This Is The King Of The Jews.

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luke 23:1-49.

LUKE 23:1-12. The Jewish authorities had no power to put Jesus to death. The sceptre had at last departed from Judah (Genesis 49:10) and, far from raising a mob to seize it back as they accused Him (Luke 23:5), Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be handed over into the hands of the Gentiles (cf. Luke 18:32-33). The accusations made against Jesus were ludicrous, and to say that He was “forbidding to give tribute to Caesar” (Luke 23:2) was the very opposite of the truth (see Luke 20:25)!

Pilate asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” To which Jesus answered, in effect, “It is as you say.” Then Pilate declared, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:3-4). At this point you would expect a just judge would have released Jesus, but Pilate noticed that Jesus was a Galilean, and sent Him to King Herod Antipas, the murderer of John the Baptist.

Now Herod had for a long time desired to see Jesus (cf. Luke 9:7-9), and hoped to see Him perform a miracle (Luke 23:8). Jesus had been warned that Herod wanted to kill Him (cf. Luke 13:31), but just like Pilate, Herod found “nothing worthy of death” in Jesus (cf. Luke 23:15). After mocking Jesus, and arraying Him in a gorgeous robe, Herod and his men sent Jesus back to Pilate.

Having formerly been at enmity with each other, Pilate and Herod now made common cause against Jesus, and became friends (Luke 23:12). Both declared Jesus innocent - in Pilate’s case, repeatedly - and both condemned an innocent man to die! Thus we see that our Passover lamb is ‘without blemish and without spot’ (1 Peter 1:19); and, in doing so, they were unwittingly fulfilling God’s plan of redemption (cf. Acts 2:23).

So who was responsible for the death of Jesus? First, there was the love of God. Then, the malice of Satan. Then there was the avarice of Judas Iscariot; the blindness of the religious leaders; the mocking of His captors; the denial of Peter; the injustice of Pilate; the ridicule of Herod. It was Adam’s sin, and the sins of us all; it was my sin, and your sin that nailed Jesus to that Cross and kept Him there. This was the only possible way of our salvation (cf. Luke 22:42).

LUKE 23:13-25. “I have found no fault in this man,” Pilate told Jesus’ accusers. “No, nor yet Herod.” “Nothing worthy of death” (Luke 23:14-15). “I have found no cause of death in Him” (Luke 23:22b). Thus we see that our Passover lamb is ‘without blemish and without spot’ (1 Peter 1:19).

Twice Pilate told the accusers of Jesus, “I will chastise Him and release Him / let Him go” (Luke 23:16; Luke 23:22c). “Away with this - Release unto us Barabbas,” cried the crowd (Luke 23:18). “Crucify, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21). “Why, what evil has He done?” pleaded Pilate (Luke 23:22a).

But the voices of the crowd, and of the chief priests, prevailed. Somewhat ironically, given the nature of the accusations against Jesus, Pilate released one who was guilty of sedition, and delivered Jesus over to their will.

LUKE 23:26-34. The compelling of Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross behind Jesus (Luke 23:26) is a picture of our own duty: to deny ourselves, and take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus (cf. Luke 9:23).

Certainly, there were plenty of people following Jesus that day, each with their own reasons for doing so. Among them were some women who bewailed and lamented Him. Jesus turned to these and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children” (Luke 23:28).

Jesus then repeated His prophecy concerning the fall of Jerusalem (Luke 23:29-30; cf. Luke 21:20-24). The punchline is: “For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:31). In other words, if the Roman justice system is condemning an innocent man to death, what will they do to a rebellious city like Jerusalem? (cf. Romans 13:3-4).

Two other men were led to be put to death with Jesus, both of them guilty. When they came to the place called Calvary, there Jesus was crucified, and the criminals also, one on the right hand, and one on the left. The soldiers parted Jesus’ raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This prayer remains efficacious for ALL who will recognise that it is OUR sins that nailed Jesus to the Cross (cf. 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

LUKE 23:35-43. The people looked on. The leaders derided Jesus. The soldiers taunted: “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself” (Luke 23:37). Pilate’s judgment on this issue was published for all to see, written in three languages upon the Cross: “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38).