Luke

By Joyce Webb 2021

Chapter 23 Verses 44-56

Verse 44 The 6th hour, would be noon. Darkness covered the whole earth.

Think about that. Everywhere on earth, —not just in Jerusalem or Israel—-but the whole earth was in darkness until the 9th hour—3:00pm.

Three hours of darkness.

Jesus would be in the tomb for 3 days.

Verse 45 The sun was darkened. The veil in the temple was torn down the middle.

In the Jewish temple –a heavy thick curtain that separated the Holy of Holies room –where the Ark of the Covenant was. This curtain separated this little room from the rest of the room.

This special area –no one was allowed to go in—except the High Priest once a year.

No one was allowed to look behind the curtain. It was a very holy place.

At 3:00pm—the thick curtain ripped–from top to bottom—and everyone could see inside the little room.

No one touched the curtain. It just ripped all by itself.

The curtain now was open for all to see in and to walk in.

This was a spiritual picture of what had changed—now that Jesus died on the cross.

For thousands of years, a priest was needed to make the animal sacrifices for people’s sins.

But now, anyone could walk into God’s holy place and presence and talk to God himself. A priest was no longer needed.

This means–every person can come to God himself and pray and talk to God.

Because Jesus paid the death punishment for our sins, we come to God in Jesus’ name—because of what he did for us.

We can come to God in Jesus’ name and ask him to forgive us —and to pray for other things.

Verse 46 Jesus cried with a loud voice—”Father, into your hands I give my spirit.” Then Jesus’ spirit was gone—he was dead.

Notice: Jesus gave up his spirit. No one took it from him.

John 10:17-18 Jesus told the people No one takes my life from me. I lay down my life, and I take it up again.

The fact that Jesus had life—in and of himself– tells you that he is God.

No human can make himself come alive again.

Verse 47 The soldier who was the leader said about Jesus—This must be a righteous man.

Verse 48 Most of the people left to go home. They saw all that happened. The darkness,—maybe heard about the curtain in the temple, heard what the soldiers said, —they wondered about it all.

They hit their chest with their hands showing their sadness and upset feelings.

Vs. 49 Jesus friends —and the women from Galilee—stood there —away from the main crowd—they watched and waited.

Vs. 50 A man named Joseph —a good man , a righteous man,–he was a member of the high council of the Jewish leaders.

He did not agree with the other leaders to have Jesus crucified.

He was from the town of Arimathea. He had believed the Old Testament scriptures about the Messiah coming. He had looked for that day to come.

He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus–so he could bury him.

He took the body and wrapped it in linen cloth and some spices and put Jesus’ body in a tomb that Joseph had for himself.

Joseph was a rich man and he had planned for his own tomb someday. It was carved into the side of a rocky hill. The tomb had never been used.

In the Old Testament —Isaiah 53:9 prophesied—”He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.”

By the time they were finished it was near sunset and the Sabbath–the Jewish holy day was beginning. It was day of rest.