Church Fathers Commentary Luke 23

St. Augustine of Hippo: After Luke finished relating Peter's denial, he recounted everything that took place concerning our Lord that morning, mentioning some details the others omitted. And so he composed his narrative, giving an account similar to the others, when he says, And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him to Pilate.

The Venerable Bede: This was so that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which He prophesied about His own death: He shall be delivered to the Gentiles—that is, to the Romans. For Pilate was a Roman, and the Romans had sent him as governor to Judea.

St. Augustine of Hippo: He next relates what happened before Pilate, as follows: And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting our nation. Matthew and Mark do not record this, though they do affirm that they accused Him, but Luke has revealed the very charges they falsely brought against Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: They are most plainly opposed to the truth. For our Lord was so far from forbidding the payment of tribute that He commanded it to be given. How then did He pervert the people? Was it so that He could take possession of the kingdom? This is incredible to everyone, for when the whole crowd wished to make Him their king, He was aware of it and fled.

The Venerable Bede: Now, since two charges had been brought against our Lord—namely, that He forbade paying tribute to Caesar and that He called Himself Christ the King—it may be that Pilate had happened to hear what our Lord said: Render to Caesar the things which be Caesar’s. Therefore, setting aside this accusation as a palpable lie of the Jews, he thought it best to ask only about the one thing he knew nothing of: the claim about the kingdom. For it follows, Pilate asked him, saying, Are you the King of the Jews?

Theophylact of Ohrid: It seems to me that he asked Christ this question to mock the shamelessness or hypocrisy of the alleged charge. It is as if he said: You, a poor, humble, and defenseless man, with no one to help you, are accused of seeking a kingdom—for which you would need many supporters and a great deal of money.

The Venerable Bede: He answers the governor with the same words He used to the chief priests, so that Pilate might be condemned by his own statement, for it follows: And he answering said, You say.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Now, finding nothing else to support their slander, they resorted to shouting, for it follows: And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. It is as if they said: He is subverting the people, not in one region only, but starting from Galilee He has come to this place, having passed through all of Judea.

I think, then, that they purposely mentioned Galilee, wanting to alarm Pilate, for the Galileans were known to be a different sect and prone to sedition—for example, Judas of Galilee, who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

The Venerable Bede: But with these words, they do not accuse Him, but themselves. For to have taught the people, and by that teaching to have roused them from their former idleness, and to have done this throughout the entire promised land, was evidence not of sin, but of virtue.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Our Lord is accused and is silent, for He needs no defense. Let those who fear being conquered scramble for a defense. He does not, then, confirm the accusation by His silence; rather, He shows His contempt for it by not refuting it.

Why then should He, who does not seek His own safety, be afraid? The Safety of all humanity forfeits His own, so that He may gain the safety of all.

The Venerable Bede: Having determined not to question our Lord about this accusation, Pilate was therefore glad when an opportunity arose to avoid passing judgment on Him. Thus, when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the man was a Galilean. So that he would not be compelled to pass sentence against one whom he knew to be innocent and handed over out of envy, he sent Him to be questioned by Herod. He preferred that the Tetrarch of our Lord's country should be the one to either acquit or punish Him, for it follows: And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction.

Theophylact of Ohrid: In this, he follows the Roman law, which provided that every person should be judged by the governor of their own jurisdiction.

St. Gregory the Great: Now Herod wished to test Christ’s fame, wanting to witness His miracles, for it follows: And when Herod saw Jesus, he was glad.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This was not as if Herod were about to gain any benefit from the sight. Rather, driven by curiosity, he thought he would see this extraordinary man, of whose wisdom and wonderful works he had heard so much. He also wanted to hear what He would say. Accordingly, he asked Him questions, making a sport of Him and ridiculing Him.

But Jesus, who did all things prudently and who, as David testifies, orders His words with discretion, thought it right to be silent in such a case. For a word spoken to someone it does not benefit becomes the cause of their condemnation. Therefore, it follows: But he answered him nothing.

St. Ambrose of Milan: He was silent and did nothing, for Herod’s unbelief did not deserve to see Him, and the Lord avoided display. And perhaps symbolically, Herod represents all the ungodly, who, if they have not believed the Law and the Prophets, cannot see Christ’s wonderful works in the Gospel.

St. Gregory the Great: From these words, we should learn a lesson. Whenever our listeners wish to gain knowledge from us—as if by praising us—but have no intention of changing their wicked course, we must be completely silent. Otherwise, if we speak God's word out of a love for showing off, we risk a double failure: those who were guilty remain so, and we who were innocent become guilty ourselves.

Many things can reveal a listener's motive, but one in particular is when they always praise what they hear, yet never follow what they praise.

The Redeemer, therefore, though questioned, remained silent; though expected to, He disdained to work miracles. Keeping Himself inwardly reserved, He left those who were satisfied with seeking external things to remain thankless outside, preferring to be openly scorned by the proud than to be praised by the hollow voices of unbelievers.

Hence it follows: And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a white robe.

St. Ambrose of Milan: It is not without reason that He is dressed by Herod in a white robe, as a sign of His spotless Passion, showing that the spotless Lamb of God would take upon Himself the sins of the world.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Nevertheless, observe how the Devil is thwarted by the very thing he does. He heaps scorn and reproaches on Christ, by which it is made clear that the Lord is not seditious. Otherwise, He would not have been mocked when such great danger was present, especially from a people who were held in suspicion and were so prone to change.

But Pilate's sending of Christ to Herod becomes the beginning of a mutual friendship, since Pilate deferred to Herod's authority over his subjects. As it is added, And they were made friends. Observe how the Devil everywhere unites separate things to bring about the death of Christ. Let us then be ashamed if, for the sake of our own salvation, we do not even keep our friends united with us.

St. Ambrose of Milan: In the symbol of Herod and Pilate, who went from being enemies to friends because of Jesus Christ, we also see a figure of the people of Israel and the Gentile nations. Through our Lord's Passion, a future harmony between them would come to pass.

This would happen in such a way that the Gentiles would receive the word of God first. Then, by the devotion of their faith, they would transmit it to the Jewish people, so that they too might clothe the body of Christ—which they had previously despised—with the glory of their majesty.

The Venerable Bede: Or, this alliance between Herod and Pilate signifies that the Gentiles and Jews, though differing in race, religion, and character, agree in persecuting Christians.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Luke returns to the events that were happening before the governor, from which he had digressed to relate what took place with Herod. From the text that follows, we infer that Luke has omitted the part where Pilate questioned our Lord about what He had to answer to His accusers.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Here Pilate, who as a judge acquits Christ, is made the agent of His crucifixion. He is sent to Herod and sent back to Pilate. They both refuse to pronounce Him guilty, for as Pilate says, “Nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.” Yet out of fear, Pilate gratifies the cruel desires of the Jews.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Therefore, by the testimony of two men, Jesus is declared innocent, but the Jews, His accusers, brought forward no witness they could believe. See, then, how truth triumphs. Jesus is silent, and His enemies witness for Him; the Jews make loud cries, and not one of them corroborates their clamor.

The Venerable Bede: Perish, then, those writings—composed so long after Christ—that do not convict the accused of magical arts before Pilate, but instead convict the writers themselves of treachery and lying against Christ.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Pilate, therefore, being lenient and easy-going yet lacking firmness for the truth because he was afraid of being accused, adds, “I will therefore chastise him and release him.”

The Venerable Bede: It is as if he said, “I will subject Him to all the scourgings and mockings you desire, but do not thirst for His innocent blood.” It follows, “For of necessity he must release one to them...” This was an obligation not imposed by a decree of imperial law but was binding by the annual custom of the nation, whom he was glad to please in such matters.

Theophylact of Ohrid: For the Romans permitted the Jews to live according to their own laws and customs. It was a natural custom for the Jews to seek a pardon from the ruler for those who were condemned, just as they asked Saul for Jonathan's life. And so it is now added, regarding their petition: “And they cried out all at once, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!’”

St. Ambrose of Milan: It is not unreasonable that they seek the pardon of a murderer, since they themselves were demanding the death of the Innocent One. Such are the laws of iniquity: what innocence hates, guilt loves. And here the interpretation of the name provides a figurative parallel, for Barabbas, translated, means “son of a father.” Those, then, to whom it is said, “You are of your father the devil,” are represented as preferring the son of their father—that is, the Antichrist—to the true Son of God.

The Venerable Bede: Even to this day, the consequence of their request still clings to the Jews. For since they were given the choice and chose a robber instead of Jesus, a murderer instead of a Savior, they rightly lost both life and salvation. They became subject to such robberies and seditions among themselves that they forfeited both their country and their kingdom.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Thus it came to pass that the once-holy nation rages to kill, while the Gentile Pilate forbids the slaughter. As it follows, Pilate therefore spoke again to them, but they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!”

The Venerable Bede: They long to murder the Innocent One with the worst kind of death: crucifixion. For those who hung on the cross, with their hands and feet nailed to the wood, suffered a prolonged death so that their agony would not cease quickly. But the death of the cross was chosen by our Lord, so that after having overcome the Devil, He could place it as a trophy on the brows of the faithful.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Three times Pilate acquitted Christ, for it follows: “And he said to them the third time, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I will chastise him and let him go.’”

The Venerable Bede: John’s words testify that Pilate not only threatened but actually performed this chastisement—along with mockings and scourgings—seeking to satisfy the people lest their rage extend as far as crucifying Jesus. But when they saw all the charges they brought against the Lord baffled by Pilate’s diligent questioning, they resorted at last to only making demands, entreating that He be crucified.

Theophylact of Ohrid: They cry out a third time, so that by this third cry they might confirm the murder to be their own—a murder they extorted by their demands. For it follows: “And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released him who for sedition and murder was cast into prison, but delivered Jesus to their will.”

St. John Chrysostom: For they thought they could add this charge: that Jesus was worse than a robber and so wicked that He ought not to be set free, neither for mercy’s sake nor by the privilege of the feast.

Glossa Ordinaria: Having related the condemnation of Christ, Luke naturally goes on to speak of His crucifixion, as it is said, And as they led him away, they laid hold upon Simon, etc.

St. Augustine of Hippo: John relates that Jesus bore His own cross. From this, it is understood that He was carrying His cross Himself when He went forth to the place called Calvary. But as they journeyed, Simon was forced into service on the road, and the cross was given to him to carry for the rest of the way.

Theophylact of Ohrid: No one else agreed to carry the cross, because the wood was considered an abomination. Accordingly, they imposed the carrying of the cross on Simon the Cyrenian—which others had refused—as a mark of dishonor. Here the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: Whose government shall be upon his shoulder. For the government of Christ is His cross, and for this reason the Apostle says, God has exalted him.

Just as some wear a belt or a headdress as a mark of dignity, so our Lord wears the cross. And if you look, you will find that Christ does not reign in us except through hardships, which is why the self-indulgent are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Christ, therefore, in bearing His cross, was already a conqueror carrying His trophies. The cross is laid upon His shoulders, for whether Simon or Christ Himself carried it, Christ bore it in the man, and the man bore it in Christ. The accounts of the Evangelists do not differ, since the mystery reconciles them. It is the proper order of our spiritual progress that Christ should first erect the trophy of His cross Himself, and then hand it down to be raised by His martyrs. The one who bears the cross is not a Jew but an alien and a foreigner; nor does he precede Christ but follows, as it is written, Let him take up his cross, and follow me.

The Venerable Bede: The name Simon is interpreted as “obedient,” and Cyrene as “an heir.” This man, therefore, represents the Gentile people, who were formerly foreigners and aliens to the covenant but have now, through obedience, been made heirs of God.

Simon, coming from a village, carries the cross after Jesus because, by forsaking pagan rites, he obediently follows in the footsteps of our Lord’s Passion. For the word “pagan” derives its name from the Greek word for village.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, the one who takes up the cross of Christ is one who comes from the village; that is, he leaves this world and its labors to go forward to Jerusalem, which represents heavenly liberty. In this, we also receive a significant lesson: to be a leader in the example of Christ, a man must first take up his own cross and, in the fear of God, crucify his own flesh, so that he may then lay it upon those who are subject and obedient to him.

But there followed Christ a great company of people, and of women.

The Venerable Bede: A large multitude did indeed follow the cross of Christ, but with very different feelings. The people who had demanded His death were rejoicing that they would see Him die, while the women were weeping because He was about to die. Yet He was followed only by the weeping of women. This was not because the vast crowd of men was not also sorrowful at His Passion, but because the female sex, being less esteemed, could more freely express what they thought.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: Women are also always prone to tears and have hearts that are easily moved to pity.

Theophylact of Ohrid: He tells those who weep for Him to look ahead to the evils that were coming and to weep for themselves instead.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: This signifies that in the time to come, women would be deprived of their children. For when war breaks out in the land of the Jews, all will perish, both small and great. From this it follows, For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, etc.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Indeed, He foresaw that women would cruelly roast their own children, and the womb that had given birth would miserably receive back what it bore.

The Venerable Bede: By these days, He signifies the time of the siege and captivity that was coming upon them from the Romans, about which He had said before, Woe to them that are with child, and give suck in those days. When captivity by an enemy is threatening, it is natural to seek refuge in strongholds or hidden places where people can hide. And so it follows, Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For Josephus relates that when the Romans pressed hard upon them, the Jews hastily sought the caverns of the mountains and the hiding places in the hills.

It may also be that the words Blessed are the barren refer to those of both sexes who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. And the saying, Fall upon us, and Cover us, is said because all who are mindful of their own weakness, when a crisis of temptation breaks upon them, seek to be protected by the example, teaching, and prayers of certain high and saintly men.

It follows, But if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

St. Gregory the Great: He has called Himself the life and strength of the Divine nature, while we who are mere men are called the dry wood.

Theophylact of Ohrid: It is as if He said to the Jews, “If the Romans have raged so fiercely against Me, a fruit-bearing and ever-flourishing tree, what will they not do to you, a dry tree, who are a people destitute of all life-giving virtue and bearing no fruit?”

The Venerable Bede: Or, it is as if He spoke to everyone: “If I, who have done no sin and am called the tree of life, do not depart from the world without suffering the fire of my Passion, what torment do you think awaits those who are barren of all fruit?”

Theophylact of Ohrid: But the devil, desiring to create an evil opinion of our Lord, also caused robbers to be crucified with Him, from which it follows, And there were two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria: When mankind became corrupted, Christ manifested His own body so that where corruption had been seen, incorruption might spring up. Therefore, He is crucified at Calvary, which the Jewish teachers say was the burial place of Adam.

The Venerable Bede: Alternatively, outside the gate were the places where the heads of condemned criminals were cut off, and these places received the name of Calvary, meaning "beheaded." Thus, for the salvation of all humanity, the innocent is crucified among the guilty, so that where sin abounded, grace might much more abound.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: The only-begotten Son of God did not suffer in His divine nature the things that belong to the body, but rather in His earthly nature. For both can be affirmed of the one and the same Son: namely, that He does not suffer in His divine nature, and that He did suffer in His human nature.

Eusebius of Caesarea: But if, on the contrary, after His time among humanity, He had suddenly disappeared, flying away to avoid death, He might have been considered a phantom. Just as someone wishing to display a fireproof vessel would put it into the flame and then immediately pull it out unharmed, so the Word of God, wishing to show that the instrument He used for human salvation was superior to death, exposed His mortal body to death to manifest His power. Then, after a short time, He rescued it from death by the force of His divine nature.

This is the first reason for Christ’s death. The second is the manifestation of the divine power of Christ inhabiting a body. For since people in ancient times deified mortals who shared the same fate as themselves, calling them heroes and gods, Christ taught that He alone among the dead must be acknowledged as the true God—He who, having vanquished death and trodden it under His feet, is adorned with the rewards of victory.

The third reason is that a sacrifice had to be slain for the entire human race. When this was offered, the whole power of evil spirits was destroyed, and every error was silenced. A further reason for this life-giving death is that the disciples might behold the resurrection with a faith held secretly in their hearts. To this end, they were taught to lift up their own hopes, so that, despising death, they might cheerfully enter the conflict against error.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria: Our Savior came to bring about not His own death, but an end to the death of humanity, for He who is Life does not experience death. Therefore, He did not put off His body through a natural death, but endured the death inflicted on Him by men. And although His body was afflicted and killed in the sight of all, it was not fitting that He who healed the sicknesses of others should have His own body afflicted with sickness.

If, without any disease, He had laid down His body privately in some remote place, He would not have been believed when speaking of His resurrection. For death must precede resurrection. Why, then, would He openly proclaim His resurrection but die in secret? Surely, if these things had happened secretly, what slanders would unbelievers have invented? How would Christ's victory over death be apparent, unless by undergoing it in the sight of all people, He had proved that death was swallowed up by the incorruption of His body?

But you might say, "He should have at least chosen a glorious death for Himself and avoided the cross." Yet if He had done this, He would have been suspected of not having power over every kind of death. Just as a champion proves himself superior to all by defeating whomever the enemy sets against him, so the Life of all humanity took upon Himself the very death His enemies inflicted—the most dreadful, shameful, and abominable death on the cross—so that by destroying it, the dominion of death might be completely overthrown.

Therefore, His head was not cut off like John's, nor was He sawn in two like Isaiah, so that He might preserve His body whole and indivisible in death and not give an excuse to those who would divide the Church. For He wished to bear the curse of sin that we had incurred by taking upon Himself the accursed death of the cross, as it is said, Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree. He also dies on the cross with outstretched hands, so that with one hand He might draw the ancient people to Himself, and with the other, the Gentiles, joining both in Himself. By dying on the cross, He also cleanses the air of evil spirits and prepares for us a way up into heaven.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Also, because death had entered the world by a tree, it was necessary that it should be abolished by a tree. It was fitting that the Lord, by passing unconquered through the pains of a tree, should subdue the pleasures that flow from a tree.

Gregory of Nyssa: The shape of the cross, which branches out from one central point into four distinct ends, signifies the power and providence of Him who hung upon it, a power and providence extending everywhere.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For He did not choose this kind of death without reason, but so that He might be the master of breadth, length, height, and depth. Breadth lies in the crossbeam, which is fastened horizontally. This relates to good works, because the hands are outstretched on it. Length lies in the part of the beam reaching from the crossbeam to the ground, for on it, in a sense, we stand—that is, we abide firmly or persevere. This represents long-suffering. Height is in the part of the beam that extends upward from the crossbeam, toward the head of the Crucified One, for the expectation of those who hope for better things is directed upward. Finally, the part of the wood that is fixed and hidden in the ground signifies the depth of unfathomable grace.

St. John Chrysostom: They also crucified two thieves on either side of Him, so that He might share in their disgrace, as the Scripture says, And the thieves one on his right hand, the other on his left. But it did not turn out that way. For nothing is said of them, while His cross is honored everywhere. Kings, laying aside their crowns, place the cross on their purple robes, on their diadems, and on their weapons. On the consecrated table, throughout the whole world, the cross glitters. Such things are not from human power. For even the noblest of men are often forgotten in their own lifetime, and when they die, their deeds die with them. But with Christ, it is completely different. Before the cross, all things were gloomy; after it, all things are joyful and glorious, so that you may know that it was not a mere man who was crucified.

The Venerable Bede: The two robbers crucified with Christ represent those who, in the Christian faith, endure either the pains of martyrdom or the disciplines of a stricter self-control. Those who do this for eternal glory imitate the thief on the right hand, while those who do it to gain human praise imitate the thief on the left.