Luke 23:4._And Pilate said to the chief priests and scribes. _As Christ was come to bear the punishment of our sins, it was proper that he should first be condemned by the mouth of his judge, that it might afterwards be evident that he was condemned for the sake of others, and not for his own. But a... [ Continue Reading ]
8_And when Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. _Hence it is evident how greatly wicked men are intoxicated, or rather bewitched, by their own pride; for though Herod did not acknowledge Christ to be the Son of God, he at least reckoned him to be a prophet. It was therefore most unreasonable cruelty t... [ Continue Reading ]
11._And Herod despised him. _It was impossible but that a haughty man, who valued himself on his luxuries and royal dignity and wealth, should despise Christ, who had at that time nothing but what was contemptible in his appearance. And yet the pride of_Herod, _which shut the door on the grace of Go... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Pilate and Herod became friends. _From the fact that Christ was the occasion of reconciling two wicked men, let us learn how much the children of God, and religion itself, are disdained by the world. It is probable that, in consequence of their own ambition by which both were actuated, some disp... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 23:16._I will therefore chastise him, and release him. _If any slight offense had been committed, which was not a capital crime, the Roman governors (262) were wont to cause the offenders to be beaten with rods; and this kind of punishment was called, in the Latin language, _coerctio _ Pilate,... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 23:27._And there followed him. _Although in public all the people, with one shout, had condemned Christ, yet we see that there were some who had not forgotten his doctrine and miracles; and thus, in the midst of that miserable dispersion, God reserved for himself a small remnant. And though the... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Weep not. _Some have thought that the _women _are reproved, because foolishly and inconsiderately they poured out _tears _to no purpose. On the contrary, Christ does not simply reprove them, as if it were improperly and without a cause that they were _weeping, _but warns them that there will be... [ Continue Reading ]
29_For, lo, the days will come. _He threatens, that a calamity which is not usual, but fearful and unheard of, is at hand, in which will be perceived, at a glance, the vengeance of God. As if he had said, that this nation will not be carried away by a single or ordinary kind of destruction, but that... [ Continue Reading ]
31._If they do these things in the green tree. _By this sentence Christ confirms what he had stated, that his death will not remain unpunished, and that the Jews, whose iniquity is ripe, or rather half-rotten, will not remain long in their present condition; and by a familiar comparison, he proves i... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 23:34._And Jesus said, Father, forgive them. _By this expression Christ gave evidence that he was that mild and gentle lamb, which was to be led out to be sacrificed, as Isaiah the prophet had foretold, (Isaiah 53:7.) For not only does he abstain from revenge, but pleads with God the Father for... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 23:39._And one of the malefactors. _This reproach, which the Son of God endured from the _robber, _obtained for us among angels the very high honor of acknowledging us to be their brethren. But at the same time, an example of furious obstinacy is held out to us in this wretched man, since even... [ Continue Reading ]
40._And the other answering. _In this wicked man a striking mirror of the unexpected and incredible grace of God is held out to us, not only in his being suddenly changed into a new man, when he was near death, and drawn from hell itself to heaven, but likewise in having obtained in a moment the for... [ Continue Reading ]
41._And we indeed justly. _As the reproof founded on _the condemnation _might be thought to apply to Christ, the robber here draws a distinction between the condition of Christ and that of himself and his companion, or he acknowledges, that the punishment which was common to all the three was _justl... [ Continue Reading ]
42._Lord, remember me. _I know not that, since the creation of the world, there ever was a more remarkable and striking example of faith; and so much the greater admiration is due to the grace of the Holy Spirit, of which it affords so magnificent a display. A _robber, _who not only had not been edu... [ Continue Reading ]
43._Verily I tell thee. _Though Christ had not yet made a public triumph over death, still he displays the efficacy and fruit of his death in the midst of his humiliation. And in this way he shows that he never was deprived of the power of his kingdom; for nothing more lofty or magnificent belongs t... [ Continue Reading ]