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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadSpurgeon Verse Expositions - Luke 23:1 - 23:56
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Luk_23:1-2, And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him saying, We found this —
Put in what word you like — villains — scoundrel — our translators could not find a better word than that inexpressive-expressive word “fellow.” “We found Eats fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a King.” They shift the charge, you see, now; before, it was blasphemy, now it is sedition.
Luk_23:2-3. Fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
Another of the evangelists tells us that he first asked Pilate what he meant by the question, explaining that he only claimed the kingdom in a spiritual sense.
Luk_23:4-5. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying. He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
When Pilate heard them say Galilee, he caught at that; ‘he did not wish to displease the multitude.
Luk_23:6-7. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
So away the Master goes; he must be dragged through the streets again to a third tribunal. Oh! thou blessed Lamb of God! Never were sheep driven to the shambles as thou wert driven to death!
Luk_23:8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad; for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
But the Lord never worked miracles yet, to gratify idle curiosity. He who would have worked a miracle to heal the poorest beggar in the street would not work a wonder to please the king in whose power he was.
Luk_23:9. Then he questioned with him in many words: but he answered him nothing.
“No,” says good Christopher Ness — “John Baptist was Christ’s voice, and Herod had stopped him; there Christ would not speak; as if he would say, ‘No, no’; thou didst cut off John Baptist’s head, who was my messenger, and since thou hast ill-treated my emir, I, the King of kings, will have nothing to say to thee.”
Luk_23:10. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
The original word is made nought of him — made him ads nothing.
Luk_23:11-12. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themselves.
Two dogs could well agree to hunt the same prey, and sinners who quarrel on other things will often be quite agreed to persecute the gospel.
Luk_23:13-16. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people; and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod; for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Ah! that word “chastise” shim so glibly over the tongue, but you know what it meant, when the Roman lectors laid bare the back and used the terrific scourge? “I will scourge him,” said Pilate. Perhaps he thought that if he scourged him, his suffering would induce the Jews to spare his life.
Luk_23:17-20. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast). And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison). Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
He seems to have gone backward and forward many times, desiring to save the life of Christ, but not having the moral courage to do it.
Luk_23:21-26. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired.’ but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
This exposition consisted of readings from Mat_26:59-68; Luke 23.