Jesus on the road to Golgotha (3)
[Luke 23:26-32]
The first thing that happened on the way to Golgotha was Simon of Cyrene forcibly carrying the cross for Jesus (Lk. 23:26). The second thing that happened was that many people followed Jesus (v. 27). The third thing that happened was that two other criminals were taken along with Jesus. Look at Luke 23:32 – “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.” Here, the word “two other men, both criminals” refers to “two other men” (Jn. 19:18) in the Gospel of John, and “Two robbers” (Mt. 27:38) or “the robbers” (v. 44) in the Gospel of Matthew and in the Gospel of Mark, it says “two robbers” (Mk. 15:27). At that time, the punishment for robbers was not only crucifixion. However, when we see that these two robbers went to Golgotha with Jesus, I think that they were vicious robbers. Would the fact that these two robbers followed Jesus help or benefit Jesus? It never was. How do we know that?
When Jesus raised Lazarus, who had already been dead for 4 days and had a smell (Jn. 11:41-44), those who saw the miracle were divided into two. Many Jews who came to comfort Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and saw what Jesus had done, believed in Jesus (v. 45). However, some of those who saw Jesus' miracles went to the Pharisees and reported what Jesus had done (v. 46). As a result, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered in a council and spoke (vv. 47-48), and then Caiaphas, the high priest of that year, spoke to them (vv. 49-52), and from that day on, they began plotting to kill Jesus (v. 53). When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt, a large crowd took off their outer garments and spread them on the road, and cut branches from trees to spread on the road, saying, “Hosanna, Son of David! Blessed are you who come in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.” They welcomed Jesus with a loud voice (Mt. 21:7-9). When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (v. 10). Then the crowd answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (v. 11). Here, “the prophet” is a prophet like Moses [(Deut. 18:15), “The Lord your God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me, and you shall listen to him”], the Messiah whom the Jews have been waiting for, which refers to Jesus Christ. Then Jesus healed the blind and the lame in the temple. When the chief priests and scribes saw the strange things He was doing and the children in the temple shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were furious and said to Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Jesus (Mt. 21:14-16). So, Jesus quoted Psalms 8:2 and said to them, “Have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise” (Mt. 21:16). In the end, the high priests did not believe that Jesus was “a prophet like me (Moses),” as Moses said in Deuteronomy 18:15, just as the crowds said, “Jesus is the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (v. 11). So, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they started plotting to kill Jesus (Jn. 11:53). So, they accused Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor (Lk. 23:2), and Pilate said three times that Jesus was innocent (vv. 4, 14, 22) and tried to release Jesus (v. 20), but that effort went to waste. In the end, the crowd urged Pilate with a loud voice, asking for Jesus to be crucified, and their voices prevailed (v. 23). Pilate declared that he would do as they asked, so he handed Jesus over to them as they wished (vv. 24-25). Then the chief priests had the other two criminals [the two vicious robbers (Mt 27:38, 44; Mk 15:27)] go to Golgotha with Jesus. The reason was to let the crowd know that Jesus was the same person as those two vicious robbers. And the plan of the chief priests succeeded to some extent. As for how we can know that, we can understand it a bit by looking at Matthew 27:38-42: “Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.’” In this way, when Jesus was crucified with the two robbers, passers-by, along with the chief priests, scribes, and elders, insulted and mocked Jesus. However, this is the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah 53:12 that the prophet Isaiah had already prophesied about 700 years before Jesus came to this earth: “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Jesus was counted as one of the criminals according to the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. In other words, since Jesus was crucified with the two robbers, He was counted as one of the criminals on death row. Why was Jesus, who had no sin (the Gentile Roman governor Pilate said three times that Jesus was innocent) was treated as a criminal on death row like a vicious robber? It was to forgive and save the sins of death row inmates like us who had no choice but to die forever, just like the vicious robbers. Therefore, we must devote ourselves to the Lord and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world while giving thanks, praise and worship to God for this amazing grace and love of salvation.
(v. 1) Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, There where the blood of the Lamb was split.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
(v. 2) Sin and despair like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, Points to the refuge, the mighty Cross.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
(v. 3) Dark is the stain that we cannot hide, What can avail to wash it away?
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide; Whiter than snow you may be today.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
(v. 4) Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe;
You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?
Grace, grace, God's grace,
(chorus) Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
[Hymn “Marvelous Grace of Loving Lord”]