PEOPLE OF THE PASSION

OPENING PRAYER: PAGE 84, #2

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HEROD MOCKS JESUS

THREE SCENES

• Jesus before Pilate
• Jesus sent to Herod
• Jesus returned to Pilate
• Innocence of Jesus proclaimed each time

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HEROD ANTIPAS IN GOSPEL OF LUKE

• 9:7-9 Herod curious about Jesus.
• 13:31-33 Jesus warned that Herod wants to kill him.
• 23:6-15 Herod mocks Jesus.

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Herod Antipas is tetrarch of Galilee and Perea

Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist and later had John beheaded.

Jesus called Herod “a fox” when hearing he wanted to kill him. A fox is crafty, sly and destructive.

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Paul before Governor Festus and Herodian King Agrippa (Acts 25-26)

That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.
Luke 23:12

BARABBAS IS RELEASED WHILE JESUS IS CONDEMNED

NAME OF JESUS BARABBAS

• “Jesus” dropped from Barabbas’ name out of reverence for Jesus, the Messiah
• Barabbas means “son of the father”
• Ironic since Jesus is the true Son of the Father

GOSPEL DESCRIPTION OF BARABBAS

• Matthew 27:16: “a notorious prisoner”
• Mark 25:7 & Luke 23:19, 25: He was “in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection”
• John 18:40: “a robber” or “revolutionary”

DO WE ACCEPT JESUS AND HIS MESSAGE OR DO WE REJECT HIM?

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”
(Matthew 27:19)

WIFE OF PILATE

• Unnamed
• Only mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel
• Gentile woman
• Declares Jesus innocent
• Message in a dream
• Saint in Eastern Church “Claudia Procula”

PILATE’S QUESTIONS TO THE CROWD

• “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
• “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
• “Why, what evil has he done?

“I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”
Matthew 27:24

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Pilate washes his hands to signify that he is innocent of Jesus’ blood.

Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Matthew 27:25

“HIS BLOOD BE ON US AND OUR CHILDREN?”

• Not a self curse
• A legal formula taking responsibility for the death of a criminal
• Matthew knows what people do not: Jesus is innocent and the temple will be destroyed in 70 AD

THE SOLDIERS MOCK AND TORTURE JESUS

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The soldiers mock Jesus kingship arraying him in a scarlet robe, with a pseudo-crown and scepter.

SOLDIERS MOCK JESUS KINGSHIP

• Color of Robe: Purple or Scarlet?
• Crown of thorns: purpose was mockery, not torture
• A Reed: peculiar to Matthew; a mock scepter

THE “RADIANT” CROWN, A DIADEM WITH SPIKES WORN BY HELLENISTIC KINGS

KING OF THE JEWS

“Because of this God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:9-11)

THE SCOURGING

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SIMON OF CYRENE CARRIES THE CROSS

Cyrene was a Greek colony where many Jews had settled in Africa.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER GOSPELS

• Mark 15:21-22
• Luke 23:26 carries the cross behind Jesus symbolic of faithful discipleship
• Matthew 27:32

SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES

• Simon was a Jewish name.
• The names “Alexander” and “Rufus”are respectively, Greek and Roman.
• The precise naming of Simon and his sons is probably due to their being known among early Christian believers to whom Mark addressed his gospel.

The Cross

A condemned person was constrained to bear his own instrument of torture, at least the crossbeam.

WALKING WITH JESUS!

WHOSE CROSS ARE YOU HELPING TO CARRY?

WHO IS HELPING YOU TO CARRY YOUR CROSS?

WHAT WAS CHANGED IN SIMON’S HEART?

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; and greet his mother-a mother to me also.
Romans 6:13

“If any want to be my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Mark 8:34

JESUS HELPING US TO CARRY OUR CROSS

THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM WEEP FOR JESUS

A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. (Luke 23:27)

THREE GROUPS FAVORABLE TO JESUS

• Important theme in Luke’s gospel: need for the Christian disciple to follow in the footsteps of Jesus:
• Simon of Cyrene
• Great number of the people
• “Daughters of Jerusalem”

“Daughter of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.” (Luke 23:28)

For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ (Luke 23:29)

Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ (Luke 23:30)

For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?

Weeping for Ourselves

Weeping for Others

HOPE AFTER PESSIMISTIC PROPHECY

• Luke 23:48
• “And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.”
• Reflects contrition and repentance

TWO CRIMINALS TRAVEL THE WAY OF CRUCIFIXION WITH JESUS

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34a

...And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
Luke 23:34b

THREE GROUPS MOCK JESUS

• Leaders: “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!”
• The soldiers: “If you are the King of the Jews save yourself!”
• One of the criminals: “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of commendation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deed, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Luke 23:42

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TREE GROUPS FAVORABLE TO JESUS

• The Roman Centurion
• The Crowds
• The Women from Galilee

CLOSING PRAYER: PAGE 83

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