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Continuing our analysis of the penultimate chapter of Luke’s Gospel, this week, please read verses 26-33. If possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 23:32-33 (NIV)
‘Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.’
A few weeks ago, my son Matthew had an accident at a skate park. He was riding a scooter and somehow, managed to fall off. The result was that he dislocated his ankle and broke both of the bones in his lower leg.
He sent me a text message informing me that he was on his way to the hospital and the first thing I thought was “Why is my son, who is married and expecting their first child, still trying to ride scooters?” Then I was filled with concern and began to show some sympathy and asked him how he was feeling!
After a few minutes, I received another text from him and the response was “I’m in a bit of pain.” Well, I’ve broken a few bones in my time and I know that given the extent of his injuries, this comment was probably a severe understatement of the truth. He hadn’t been given any medication to lessen the pain, so he must have been in agony. It’s quite rare to hear understatements when so many people are prone to exaggeration. There’s a man in work with me who is never just ill. According to him, every sickness is life-threatening! He gets diseases and not symptoms of influenza. If he trips and falls off a kerb, the story told is that he fell from 15 feet and that the doctor had never treated such horrific injuries. I’m exaggerating also of course but you get the picture!
In our verses today, we read something like a massive understatement. Luke records this simple phrase – ‘They crucified Him’. Just three words describe what went on at that time. There are further verses explaining some of the events that go on around the cross and the conversations between various people, but by and large, Luke uses these three words to describe the absolute horror of what was inflicted on the Son of God.
As has been the case so many times, God’s Spirit inspires other writers to describe in detail what happens, but Luke ‘sticks with’ the original intention of the Gospel and that is to write an orderly account. No one can accuse him of embellishment or exaggeration. The fact is that those three words paint a picture that is more than enough for us to either bow our heads in shame or to raise our eyes to the heavens in heartfelt thanks.
Someone referred to crucifixion as ‘a thousand deaths’ where the person seemingly dies over and over again due to the various aspects of medical horror inflicted. Luke mentions none of this. It is so easy to emphasis the physical aspects of the cross but I don’t think the focus should be there. The weight of all our sin was placed on His shoulders. The One who knew no sin became sin for us. The very thing that had separated us from God was now being used to bring us back to Him. Sin had no hold on Him and because of His victory on the cross, it can have no hold on us either. He died so that we can live. He surrendered His life so that we can go free. ‘They crucified Him’. This weekend, my prayer is that we all come to a full realisation of the impact of these simple words.
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