Mock Trials, Crucifixion, and Burial
Book of Luke Chapter 23
Who is this Jesus?
Luk 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
Luk 22:68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
Luk 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
Luk 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.
This is the Jesus who was born of a virgin.
Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
This is the Jesus who received His commission at His baptism.
Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
This is the Jesus who was proclaimed at His first sermon.
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
This is the Jesus who was proclaimed by His disciples.
Luk 9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
This is the Jesus of Nazareth.
Act_22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
This Jesus is the Son of Man: Luk 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
This Jesus is the Son of God: Jhn_11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
This is the same Jesus, who the Scriptures prove is God's Messiah, and was rejected by the Jews.
This is the same Jesus who was crucified for all the sins of this world.
This is the Jesus that should not be seen as a helpless idealist who died in weakness, but who was and who is the Lord of Glory.
1Co_2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
What were the charges against the Lord Jesus Christ?
1) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with perverting the nation of Judah and with committing sedition against Rome, which was a false charge.
2) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with disobeying the Laws of Judah and not paying His taxes, which were all false charges.
3) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with claiming to be king and being a rival to Caesar, which was also false.
*****Luk 23:13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Luk 23:14 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:
Luk 23:15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
We first saw Pilate, who was the great compromiser.
It is by this Roman that the most innocent man to have ever lived, the Lord Jesus Christ, was put to death.
This was the greatest tragedy in human history, though it was deemed necessary by God the Father.
He found no fault in Jesus because there were no faults, as these Jews brought only false charges, and they knew it.
He had sent the Lord Jesus to Herod, who also found no faults in the Lord Jesus.
He gave in to worldly pressure.
Herod was also a compromiser who used this instance to repair his relationship with Pilate.
Pilate hated the Jews because of their religion, and the Jews hated Pilate for the same reason. He worshipped idols.
Among the things he had done was that he had stolen money from the treasury of the Temple for a water project, and he was never forgiven for this.
Pilate was certainly a wicked man.
Pilate knew that these same elders and High Priests would go to Caesar if he did not do as they requested.
We see that they all were worried about their standing and their riches, all material things.
Pilate decided to appease the Jews because it was certain that they would cause Him trouble in Rome.
Pilate was concerned about himself, not truth and justice.
A compromising man is self-centered. They will always protect themselves at the expense of all others!
Pilate said, "I will just chastise this Jesus and let Him go".
Pilate subjected our Lord Jesus to a horrible punishment of scourging, just to try to satisfy the religious leaders of Judah.
He thought that the sight of Jesus after this cruel treatment might perhaps cause the people to pity Him.
The High Priests had the people in such a false uproar that they made a tragic mistake.
Mat_27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
*****Luk 23:16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Luk 23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
Luk 23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
Luk 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Luk 23:20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
Luk 23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
The Romans had a custom of releasing a prisoner on certain special days and Pilate brought this custom to Judah. It was never a Hebrew custom.
At the time of the Passover, Pilate would release a prisoner from his cells, many just political prisoners, and Pilate decided he could release our Lord Jesus, and all sides would be satisfied, but the elders and the High Priests so stirred up the people, and they would have no part even in this.
Pilate may have tried many ways to release the Lord Jesus when all he had to do was just release Him; he had this power all along.
The Lord Jesus was completely innocent and Pilate knew this.
We see that word envy: Mrk_15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
What is the truth of envy? Envy leads to strife, division, railing, and sometimes murder.
We see all these things in this mockery of a trial of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
There was a man named Barabbas who was the guiltiest prisoner in Pilate’s cells at that time.
He was a murderer.
He was a thief.
He was a seditionist.
He was an insurrectionist.
He was guilty.
There are some who say that this Barabbas was also named Jesus, but this is not true.
In the Armenian version of the Scriptures, it says: "whom will you that I shall deliver unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus that is called Christ?"
The Armenian Church does not follow the Doctrine of the Apostles, which is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.
One commentary says this text was written by a bigoted transcriber.
Matthew wrote that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner.
Mat 27:16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
These disciples of the Devil had their way with Pilate because he was just as wicked as they were.
Psa 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
One thing is missing. When the truth is known, it should be proclaimed and not compromised!
This is the only thing that our politicians know how to do today: compromise with the Devil and his ways.
Compromise weakens principles.
Compromise weakens life!
God will never accept compromise!
Much of the Church has compromised with the world today, and they will find that God will not accept them.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
They cried crucify Him, crucify Him.
Luk 23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
The Lord said the same thing that we say about our children. We just cannot fathom how our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will survive in this wicked world if the Lord Jesus does not return soon.
Luk 23:28 But Jesus, turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
The Lord Jesus was crucified, and the Lord Jesus Christ died a real death.
*****Luk 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
The sixth hour would be midday, around twelve o’clock, when the Sun was high in the sky.
At this very moment, the brightest time of the day, it became completely dark.
This was not an eclipse of the Sun, and it can be proven.
An eclipse of the Sun only lasts about six minutes, but this darkness at the death of Jesus Christ lasted for three hours.
Another proof is that the time of the Passover is the time of the full Moon, and Eclipses of the Sun do not take place at the time of the full Moon.
The Sun withdrew its rays when the Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us.
If He had not been made sin, there would be no means of salvation.
The Sun of Righteousness is led into darkness.
Ecc_3:16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
In those places, people are selfish and ambitious. The greatest injustice in the place of justice is the trial against the Lord Jesus.
Mal_4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
The sun is the symbol of dominion over the day (Gen_1:16 ). Thus, the day of the LORD is marked by His dominion over Sunday, but truly every day.
Jesus is the day star.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
The "daystar" appears in each of us once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
He is the bright and morning star: Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
At this time, the light of Our Daystar was out because the Lord Jesus had taken on all the sin that this world had committed.
It was darker than it had been since that first Passover.
It was so dark you could feel the darkness, and it did not feel good!
There is no goodness in darkness!
Exo_10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
There was no light anywhere to be seen for three hours.
This darkness tells us just how much God hates sin!
In the darkness, all of mankind also stood in the darkness, having no way to see God.
For three hours God forsake His Son.
This was the thing that the Lord Jesus hated the most.
God had to break fellowship with His own Son for three hours.
The Lord Jesus Christ hung lonely on an old wooden cross between Heaven and Earth.
The Earth did not want Him and lifted Him, and Heaven closed itself above Him.
God had stopped the Sun from shining, and the Glory of the Lord went dark for a period of three hours.
That is not all: The veil of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom because the Almighty God had ripped what could not be ripped by man.
The way to God has now been opened, and it is through His Son.
Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ was dead, but He could not stay dead and still be God!
God dwells in darkness, and He invites the entire world to come to Him by the Light of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus said, "Father, into thy hands I commend My Spirit".
The work that provided every human being a way to Heaven to live with God was now finished; all we need to do is accept this truth as fact.
The unshakable foundation of the Kingdom of God had been laid!
Psa 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
The Lord Jesus came to die, and this work was now complete.
*****Luk 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
This thing that happened got the attention of a man who had fought many battles and survived but was still in the hands of the Devil.
He had been in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but he knew he was never in charge at all.
He had made sure that Jesus was nailed to the cross, but since that time, all these things that happened were between the Lord Jesus and God the Father.
No one could have changed what happened.
Old Satan was celebrating, but his joy would not last exceedingly long!
This Centurion was a Gentile, and the Church would soon turn to the Gentiles who began to see the truth of Jesus Christ in the coming generations, but we must understand that God will soon turn back to the Jewish people, and almost all of them will believe what they first rejected, and God will close the Door to the Gentiles.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
It was time to place the Body of Christ into a borrowed tomb.
*****Luk 23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
Luk 23:51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
Luk 23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
Luk 23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
This man we know of as Joseph of Arimathea was a secret believer who failed to confess the Lord Jesus publicly until His death.
He had ignored what the Lord Jesus had said.
He had stepped forward for Jesus, but only after His death.
The Bible does say that he had not committed to the false trial and deeds of those who had pushed for the death of Jesus.
He was afraid to stand up for God, and there are many like him today in the Church.
This is a question we should ask ourselves: would we take a stand with Jesus if that time came to us?
We need to be settled on this question now!
We must never be afraid to make a public confession of our faith!
Joseph was a highly educated member of the ruling body of Israel.
He was a good and just man to those around him.
He was a man looking for the Messiah.
He was a man looking for the Kingdom of God.
These things meant nothing because he was a man who refused to stand up for Jesus, who was also the Messiah, as Scripture proved so easily.
He feared the loss of his position more than his fear of God.
Joh 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
Joh 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Joh 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Here we see another man named Nicodemus, a man similar to Joseph.
Luk 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
It makes no sense for us to be this way because it just makes us losers.
Luk 12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Our fear does not come from God; it can only come from the Devil.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Joseph got his courage back at the death of our Savior, and he went to Pilate to demand the body of Christ because he knew that the Romans usually just dumped the bodies of crucified criminals.
Pilate, being fed up with the Jesus matter, still did not want the disfavor of the Sanhedrin Court and gave the body of Christ to Joseph, who was a part of the Sanhedrin Court.
Every secret believer needs to go to the foot of the cross and meet the Savior who died for us there.
Joseph is careful with the body of Jesus and laid the body of Jesus in his own tomb he had prepared for himself.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was born, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Now, as He has died Jesus was wrapped in clothes again.
While everyone else is preparing for the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Lord Jesus is laid in a borrowed tomb.
Many who had stood by the Lord wanted to get close to Him now, but there was no sign of the eleven disciples.
The cross had changed many lives just as it does today.
Just remember we serve a Living Savior who can never die again.
Amen
