Luke 23 - God Chooses Unlikely Heroes

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The Leaders Send Jesus to Pilate

Being that the Jewish leaders did not want to execute Jesus during the Passover feast, they diverted him to Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea from Rome. But they needed a reason to arouse Pilate's ire. They accused Jesus of trying to subvert the Jewish authorities, and more importantly trying to dissuade Jewish people from paying taxes to Caesar, which was one of the main duties of Pilate to insure this was collected. 

Pilate asked Jesus if he was a "king". Jesus basically gave a "non-answer", and Pilate realized these were trumped up charges so he said, "I find no basis for the charges you have brought against him." Pilate didn't really have time to deal with these issues within the Jewish community, especially if they were religious matters. Then Herod passed him off to King Herod, since Jesus was a Galilean and that was Herod's jurisdiction. 

Herod was excited to have Jesus before him, because he had heard so many stories about him.  Herod asked him a variety of questions half-heartedly, but like Pilate, he did not really have time for these trivial religious squabbles. So they mocked him by dressing him up like a king in robes. It says that day, "Pilate and Herod" became friends. Why? 

Because neither of them really cared about Jesus or saw him as a threat to their power! 

Meanwhile, the religious leaders were upset that they were not doing anything about it. Pilate reconvened the Jewish leaders and brought his verdict. He did not see Jesus as an insurrectionist, and especially he had done nothing deserving death. After giving him nominal punishment, he would be released. 

Then something really interesting happens. The crowd, not the religious leaders, starting demanding that Barabbas, a common criminal, be released and Jesus get the death penalty. Pilate again told them why for he found no grounds this. To which they replied all the louder, "Crucify him." A third time Pilate tried to get Jesus punished, and they cried all the more fervently and demanded Jesus be crucified. 

So a natural question is, "Why were the people so against Jesus?" 

One can see why Jesus was such a threat to the Jewish leaders, but not to the people. Why were they so intent on killing Jesus? 

This was a strange, almost insane scene: a cruel, ruthless Roman governor trying to win the life of a miracle-working Jewish teacher against the strenuous efforts of both the Jewish leaders and the crowd. - Guzik

“Their loud cries give the impression that a riot was beginning to build up. It must have been obvious to Pilate that the situation was becoming increasingly ugly.” (Morris)

In the end Barabbas a known murderer, was released, and Jesus was sentenced to be crucified. Do you see the irony here? Barabbas deserving death is released. Jesus who is completely innocent is sentenced to be crucified. This is the essence of the gospel. 

"Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Crucifixion of Jesus

Little did Simon of Cyrene (Cyrene is in Africa) know that day that he would carry the Son of God's cross. He was coming in for the Passover celebration, as a Jew who made the pilgrimage from Africa. Many others followed including the women who were his disciples (including his mother Mary). They were mourning and wailing. The others may have been following out of curiosity. 

Wonderfully, we have reason to believe that Simon came to know what it really means to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus. There is some evidence to suggest that his sons became leaders among the early Christians (Mark 15:21 and Romans 16:13). - Guzik

Jesus told them not to weep because there would be a time when they would be running for their lives. I.e. When the temple was demolished and the Jewish people scattered into exile. 

As Jesus went out to be crucified, he was accompanied two other criminals, who were getting the justice they deserved. The criminals were put on his right and the left, but Jesus was the centerpiece. Public crucifixion was meant to send a clear message that lawbreakers were not tolerated by Rome. 

Jesus shows his true character when he utters, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" People were still interested in having a piece of Jesus' clothing, so they divided it up by casting lots. (Kind of like a lottery ticket!) This also fulfilled, along with many other events of Holy Week, a prophecy from Psalm 22;18. Indeed many of the Psalms were prophetic in nature. 

Many continued to mock Jesus by saying, "If you are the son of God save yourself." They did not understand Jesus was there to save them. Like the devil in the wilderness, they were trying to get him to use his powers to sabotage his mission. But one of the criminals realized the travesty of what was happening. He realized he was thoroughly guilty, and Jesus was thoroughly innocent. 

Jesus recognized his faith and told him, "Today you will be with me in paradise". Though this would be the worst day in his life, it would become the best day of his life!

The Death of Jesus

If the people would not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, all of Creation would. The sun refused to shine for three hours, while the Son's light was being put out. At 3pm the temple curtain was torn in two signaling that Jesus had now broken down the dividing wall between God and man. The temple veil separated a holy God from an unholy people. Jesus, who was completely holy died for us who were unholy so we could communion with God. 

There were three responses after Jesus died. The Roman centurion, a man of power in charge of a 100 other soldiers, realized that this was truly the Son of God. The Gentile got it right. This was a portent of what was to come. 

The people beat their breasts and went away. They were sad that this brilliant teacher and miracle worker had been taken from them. But they did not remember or realize that Jesus said he would rise again from the dead three days after he died. 

The faithful women stood at a distance probably wondering what they should do next. We know that they would be very involved in what happened over the next several days. 

The Burial of Jesus

Burial in the Jewish faith was a sacred ritual. 

Customarily, the bodies of crucified criminals were left on their crosses to rot or be eaten by wild animals. But the Jews wanted no such horror displayed during the Passover season, and Romans were known to grant the corpses to friends or relatives for proper burial.

Joseph was obviously a believer and a member of the Jewish ruling class. Apparently he was a man of wealth, because he purchased a tomb for Jesus to be buried in. He had been against the decision of the Sanhedrin. He was truly waiting for God's kingdom to come through the Messiah, and he knew God's kingdom had come in the person of Jesus. 

He took him down on Saturday and placed him in white linen symbolizing purity. And he laid him in a tomb that had never had someone in it. 

Tombs like this were very expensive. It was quite a sacrifice for Joseph of Arimathea to give his tomb to Jesus, but Jesus would only use it for a few days. - Guzik

Once again we see many unlikely characters in Jesus' last days on earth who received salvation through faith. 

1. The Roman Centurion

2. The thief on the cross. 

3. The women at the tomb.

4. Joseph of Arimathea. 

This reminds us to never judge or count anyone out. The people we think who may come to faith in Jesus may not, and the people we have counted out can become children of God and inheritors of eternal life! God chooses unlikely heroes.