Day #317

Sermon - Audio
Luke 23, John 18-19 - Reading
Luke 23, John 18-19 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Luke 23

The trial and crucifixion of our Lord is a powerful and humbling truth. No doubt it was difficult to read, but we have an incredible hope in the resurrection that follows! The chapter begins with Jesus being bounced between Pilate and Herod. Both of them lacked the courage to act on their convictions that Jesus was actually innocent.

But how clearly we see it here. You and I, whoever we are, are not strangers to weakness. We are not stronger than Peter or Pilate. Jesus had to die for us. He alone had strength, and strength to spare. Jesus alone was and is in control.

v. 1-5 – Jesus before Pilate - Since only Rome possessed authority to impose capital punishment, the Sanhedrin brought Jesus to Pilate. The charges are now recast from religious (“blasphemy”) to political ones.

v. 9 – Jesus’ silence fulfills Isaiah 53:7 and places the responsibility for his death squarely on his accusers.

v. 27-31 – The sympathetic mourning and lamenting of the women leads Jesus to quote from the prophet Zechariah: If God did not spare his innocent son (“green” wood), how much worse will it be when he allows the Romans to unleash his wrath on a sinful nation (“dry” wood)?

v. 34 - “They know not what they do” does not absolve either the Jews or the Romans of their responsibility in Jesus' death, but it shows that they did not fully understand the horrible evil that they were doing in crucifying the “Holy and Righteous One”

v. 46 - I commit my spirit!

John 18-19

These chapters conclude what is known as the passion narrative. John’s emphasis is on triumph—the triumph of truth, the victory of life over the dark powers of death. How good to be able to share this sense of victory with those we meet! And how good to realize that for us as well, the resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee of life throughout eternity!

18:10 – The sword Peter used (short sword) was for stabbing, not slicing, thus Peter probably intended to kill the soldier with a lethal blow to the head, but the servant was able to evade the sword, suffering only the loss of his ear.

18:38 - What is truth? Ironically, Pilate is charged with determining the truth in the matter, but dismisses the relevance of truth in the very presence of the one who is truth incarnate.

19:8 - Pilate was even more afraid. Perhaps Pilate remembered his wife's dream from Matt. 27:19.

19:30 – It is finished means there was no more penalty left to be paid for sins, for all Jesus' suffering was “finished”

--The Teacher’s Commentary -- ESV Study Bible--