δίκαιος ("good and righteous"), the same words used to describe Simeon in Luke 2:25. Crucially, he οὐκ ἦν συνκατατεθειμένος τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῇ πράξει αὐτῶν ("had not consented to their plan and action") -- a detail unique to Luke that preserves his dissent for the record.

Arimathea is generally identified with Ramathaim-zophim, the birthplace of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1). Joseph προσεδέχετο τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ("was waiting for the kingdom of God"), placing him among the faithful remnant of Israel who appear throughout Luke's infancy and Passion narratives. John's Gospel adds that he was a secret disciple "for fear of the Jews" (John 19:38).

He wrapped the body in a σινδόνι ("linen cloth/shroud") and placed it in a μνήματι λαξευτῷ ("rock-hewn tomb") where οὐκ ἦν οὐδεὶς οὔπω κείμενος ("no one had ever yet been laid"). This detail fulfills Isaiah 53:9 ("he was assigned a grave with the rich") and ensures that the resurrection cannot be confused with that of someone else buried in the same tomb. The triple negative in Greek (οὐκ ... οὐδεὶς ... οὔπω) is emphatic: absolutely no one had previously been buried there.

The note that it was ἡμέρα Παρασκευῆς ("the day of Preparation") and the Sabbath ἐπέφωσκεν ("was dawning/beginning") explains the urgency. Jewish law required burial before the Sabbath, and since the Jewish day began at sunset, time was running out. The women from Galilee carefully note the tomb's location and the body's placement so they can return after the Sabbath. Their preparation of ἀρώματα καὶ μύρα ("spices and ointments") for anointing the body, followed by their faithful rest κατὰ τὴν ἐντολήν ("according to the commandment"), captures their devotion: they honor both their Lord and the Law of Moses. This quiet obedience sets the stage for the discovery that awaits them in Luke 24:1-3.