Luke
23:44-56
Lesson 160
23:44-56
Lesson 160
Luke 23:44-56
"This was a righteous man" 44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 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. 47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 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. 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 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. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. |
Margin notes:
"The sixth hour...until the ninth hour." (23:44) - "From noon...until three p.m. " "There was a darkness over all the earth." (23:44) - Jim Bishop, author of The Day Christ Died, (Harper & Brothers, New York, New York; page 299) reports this darkness was experienced world-wide. "The darkness, which was like looking through extra-strong sunglasses, seems to have pervaded the world at this hour. Phlegon (Greek historian) wrote that in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, there was a great darkness over Europe, surpassing anything that had ever been seen. At mid-day, he said, the stars could be seen. At the same time an earthquake caused much damage in Nicaea (present day Iznik, Turkey). Tertullian (author and early Christian) found in the records of Rome a notation of world-wide darkness which the statesmen of the Empire couldn't explain." "The veil of the temple was rent in the midst." (23:45) - "The Temple veil was torn in the middle." According to the Quest Study Bible (published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Pg. 1432), "The large blue, purple and scarlet curtain separated the Holy Place (of the temple) from the Most Holy Place, an inner room which symbolized God's presence (Exodus 26:31-33). Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place once a year. The curtain was, in effect, the barrier that separated people from God." Tearing the sixty by thirty-foot curtain in two was God's proclamation that humanity was no longer separated from Him, a separation created by Adam and Eve's sin. Thanks to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the barrier between God and man is gone forever. We now have direct access to our creator (Hebrews 9:1-15; 10:19-22). "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." (23:46) - Jesus is reciting the short Jewish prayer found in Psalm 31:5. "Gave up the ghost." (23:46) - Means Jesus died. "Beholding the things which were done." (23:48) - "Watching what was happening." "Smote their breasts, and returned." (23:48) - "Beat their breasts, and went home." "The women that followed him from Galilee." (23:49) - A reference to Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Joses and James (the less), and Zebedee's wife Salome, mother of James and John (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40-41). Of course, other women also followed Jesus as He traveled about preaching (Luke 8:1-3). "That day was the preparation." (23:54) - "The day was Friday, preparation day (for the Sabbath)." "According to the commandment." (23:56) - The commandments laid out in Exodus 12:16; 20:10 and Leviticus 23:8, which forbid working on the Sabbath. |