Luke 23
Pilate asked, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Thou sayest it." Pilate found no fault in Jesus, who was accused of stirring up the people, from Galilee to Jerusalem.
Having found that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Him to Herod, who was at Jerusalem at that time. When Jesus came to Herod, the king asked Him many questions, but Jesus did not answer. Jesus was continually accused by the chief priests and scribes. Herod's soldiers mocked Jesus, arraying Him in a gorgeous robe. Then they sent Him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends at this time, having been at enmity before.
Having examined Jesus, Pilate called the leaders of Israel together and said, I find no fault in Him, nor has Herod. Pilate reasoned with them, but they cried out, "Crucify Him." They insisted until Pilate gave sentence to crucify Jesus and release Barabbas.
The cross was laid on Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming out of the country, so he could bear it after Jesus. To the women who wailed over Him He said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say... to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (See Hos. 10:8.)
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them [the Jews]; for they know not what they do." They parted Jesus' raiment and cast lots for it. The rulers and the people derided Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself." The soldiers also mocked Him, repeating what the rulers had said. The superscription which was written over Jesus on the cross was, "This is the King of the Jews," and it was written in Greek, Latin and Hebrew.
Two Thieves
Two thieves were crucified at the same time. One of them railed on Jesus, saying what the rulers had said, "If Thou be the Christ, save Thyself and us." The other thief rebuked him, saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." To Jesus he said, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."
Could it be that it takes some of us a lifetime to learn what a condemned, crucified thief learned beside Jesus while hanging on a cross? What did he learn?
1. That he feared God;
2. That he was condemned to die;
3. That his condemnation was just;
4. That this man has done nothing wrong;
5. That Christ Jesus is Lord;
6. That Jesus has a kingdom;
7. That he will be with Jesus in paradise.
The sixth hour came, and darkness covered the earth until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." Having said this, He gave up the ghost.
Seeing what was done, the centurion glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." The women and acquaintances stood afar off, watching these things.
There was a counselor named Joseph, a good and just man, who was not consenting to the council and deed of the other leaders. He was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and he had waited for the kingdom of God. Begging of Pilate the body of Jesus, he took it down, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, in which no man ever before was laid. The sabbath was about to begin. The women who followed him beheld the sepulcher and how His body was laid. Returning to their homes, they prepared spices and rested on the sabbath day.