Luke 23 (3)

Pray Psalm 55.16-19.
As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.
God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old. Selah

Sing Psalm 55.16-19.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Lord, I will call on You, answer and save!
Noon, morning, evening too, my voice I raise.
Grant me Your peace, O Lord; answer my foes!
All who reject God’s Word He overthrows.

Read Luke 23.1-25; meditate on verses 13-25.

Preparation
1. What was Pilate trying to do?

2. Why could he not do it?

Meditation
We sense no little irritation in Pilate’s remarks to the chief priests, the rulers, and the people (vv. 13-17). They had become bothersome in their efforts to foist on him a decision he saw no grounds for and that he was not sure would go down well with the masses. He again moved to punish Jesus—for what? we wonder—and then to release him, which was his customary practice at this feast (v. 17).

The religious leaders were having none of that. They wanted Jesus dead, crucified—the cruelest form of death then known to men (v. 21). Knowing that “it was necessary” for Pilate to release someone, they chose one like themselves, Barabbas, “who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder” (v. 19). Sinful men will always make sinful choices so long as they resist the grace of God and reject the counsel of His Word.

Pilate still wanted some grounds for crucifying Jesus (vv. 20, 22). But by this time, the enemies of Jesus “were insistent” (v. 23). They had, by whatever means, managed to rile up “the multitudes” to join them in demanding Jesus’ death (Matt. 27.20) “with loud voices” (v. 23). “And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed” (v. 23). Pilate caved to the mob, as do all weaklings and sinners (v. 24). And he released Barabbas and delivered Jesus to be crucified (v. 25).

What grotesque satisfaction must have arisen within the religious leaders and people. What joy sinful people take in trampling down righteousness and satisfying their basest self-interest. Jesus, on the other hand, hated sin so much, that He baited a trap with Himself, to lure sin to Himself, where, on the cross, He would put both sin and death to death forever.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
To the serpent God said,
“He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3.15).

“…He poured out His soul unto death…” (Is. 53.12).
“I am poured out like water…” (Ps. 22.14).

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6.23).

“…that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death,
that is, the devil…” (Heb. 2.14).

“O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown:
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ‘Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever; and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.”
(Bernard of Clairvaux, 12^th century)

“Jesus…baited a trap with Himself,
to lure sin to Himself,
where, on the cross,
He would put both sin and death
to death forever.”! 

For reflection
1. Why do many people feel such hostility toward Jesus and the Christian faith?

2. Why is grace necessary to help sinners make right choices?

3. How can God use you to bring the grace of Jesus to others?

What kind of people crucified the Lord of glory? Those that violently demand the death of an innocent man fittingly seek the release of a murderer. Wickedness has such laws as to hate innocence and love guilt. Ambrose of Milan (333-397), Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 10.101-2

Pray Psalm 55.1-15.
Pray for faithfulness and courage to live without sin in a world where sin is everyone’s dearest friend. Pray that God will shelter and guide you, and that He will use you for His glory, whatever you may have to endure for His Name.

Sing Psalm 55.1-15.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Hear now my prayer, O Lord, hide not from me.
Answer me by Your Word and set me free!
Wicked men sore oppress; restless am I.
Lord, ease my soul’s distress and hear my cry!

My heart in fear abides; terror descends.
Horror with me resides and knows no end.
I would escape from here, flee like a dove.
Rescue me from my fear with shelt’ring love.

Let judgment fall, O Lord, let violence cease.
Daily they mock Your Word while sins increase.
You were for us betrayed; You bore our grief.
By You was judgment stayed for our relief.

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can download all the studies in our Luke series by clicking here.

If you find Scriptorium helpful in your walk with the Lord, please seek the Lord, asking Him whether you should contribute to the support of this daily ministry with your financial gifts. As the Lord leads, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal or Anedot, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 103 Reynolds Lane, West Grove, PA 19390.

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.