Day 67 – Friday, April 4, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Luke 23

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Pilate Tries Christ

Matt. 27:2, 11-14; Mark 15:1-5; John 18:28-38

1 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. ² And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

³ Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

⁴ So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

⁵ But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”

⁶ When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. ⁷ And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 

(Luke 23:1–7, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus, after His arrest and trial by the Jewish leaders, is sent to the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate. He heard their complaints and then simply asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, to which He answered affirmatively.
• Pilate can find no wrong in Him, but sends Him to Herod after He learns that Jesus was originally from that region in Galilee. Herod just happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

Herod Tries Christ

⁸ Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. ⁹ Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. ¹⁰ And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. ¹¹ Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other. 

(Luke 23:8–12, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Herod was excited to see Jesus, perhaps hoping to see a miracle, but Jesus remained silent in his presence.
• He then mocked Jesus, dressing Him in an elaborate robe, and then drew bored with Him and sent Him back to Pilate.
• Pilate and Herod became friends after this, even though they were at odds prior to this.

Pilate Tries Christ Again

Matt. 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39-19:16

¹³ Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, ¹⁴ said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; ¹⁵ no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” ¹⁷ (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

¹⁸ And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”—¹⁹ who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

²⁰ Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. ²¹ But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

²² Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

²³ But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. ²⁵ And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will. 

(Luke 23:13–25, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Before Pilate for the second time, the ruler ordered that Jesus be beaten and released, for there was no definitive evidence to convict Him of the things of which He was accused. It was a custom of Pilate to release one prisoner per year at the feast.
• They refused this verdict and instead asked for Barabbus to be released instead.
• When Pilate asked what should be done with Jesus, the crowds asked for Him to be crucified. Their cries and shouts finally moved Pilate to allow them their request.

Christ is Crucified

Matt. 27:31-56; Mark 15:20-41; John 19:16-30

²⁶ Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

²⁷ And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. ²⁸ But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ ³¹ For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

³² There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. ³³ And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. ³⁴ Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

And they divided His garments and cast lots. ³⁵ And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

³⁶ The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, ³⁷ and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

³⁸ And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS

³⁹ Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

⁴⁰ But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

⁴⁴ Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. ⁴⁵ Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

⁴⁷ So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

⁴⁸ And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. ⁴⁹ But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 

(Luke 23:26–49, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• By the time Jesus was beaten and kept without sleep for over 24 hours, He was exhausted and unable to adequately carry His cross. A man named Simon was ordered to carry His cross for Him.
• His followers were mourning this horrible act of Jesus conviction and beating, and Jesus turned to them and told them, especially the women that were in His ministry, not to weep for Him. He spoke prophetically of the things that would happen in the last days.
• Jesus was hung on the cross with a thief on either side of Him. As He was on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive them, citing their ignorance of what they were doing.
• He was mocked mercilessly, being challenged to come down from the cross. Pilate had an inscription placed above Him on the cross, saying “This is the King of the Jews.” It was customary for the charges against a criminal to be posted over the head of the convicted, as proof and a warning to others. In this case, there was no crime, so Pilate merely had His assertion that He was the King of the Jews posted over His head.
• One of the criminals hung with Him mocked Him, but the other asked for Jesus to remember Him, which Jesus promised to do.
• At high noon, the earth was dark until 3:00 pm. At 3;00, the sun disappeared and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus cried out, committing His Spirit to the Father, and He breathed His last breath.
• All the crowd on the hill of Jesus’ crucifixion beat their breasts (a sign of mourning) and returned to the city except the women who followed Him. They stood at a distance and watched the event happen.

Christ is Buried

Matt. 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; John 19:38-42

⁵⁰ Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. ⁵¹ He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. ⁵⁴ That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

⁵⁵ And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 

(Luke 23:50–55, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin Council, did not consent to the crucifixion. He was likely a follower of Jesus. He asked for the body of Jesus.
• He wrapped the body in linen, and laid it in a cave in a rock prepared for a tomb just recently dug. This was Friday afternooon.
• The women who followed Jesus observed the place where He was placed.

In the Grave

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. (Luke 23:56, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• The women then returned to their abode for the night, and prepared spices and oils with which to ready Jesus body for burial on Sunday, the first day of the week.
• This was done according to the commandments of the law.
• Jesus initial work of paying the price for the sins of humanity was complete.
• Now the work of His giving us new life, eternal life, was being completed in the belly of the earth. On the Passover feast, He died as the sacrificial Lamb. On the Sabbath, the Lord of the Sabbath completed the work of redemption, taking the keys to death and hell from the prince of the power of the air, Satan. In His death, Jesus brought life. In His resurrection, He proved that the work was complete.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.