TGBC: to the cross
TGBC Tuesday, March 27: Luke 23:26-43
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 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.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
[[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
Comments. Among the gospels, details vary of the movement from Pilate’s headquarters to Golgotha, and of words that were spoken. Again, which is “correct” depends on whose story you are reading; what is“historical” is beyond recall. And to mix them has become customary for us.
The conversation between Jesus and the repentant thief is interesting theologically particularly in that it opens a view of heavenly afterlife, that has us passing immediately from this life, through the gate of death directly into Paradise, as opposed to Paul’s idea of our “sleeping in Jesus” until the Second Coming. Of course, we may rationalize that the Second Coming is a personal thing for each individual; but that’s not what anyone’s scripture means, it's perhaps more a hope of personal faith.
In the film The Passion of the Christ, from which the above pictures come, the thief on that cross looks up at the crow above him; whereupon the crow pecks out one of his eyes, tilts his head up and swallows it.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 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.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
[[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
Comments. Among the gospels, details vary of the movement from Pilate’s headquarters to Golgotha, and of words that were spoken. Again, which is “correct” depends on whose story you are reading; what is“historical” is beyond recall. And to mix them has become customary for us.
The conversation between Jesus and the repentant thief is interesting theologically particularly in that it opens a view of heavenly afterlife, that has us passing immediately from this life, through the gate of death directly into Paradise, as opposed to Paul’s idea of our “sleeping in Jesus” until the Second Coming. Of course, we may rationalize that the Second Coming is a personal thing for each individual; but that’s not what anyone’s scripture means, it's perhaps more a hope of personal faith.
In the film The Passion of the Christ, from which the above pictures come, the thief on that cross looks up at the crow above him; whereupon the crow pecks out one of his eyes, tilts his head up and swallows it.