DAY #138: luke 23:32-56

Jesus was not the only “criminal” executed that morning. Two others were also led out to be crucified. In his death, Jesus truly was numbered among transgressors. The place called "The Skull" was a regular place of execution. It was prominent, public, and outside the city along a main road. Executions held there served as examples to the people and as deterrents to criminals.

Instituted by the Romans, crucifixion was a feared and shameful form of execution. It was designed to prolong the gruesome pain. Death would come by suffocation as the person would lose strength and the weight of the body would make breathing more and more difficult. Crucifixion was the harshest form of capital punishment in the ancient world.

Jesus spoke only a few times from the cross, and his prayer of forgiveness were the first words he said. Jesus asked his Father to forgive his killers. Jesus lived and died by the words he preached: “Love your enemies”. They don’t know what they are doing refers most likely to the Jews, not the Roman soldiers, although all who participated in Jesus’ death were included in his prayer for forgiveness. The Jews made a serious mistake, for they failed to realize God’s plan for their nation.

Roman soldiers customarily would divide up the clothing of executed criminals among themselves. When they gambled for Jesus’ clothes, they fulfilled the prophecy in Psalm 22:18. These men, hanging in extreme pain and humiliation on their crosses, provided hours of grisly entertainment for spectators. Luke pointed specifically at the leaders who had followed Jesus to the execution site, watched him be crucified, and now laughed and scoffed at him.

Having already divided up the clothing, the soldiers began mocking the man on the cross who had claimed to be a king. Only Luke wrote of this offer of sour wine as part of the soldiers’ mockery. They too called up to him to save himself, if he were indeed the King of the Jews.
According to John, Pilate wrote a sign in three languages: Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. The three languages meant that people of any nationality passing that way would be able to read the sign. Because Jesus was never found guilty, the only accusation placed on his sign was the “crime” of calling himself King of the Jews. Perhaps this was another way for Pilate to show contempt for the Jews—here was their king, stripped and executed in public view.

One of the criminals scoffed at Jesus, even though the three of them were facing the same horrible deaths. The other criminal, however, protested, pointing out that they deserved their sentence, but Jesus did not. There, on the cross, receiving punishment for what his deeds deserved, this criminal faced himself, feared God, and said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The dying criminal had more faith than all the rest of Jesus’ followers put together.

Jesus had been placed on the cross at nine o’clock in the morning. Three hours had passed, hours of excruciating pain and physical agony. Then, it was noon, and at the height of the day, an eerie darkness fell across the whole land for three hours. How this darkness occurred is unknown, but it is clear that God caused it to happen. All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of the death of God’s Son. The darkness was both physical and spiritual—for while nature mourned, this was also the time when darkness reigned.

Obviously the darkness that covered the land meant that somehow the light from the sun was gone. Luke did not explain it, but clearly God controlled these events. Most significant and symbolic was an event that occurred in the city of Jerusalem, in the Temple, right in the inner area called the Holy Place.

The Temple had three parts: the courts for all the people; the Holy Place, where only priests could enter; and the Most Holy Place, where the high priest alone could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:1-34). In the Most Holy Place, the ark of the covenant and God’s presence rested. As Jesus suffered on the cross and as darkness covered the land, the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn apart. The veil (curtain) that was torn was the one that closed off the Most Holy Place from view. Symbolically, that curtain separated holy God from sinful people. The writer of Hebrews saw this tearing of the curtain as God’s way of removing the barrier between himself and humanity. Now sinful people could approach the holy God directly through Christ (Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:19-22). From then on, God would not reside behind a curtain in the Temple, he would take up residence in his people.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

We have direct access to God because of what Jesus did on the cross. I don't have to go through a man, or a pastor or a priest to get to God, I can go right to Him - all because of what Jesus did - all because of the price He paid. Now, I fee like Private Ryan in the movie "Saving Private Ryan", when Tom Hanks says to him at the end of the movie - earn it. Earn what was done for you. (six men died for Private Ryan, making sure he could get home to his mom) I feel that same burden today. Pedlowe - earn it.

I don't mean earn my salvation. I can't. It is a free gift which can't b earned. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
I don't mean earn His love. I can't. He loves me now and He proved it on the cross. (Romans 5:8)

When I speak of earning, I mean I am compelled to live my life in such a way that honors what Jesus did on the cross for me. Lord, help me live that way today.


"Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD."
Psalms 119:1 (NIV)


"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)


"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way..." Colossians 1:10 (NIV)


"As you know, we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, urging you, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and his glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NJB)