Luke chapter 23

vs 23

Their shouts prevailed. This is probably one of the worst moments in Israel's history. The only person defending Jesus was a gentile governor.

vs 24

Not a great time for the justice of the roman empire, either.

vs 25

This verse just brings startling clarity to the last two verses. And that's what this section of the gospel (and all the gospels) is about - clarity about this final portion of Jesus' life. So we will get a lot more information about it than about most things that happened which are recorded in the gospel.

vs 26

Now why would they do that, if Jesus had only been mocked and beaten a little with open hands? How interesting to be known for the rest of the history of the world as "the guy who was walking past when Jesus was being crucified.

vs 27

Just because the crowd was calling for his crucifixion, doesn't mean the disciples of Jesus weren't still around. However, it is the women mainly who get mentioned during the passion narrative. Perhaps it was harder to persecute them? Or perhaps they were just bolder than the men, who had all scarpered.

vs 28

Oh dear. That can't be good.

vs 29-30

That sounds prophetically bad. And it is, it's from Hosea. But what does Jesus mean by it exactly? Obviously, he means something bad is coming, but what is it that's coming?

vs 31

I think this verse explains he means - that if such an evil thing can happen while the Christ is in Jerusalem, and directly to him, then what sort of evil is going to happen once the Christ has been killed, and is no longer around?

And that's fair enough, too. I mean, I know that God doesn't simply punish people for a single sin in some sort of instant-reciprocal way, but I think he does punish Israel for large feats of rebellion. Killing the messiah fits in there I think.

vs 32

Just the three of them. Slow day. Actually, I honestly don't know how many people were crucified on a weekly basis in Israel during Roman occupation. But by modern standards, the state doesn't usually have multiple death sentences cumulating on a single day.

vs 33

This would be Golgotha. Luke doesn't feel the need to explain every blow of the nail, or every cry of pain. His readers know what crucifixion is like. I'm thankful that I don't.