Sunday School Lesson 10 - Luke 23:33-46 - CHRIST CRUCIFED
BACKGROUND: Last week, in Luke 22:54-62, we came into the story of Jesus' last day after He had been arrested by the Temple Police and taken to the house of the Chief Priest to be interrogated. Then we saw Peter following Jesus to this house at a distance. After gaining entry into the courtyard of the house where Jesus was being held, we heard Peter fervently deny having any relationship with Jesus as His disciple, not only once, but on three different occasions over the course of an hour. After Peter made his third denial, a rooster crowed and Jesus stepped onto the porch and looked at him. Peter remembered Jesus' words to him earlier: "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me" (Luke 22:34). Peter was crushed-he wept bitterly. He had failed, and failed miserably. Yet, this sad story of Peter's three denials serves to remind us that our failures do not determine our future with our Lord Jesus Christ. When we return to Him with confession and repentance, God can take those failures and make something good from them.
This week, in Luke 23:33-46, we'll cover Luke's version of Jesus' crucifixion and death, which has several unique features that I will point out as we get to them. Luke 23 opened with Jesus' appearing before Pilate (vv. 1-5), followed by His appearance before Herod (vv. 6-12) and His sentence of death (vv. 13-25). Then as Jesus was led to the place of crucifixion (note: Luke omits the name Golgotha), Simon of Cyrene was enlisted to carry the cross (v. 26). As a large group of women were weeping and wailing as Jesus made His way to the cross (v. 27), He warned them of terrible times ahead for them and their people (vv. 28-31). And this is where we come into the text for today's lesson.
Read Luke 23:33-38 - THERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM AND THE CRIMINALS
33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 [But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."] And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, watching. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also ridiculed Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
v. 33a: "And when they came to the place called The Skull," - Luke doesn't name the place Golgotha as do the other synoptics but simply calls it the Skull. We can only speculate that it might have been a hill that resembled the shape of a human skull.
v. 33b: "there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left" - The gruesome Roman penalty of crucifixion was specifically intended to demean its victims and to warn the worst offenders not to challenge the authority of Roman rule. The fact Christ was executed between two common criminals symbolized that Jesus indentified with sinners, the dregs of society, throughout His earthly ministry. Indeed, His purpose in coming was to seek and to save people of every stripe who were in need of salvation.
v. 34a: "[But Jesus was saying, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.']" - This prayer, which is unique to Luke's gospel, is bracketed because it didn't appear in some early manuscripts. While scholars are divided on the authenticity of this phrase, it's widely accepted in general because it authenticates Jesus' own teachings about loving your own enemies in Luke 6:35. However, at the same time, it doesn't absolve either the Jews or the Romans of their responsibility for Jesus' death but shows that they didn't fully realize the horrendous evil they we committing. Moreover, Jesus' prayer did not mean that Israel would not pay a price for their evil deed. Jesus had already wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44) and had foretold the destruction of the Temple (Luke 21:5-6) and Jerusalem itself (Luke 21:20-24)-yet, His purpose was to save, not to curse.
v. 34b: "And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves." - This alludes to Psalm 22:18, which states: "They divide my garments among them, And they cast lots for my clothing." Gambling for a prisoner's clothes was a common form of entertainment among the Roman guards. Added to everything else, stripping a prisoner of his clothing deprived him of his last shred of decency and further underscored the extent of his shame in front of a public audience.
v. 35a: "And the people stood by, watching. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying," - Notice the two distinct groups: The Jewish crowd simply "stood by, watching"; while the "rulers" (i.e., the Sanhedrin) were openly insulting Him.
v. 35b: "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." - These Sanhedrin aren't questioning Jesus but talking sarcastically among themselves. Each of these taunts challenges Jesus to save Himself as proof of His identity. In each case, their ridicule is tied to 'salvation' based upon His claim of Messiahship; namely, how can He 'save' the people if He can't even save Himself? Ironically, however, the 'salvation' they expect is temporal, that is, worldly, which would equate to liberation from their Roman overseers and restoration politically and militarily to their former status among the nations. They totally misunderstand that the 'salvation' that Jesus offers-not only to Jews but to the entire world-is spiritual and eternal. Bottom line: If Jesus used His power to save Himself, He would have to abort His entire mission to save a lost world.
v. 36: "The soldiers also ridiculed Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine," - this cheap, sour wine was the common drink of soldiers. Since they're offering it to Jesus while they're making fun of Him, it suggests they are only doing it to prolong His suffering. It's mockery, not mercy.
v. 37: "and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" - The Roman soldiers wouldn't have understood the significance of the title Messiah. But they understand that kings are people with absolute power, so they ridicule Him from their limited perspective. The Jewish ruler, Herod Antipas, while referred to as a 'king,' held his office subject to the authority of the Roman government.
v. 38: Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." - This inscription was itself a form of mockery. It was common for crucifixion victims to be paraded with a sign listing the crime they committed, which would be nailed above them after they were placed on the cross. Jesus' inscription actually had two meanings: To the Jewish leadership it meant blasphemy, based upon His claim to be the Messiah; but to the Romans, it was treason, because He claimed to be a king that they didn't appoint, a rival to Caesar. Pilate intended the sign as a political affront to the Jewish leaders who had demanded Jesus' death.
OBSERVATION: We, too, in this day and age, can be tempted to question Jesus' kingship; specifically, if Jesus is king, why does He permit such flagrant evil and injustice to abound in our world? One noted theologian suggested that Christ's incarnation can be compared to the D-Day Invasion of June 1944, which set in motion forces that ultimately led to complete victory more than a year later. But in the interval, many battles were fought and thousands of soldiers died. Thus, we, like the soldiers who lived during that interval, are living in a time between the cross and the Final Victory oven sin; therefore, we should not expect life in these times to be easy.
Read Luke 23:39-43 - TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" 40 But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Note: In these next five verses, which are unique to Luke, both criminals will ask Jesus to save them.
v. 39: "One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, 'Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!'" - The first one asks out of unbelief and does not acknowledge any personal wrongdoing. His request is really a criticism: "Are you not the Christ?" He only wants to be freed from the cross so he can resume the sinful life he's been leading.
v. 40-41: "But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?" 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong." - The second one reaches out in faith, expressing his fear of God and condemnation. And he further acknowledges his own guilt and recognizes that Jesus is innocent.
v. 42: "And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!" - This is a remarkable statement considering the circumstances. This second criminal has reached the realization the Jesus' approaching death on the cross isn't going to stop what Jesus came to do. While the criminal doesn't expect Jesus to save him from crucifixion, he does believe that Jesus will inherit a "kingdom," though he doesn't specify the exact nature of it and presumably doesn't understand. He only asks Jesus to "remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
v. 43: "And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." - Jesus, as the King of Kings, has the power of pardon-i.e., the power to save-and He exercises it here. Jesus' statement raises several questions: What did Jesus mean by "today you will be with Me in Paradise"? Under the Jewish calendar, "today" meant a time before sundown, and Jesus and presumptively, this criminal, would both die on the cross that afternoon. For saved Christians, Paul later explained, "that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6b), but when we are "absent from the body" we are "at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8b). Thus, immediately at death, the souls of Jesus and the criminal translated to "Paradise," a metaphor for heaven. The dead body of Jesus would be resurrected on the third day, while the body of the criminal would await the final resurrection (Revelations 20:12-13). What we see here is an incredible case of a last-minute salvation. The criminal who trusted Jesus at that last moment, went to the same heaven to which every other saved Christian goes. This incredible passage gives us assurance that it's never too late to look to Jesus as Lord and live, and it powerfully demonstrates that salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
Read Luke 23:44-46 - INTO YOUR HANDS I ENTRUST MY SPIRIT
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire land until the ninth hour, 45 because the sun stopped shining; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I ENTRUST MY SPRIT." And having said this, He died.
v. 44: "It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire land until the ninth hour," - The "darkness" was a sign that God had taken away His presence from His Son, at which point Jesus was bearing the full weight of judgment for our sins (hear that?-our sins). Jesus was made to suffer the spiritual agony of separation from God that no mortal human can understand. The darkness fell from noon (the "sixth hour") until 3:00 p.m. (the "ninth hour"). This alludes to Amos 8:9: "And it will come about on that day," declares the Lord God, "That I will make the sun go down at noon, And make the earth dark in broad daylight. Notably, it was an eschatological sign that signified the judgment of God, not just on Jesus or Jerusalem or Israel, but on the whole earth.
v. 45: "because the sun stopped shining; and the veil of the temple was torn in two." - The veil within the Temple was an object that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (where the very presence of God existed [see Exodus 26:31-35]). Only the High Priest had access to the Holy of Holies, and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2-34). This veil was 60 feet tall, 30 feet wide, and an inch thick, and required an army of 300 priests to manhandle it. The tearing of the veil from top to bottom on this day represented that from this point, direct access to God had been made available by the sacrifice of Christ, thereby rendering the OT sacrificial system obsolete.
v. 46a: "And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said," - Most crucifixion victims grew weak to the extent that they lapsed into unconsciousness; yet, this verse tells us that Jesus remained conscious and alert until the moment of His death-which He marked with a "loud voice."
v. 46b: "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I ENTUST MY SPIRIT." And having said this, He died." - Jesus' final statement, which quotes Ps. 31:5, is unique to Luke's gospel. In John 19:30, Jesus is quoted as saying, "It is finished." Taken together, both statements confirm that Jesus had completed the God-given mission that He had been sent to accomplish.
POSTSCRIPT: Verses 44-56 continue the story of Jesus death and explains how Joseph of Arimathea, a Council Member, went to Pilate and obtained permission to obtain Jesus' body and place it in his family's tomb. Then taking Jesus' body, he wrapped it in linen clothes and placed it in a tomb carved from solid rock, and sealed it with a large stone that was rolled into place. Woman who had come from Galilee, following him, were able to observe the fact of Jesus' burial in this tomb.
APPLICATION-The Significance of the Crucifixion:
1. The true significance of Jesus' crucifixion is not how He was put to death but Who He is and why He died. None of the gospel accounts go into great detail as to the manner of Jesus' death. From a purely humanistic perspective, Jesus was simply a man who died because the Jewish religious leaders plotted against him, Judas Iscariot betrayed him, Herod Antipas and Pilate tried him, and the Roman soldiers executed him. However, from God's point of view-the theological perspective-He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross in order to take the penalty for humanity's sin in our place so that we could be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life in God's heavenly kingdom. This is the true significance of the crucifixion and everything else is secondary.
2. In contrast to those who mocked Him during His crucifixion, Jesus did have the power to save Himself. But Jesus could not save Himself and come down from the cross unless He completely abandoned the mission He was sent to do: To die on a cross in order to save a lost world. He had already fought and won this battle through prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
3. When darkness fell over the land during the crucifixion (v. 44), it was a symbol of God taking away His presence from His Son. Since sin cannot exist in God's presence, God took His presence away at that moment because all of humanity's sin had been transferred to Jesus. An of great significance, it was an eschatological sign, signifying the judgment of God, not just on Jesus or Jerusalem or Israel, but on the entire earth.
4. The tearing in two of the veil in the Temple symbolized admission to God's presence for those who believe in Jesus. Humanity had been separated from God's presence since the fall of Adam. You might think of this as the inverse and the result of what Jesus was forced to suffer on the cross. The tearing of the veil signified that access to God had been provided by the sacrifice of Jesus, which rendered the OT sacrificial system (i.e., atonement one day a year) over-obsolete. A great new era of direct access to God, symbolizing a new covenant with God, had been ushered-in to replace the old. This is the present age-the church age.
FINAL OBSERVATION: Have you ever considered the staggering price that God had to pay in order to redeem us-you and me-from eternal separation from Himself? Have you ever tried to imagine how anyone could possibly sacrifice such a priceless thing as His only Son to do this? And since He did not even spare His own Son to save us (Romans 8:32), doesn't that impose an enormous burden on you and me to tell others how they might be saved (Acts 4:12)? Out of sheer gratitude for the enormity of God's gracious and perfect gift to us, shouldn't we feel driven to tell others-I mean, to enthusiastically proclaim-what God has done for each one of us?
