Jesus was addressing the sorrowing women

JESUS WAS ADDRESSING THE SORROWING WOMEN
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 23:27-31 27A large number of peoplefollowed
him, includingwomen who mourned and wailedfor
him. 28Jesusturned and said to them, "Daughters of
Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves
and for your children. 29Forthe time will come when
you will say, 'Blessedare the childless women, the
wombs that never bore and the breasts that never
nursed!' 30Then"'they will say to the mountains,
"Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Coverus!"' 31Forif
people do these things when the tree is green, what will
happen when it is dry?"
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Sympathy And Solicitude
Luke 23:27-31
W. Clarkson

Before reaching Calvary an interesting and instructive incident occurred.
Among the tumultuous crowd that surgedround the soldiers and their victims
were many women. These were betteraway, we are disposed to think, from a
scene so brutal and so harrowing as this. But we will believe that something
better than curiosity, that gratitude, that affection, that womanly pity, drew
them, spite of their natural shrinking, to this last sadending. By whatever
motives impelled, they were certainly moved to strong compassionas they saw
the Prophet of Nazareth, the greatHealer and Teacher, ledforth to die. Their
loud laments did not fall on the earof One too occupiedwith his own
impending doom to hear and heed them. Our Lord made to these weeping
women the reply which is here recorded, longerand fuller than we should
have supposedthe circumstances wouldallow. It suggests to us -
I. THAT HUMAN DISTRESS NEVER FAILS TO REACH AND TOUCH
HIM. If there were any moments in his life when he might have been
preoccupied, and might not have noticedthe sounds of sorrow, it was this
hour of his agony, this hour when the weight of the world's sin rested on his
soul, when the greatsacrifice was in the very actof being offered. Yet even
then he heard and stopped to console the troubled. An appeal to Jesus Christ
in circumstances ofsorrow is never ill-timed.
II. THAT SUCH SYMPATHY WITH JESUS CHRIST IS ENTIRELY OUT
OF PLACE. "Weepnot for me." Some men speak and actas if it were
appropriate to express sympathy with the Savior on accountof his sufferings.
It is, indeed, impossible to read the story of his lasthours, and realize what it
all meant, without having our sympathetic feeling very keenly quickened; but
Jesus Christ does not ask that we should express to him, or to one another,
our sympathy with him as One that then suffered. These sufferings are past;
they have placedhim upon the throne of the world; they have made brighter
than ever his celestialcrown, deeperthan ever his heavenly joy. So far as we
are concerned, and so far as they speak ofour sin, they may well humble us;
in so far as he is concerned, we rejoice with him that he "was perfected
through suffering.'"

III. THAT A HOLY SOLICITUDE FOR OURSELVES AND OURS IS
OFTEN THE MOST APPROPRIATE SENTIMENT. "Weepfor yourselves,
and for your children." We know well what reasonthese Jewishwomenhad,
both as patriots and as mothers, to be concernedfor the fate that threatened
their country and their homes. Our Lord certainly would not condemn, would
not disparage, anunselfish sympathy. He who wept at Bethany, and whose
law of love was the law that coveredand inspired a gracious burden-bearing
(Galatians 6:2), could not possibly do that. Indeed, we seldomstand nearerto
his side than when we "weepwith them that weep." But there are many times
when we are tempted to be troubled by our brother's smaller difficulty
instead of being concernedabout our own much greaterone. Do not be blind
to the bodily pains or the circumstantial struggles of your neighbor; but look
eagerlyand earnestlyto the rent which is opening in your own reputation, to
the gapthat is increasinglyvisible in your own consistency, to the fact that you
are palpably descending the slope which leads down to spiritual ruin.
IV. THAT THERE ARE SAD EXTREMITIES OF EVIL WHEN NOTHING
IS LEFT BUT A HOPELESS CRY. (Ver. 30.)
V. THAT SIN AND PUNISHMENT BECOME DEEPERAND NEARER AS
TIME GOES ON. The greentree is exposedto the consuming fire; but the
greentree in time becomes the dry, and how much more certain and more
fierce then will be the devouring flame! The nation goes from bad to worse,
from the worse to the worst;from dark to darkerguilt, from condemnation to
calamity. So does a human soul, unguided by heavenly truth and unguarded
by holy principle. At any and every time in danger, its peril becomes
continually greateras its guilt becomes constantlydeeper. Go not one step
further in the course ofsin, in the way of worldliness, into the "far country"
of forgetfullness. Eachstepis an approachto a precipice. Return on thy way
without a moment's lingering. - C.

Biblical Illustrator
Daughters of Jerusalem.
Luke 23:27-31
The daughters of Jerusalem
The WeeklyPulpit.
I. WHY DID THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM WEEP?
1. He was innocent. All they had heard about Him was favourable.
2. He was benevolent. His gifts were uncommon and priceless. WhereverHe
went, He left behind Him the footprint of mercy.

3. He was the hope of the people. The glory had departed; the land was under
a curse, and the people groanedunder the Roman yoke. But Jesus, although
opposedto every public demonstration in His favour, had, by His teaching
and example, arousedthe public aspiration.
II. WHY DID JESUS REFUSE THEIR SYMPATHY? — "Weepnot for Me."
1. Weepnot, My death is a necessity. It is not an accident, or the effectof
unrestrained animosity, but the fulfilment of an old covenant, older than the
earth or the heaven. Justice demands it before the prisoners of hope can come
forth.
2. Weepnot, I can bear it all. Hard as it may seem to bear the reproach as an
evil-doer, and to suffer the enmity of those whom I have not offended, yet, my
heart's desire is to suffer in the sinner's room.
3. Weepnot, tears will avail nothing now. The plea of the tear is the most
effective. Had the appeal of the tearbeen made before Pilate, humanly
speaking, the evidence might have been taken, and the prisoner acquitted, but
then it was too late. Weeping did not make the cross lighter, or the pains of
death any the less.
4. Weepnot, the course I am to take will ultimately wipe awayall tears. The
sorrow of to-day will be exchangedfor peace and joy hereafter. The death on
the cross willremove sorrow from the heart of the penitent, and tears will
ceaseto flow.

III. WHICH, THEN, IS THE RIGHT CHANNEL OF TEARS? "Weepfor
yourselves and for your children." Sin is the cause of sorrow.
(The WeeklyPulpit.)
Weepnot for Me
S. Martin.
etc.:—
I. Let us considerthem as addressedto that part of the multitude WHO HAD
BELIEVED IN HIS DIVINE MISSION, and submitted to His authority.
Their sorrow for our Lord did not spring from the proper source. His truest
disciples partook of the common misapprehensions of their countrymen about
the nature of Messiah's kingdom. Yet sorrow was their proper mood of
feeling. And why, my friends, should they have wept for themselves and their
children, in looking upon the sufferings of their Lord?
1. We reply, because their sins occasionedChrist's sufferings. It were well for
us oftener to weepthus for ourselves.
2. They should have wept for themselves and their children, because they
should no more hear Christ's instructions.
II. ANOTHER CLASS, BESIDESTRUE BELIEVERS, MINGLED IN THE
CROWD, WHICH ATTENDED CHRIST TOWARDSCALVARY. Let us
considerthe application of our text to them. It was the natural feelings, which
prompt us to take part in any circumstances with the distressed, and which
are pained, when innocence, or, at least, benevolence is oppressed, that caused
their tears to pour down. Bight and worthy were these emotions, so far as they

went; but they had deepercause for sorrow than anything they thought of
when they wept. They should have wept for themselves and for their children.
1. Becauseawayfrom them were about to be takenthe word of salvation, the
admonitions and warnings of the Lord.
2. They should have wept for themselves and for their children, because this
act by which Christ was takenawaywould speedily bring judgment upon
their nation. To this our Lord had most express reference, as He showedby
the language whichfollows the text.
(S. Martin.)
Wherefore should I weep
C. H. Spurgeon.
These words are especiallynoteworthy, because they constitute the last
connecteddiscourse ofthe Saviour before He died. All that He said afterwards
was fragmentary and mainly of the nature of prayer. A sentence to John, and
to His mother, and to the dying thief: just a word or two looking downward,
but for the most part He uttered broken sentences, whichflew upwards on the
wings of strong desire.
I. He said to the weeping women, "WEEP NOT." There are some cold,
calculating expositors who make it out that our Lord reproved these women
for weeping, and that there was something wrong in their sorrow — I think
they call it "the sentimental sympathy" of these kind souls. Blame these
women! No, bless them again and again. It was the one redeeming trait in the
dread march along the Via Dolorosa;let it not be dreamed that Jesus could
have censuredthose who wept for Him. These gentle womenappear in a
happy contrastto the chief priests, with their savagemalice, and to the

thoughtless multitude with their fierce cry of "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"
They seemto me to have shown a noble courage in daring to express their
sympathy with one whom everybody else hunted to death.
1. There can be nothing ill about the weeping of these women, and therefore
let us proceedto say, first, that their sorrow was legitimate and well founded.
It is little marvel that they should weepand bewail when they saw the
innocent one about to die.
2. I think, too, that this weeping on the part of the women was a very hopeful
emotion. It showedsome tenderness of heart, and tenderness of heart, though
it be but natural, may often serve as a groundwork upon which better and
holier and more spiritual feelings may be placed.
3. Having said this much, we now add that on our Lord's part such sorrow
was fitly repressed;because afterall, though naturally good, it is not more
than natural, and falls short of spiritual excellence. It is no proof that you are
truly saved, because you are moved to greatemotions whenever you hear the
details of the crucifixion, for the Bulgarianatrocities excitedyou equally as
much. I think it goodthat you should be moved, as I have said before, but it is
only naturally and not spiritually good. This feeling, too, may stand in the way
of something a greatdeal better. Jesus would not have these women weepfor
one thing, because theywere to weepfor another thing which far more
seriouslydemanded their weeping. Ye need not weepbecause Christdied one-
tenth so much as because your sins rendered it necessarythat He should die.
To weep over a dying Saviour is to lament the remedy; it were wiser to bewail
the disease.
II. Now we pass on from "Weepnot" to "WEEP."ThoughJesus stops one
channel for tears, He opens another and a wider one. Let us look to it.

1. First, when He said, "Weepfor yourselves" He meant that they were to
lament and bewail the sin which had brought Him where He was, seeing He
had come to suffer for it; and He would have them weepbecause that sin
would bring them and their children into yet deeper woe.
2. I beg you now to look againinto the reasonwhy our Lord bade them weep.
It was, first, for their sin, but it was next for the impending punishment of
their sins.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
"Weepfor yourselves
J. R. Andrews.
One who knew Whitefield well, and attended his preaching more frequently,
perhaps, than any other person, said he hardly ever knew him go through a
sermon without weeping:his voice was ofteninterrupted by his tears, which
sometimes were so excessiveas to stop him from proceeding for a few
moments. "You blame me for weeping," he would say;"but how can I help it
when you will not weepfor yourselves, though your immortal souls are on the
verge of destruction, and for aught you know, you are hearing your last
sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to
you?"
(J. R. Andrews.)
The grace oftears
W. Whyte.

When Christ was bearing His cross, He saw some women with their children
in their arms, and He said to them, "Weepnot for Me, weepfor yourselves."
Am I wrong in saying He is looking down at this congregationnow and saying,
"Weepfor yourselves"? Yes, we will and must compassionateourselves.The
further from the heart religionis for some of you the better; and I don't
wonder at it. I canapologize for you, for I know something of the
disenchantment, humiliation, and bewildering experience which comes to a
man when he is sentto pity himself. Let our prayer, believing brothers and
sisters, be the prayer of St. Agustine: "Lord Jesus give me the grace oftears."
Those are the tears God will one day wipe awayfrom our eyes — £1,000for
one of them!
(W. Whyte.)
What shall be done in the dry?
The greentree and the dry
H. G. Guinness.
A word in explanation. The greentree is Christ; the dry tree in the first
judgment is the Jewishnation; and the dry tree in the last judgment is the
unconverted world. By a "greentree" Christ does not mean a young and
tender tree, but rather one full grown and flourishing. By "the dry," He
means a tree withered, worthless, and dead. With respectto the first judgment
He may mean this: "If the Romans so treat the innocent Jesus, how will they
treat the guilty Jerusalem?" orHe may mean, "If the Jews so punish Me, how
will God punish them?" With respectto the secondjudgment, He surely
means — "If God so bruise the innocent for the transgressions ofothers, how
will He punish the guilty for their own iniquities?" I will now, with God's
help, try to open up to you this solemntext. We bare here two trees:one green
— the other dry. I will show you, first, the glory and destruction of the green
tree; and then, the shame and end of the dry.
I. THE GLORY AND DESTRUCTION OF THE GREEN TREE. In
meditating upon the glory of the green tree, we had better keepthe substance

of it and the shadow of it apart from eachother. To do so, we will look first at
the natural tree, and next at the Saviour, who is representedby it. In the
midst of yonder wilderness, overrun with all manner of weeds and poisonous
plants, there lies an humble patch of dry, bare ground. From the midst of the
dry, barren ground, where nothing ever grew before, there rises up a young
tree, tall and fair to look upon. Higher and higher it grows, until its shadow
falls upon the tops of the loftiest trees around it; higher and higher, until all
the trees in the wilderness are but weeds when compared with it. Now turn to
the reality. Christ is that tree of God. In his birth, He grew out of ground that
was barren. As a man, He grew in stature, and wisdom, and favour, and glory,
until there was none such upon the face of the earth; until tie stoodalone as
the greattree of life in the midst of the perishing; until He bid fair to stretch
forth His branches to the uttermost ends of the world. Look back to the green
tree. How beautiful it is! It has no crookedboughs, or twisted branches. There
are no worm eaten or withered leaves:every leaf is as fresh as when first
unfolded from the bud. There are no weather-beaten, time-stainedflowers:
every flower is perfect. There are no bitter or rotten fruits: all its fruits are
ripe and uninjured. From the lowestrootto the highest leaf, it is without a
fault. Beholdin this some faint picture of Jesus. His birth was as pure as the
creationof an angel. His childhood was as spotless as sunshine. His thoughts
were as clearas the river of God. His heart was a well of love. His soul was a
greatdeep of light. His life was unstained by the shadow of evil. He was the
admiration of angels. He was the joy of God! Look back again to the green
tree. Mark its promise. Leave that tree untouched, and what will it become?
Will it not reachup to heaven, and spreadtill it overshadows the world? Who
will it leave without a shelter? What diseaseswill it not cure? What hunger
will it not satisfy? Will it not grow into a universal blessing? Beholdin this the
shadow of Jesus!Had He dwelt upon earth until now, what would He not have
done for mankind! If in three years He healed such crowds of diseased
persons, what multitudes would He have cured in eighteencenturies!Oh,
when we think of it, the glory of that greentree of God! Wonderful, wonderful
Jesus!how can we now turn from the brightness of Thy glory, to the gloom of
Thy sorrow? Oh! who shall tell the tale of destruction? The axe and the flame
from beneath, and the glittering arrows from above, stripped and rent, and
levelled all Thy glory. Thou wastslain and buried off the face of the earth!

II. And now I pause;and turn from Christ's cross to CHRIST'S QUESTION
— "What shall be done in the dry?" We have lookedfor a few moments at the
glory and destruction of the greentree. We turn to the shame and end of the
dry. Look then, O unconverted man or woman, at that dry tree. It is
springtime: thousands of plants around are putting forth greenleaves;but not
a leaf appears upon it. It is summer: the gardens are white, and many-
colouredwith flowers;but it stands as bare as it stoodin spring. It is autumn:
the orchards are golden and red with fruit; but it remains black and dead.
Sinner I thou art that dry tree. Thousands around you are fruitful trees in the
garden of God; they bring forth ripe faith, and tender love, and sweethope,
and mellow peace, and the fruits of joy and humility. God gathers their fruit
in its season, and rewards them an hundredfold. But you are barren, without
faith, without love, without hope, without peace, withoutjoy, without
humility; you stand unmindful alike of God's commands, of God's warnings,
and of God's forbearance — a withered cumberer of the ground. But the evil
is still worse. You are taking up the room which others might occupy with
advantage to the world, were you but removed. Look again, O unconverted
man or woman, at that dry tree. The showers thatsoften the folded buds, and
spread open the tender leaves ofliving trees in springtime, rain down upon it
in abundance; but, alas;it only rots the more. The sunshine that ripens many
a flowerinto fruit, and sweetensmany a fruit into maturity, beams down upon
it from day to day; but, alas!it only decays the faster. Sinner! thou art that
dry tree. The gospel, whichhas softenedmany hard hearts, has made yours
more callous. God's mercies help to make you worse. Like the cross, the chief
of all His gifts to you, they are "the savour of death unto death." Before I
conclude, I would give you all a word of warning, and a word of
encouragement. Remember, O unconverted man or woman, that this fearful
question," What shall be done in the dry?" remains still unanswered. As
certain as I see the sufferings of Jesus, I see the sufferings of the lost. I can
doubt no more. Penitent, a word to thee. In my bitter text there is some
sweetness forthee. Penitent, if they have done these things in the greentree,
why should you die? If Jesus died, why should net you live? What if He died
for you!

(H. G. Guinness.)
The miseries of lost souls exceedthose of Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.
I suppose He meant, "If I, who am no rebel againstCaesar, sufferso, how will
those suffer whom the Romans take in actualrebellion at the siege of
Jerusalem?" And He meant next to say, "If I who am perfectly innocent, must
nevertheless be put to such a death as this, what will become of the guilty?" If
when fires are raging in the forest, the greentrees full of sapand moisture
crackle like stubble in the flame, how will the old dry trees burn, which are
already rotten to the core and turned to touch-wood, and so prepared as fuel
for the furnace. If Jesus suffers who hath no sin, but is full of the life of
innocence, and the sapof holiness, how will they suffer who have long been
dead in sin, and are rotten with iniquity? As Peterputs it in another place,
"Forthe time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it
first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospelof
God? And if the righteous scarcelybe sayed, where shall the ungodly and the
sinner appear?" Note well that the sufferings of our Lord, though in some
respects farbeyond all conceivable woes, have yet some points about them in
which they differ with advantage from the miseries of lost souls. For, first, our
Lord knew that He was innocent, and therefore His righteousness upheld
Him. WhateverHe suffered He knew that He deservednone of it: He had no
stings of conscience,nor agonies ofremorse. Now, the sting of future
punishment will lie in the indisputable conviction that it is well deserved. The
finally impenitent will be tormented by their own passions, which will rage
within them like an inward hell; but our Lord had none of this. There was no
evil in Him, no lusting after evil, no self-seeking,no rebellion of heart, no
anger, or discontent. Pride, ambition, greed, malice, revenge, these are the
fuel of hell's fire. Men's selves, not devils, are their tormentors; their inward
lusts are worms that never die, and fires that never can be quenched: there
could be none of this in our Divine Lord. Again, lost souls hate God and love

sin, but Christ ever loved God and hated sin. Now, to love evil is misery; when
undisguised and rightly understoodsin is hell. Our Lord Jesus knew that
every pang He suffered was for the goodof others: He endured cheerfully,
because He saw that He was redeeming a multitude that no man cannumber
from going down to the pit: but there is no redeeming power about the
sufferings of the lost, they are not helping any one, nor achieving a benevolent
design. The greatGod has gooddesigns in their punishment, but they are
strangers to any such a purpose. Our Lord had a reward before Him, because
of which He endured the cross, despising the shame; but the finally
condemned have no prospect of reward nor hope of rising from their doom.
How can they expecteither? He was full of hope, they are full of despair. "It is
finished" was for Him, but there is no "It is finished" for them. Their
sufferings, moreover, are self-caused, theirsin was their own. tie endured
agonies becauseothers had transgressed, and He willed to save them. They
torment themselves with sin, to which they cleave, but it pleasedthe Fatherto
bruise the Son, and the necessityfor His bruising lay not in Himself, but in
others.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(27) A greatcompany of people, and of women.—Here, again, we come across
a characteristic incident peculiar to St. Luke, and obviously derived from the
devout womento whom we have traced so many facts which he alone records.
(See Introduction.) “Daughters ofJerusalem” were there, as our Lord’s words
show—perhaps one of the sisterhoods whichwere formed in that city for
mitigating the sufferings of condemned criminals by narcotic drinks (Deutsch.
Remains, p. 38)—andamong these may have been Mary and Martha, but
Luke 23:49 implies the presence ofwomen from Galilee also. The wailing was

loud and bitter, for they, we may believe, had cherished, even more fondly
than the disciples, the thought that “the kingdom of God should immediately
appear” (Luke 19:11).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
23:26-31 We have here the blessedJesus, the Lamb of God, led as a lamb to
the slaughter, to the sacrifice. Thoughmany reproachedand reviled him, yet
some pitied him. But the death of Christ was his victory and triumph over his
enemies:it was our deliverance, the purchase of eternal life for us. Therefore
weepnot for him, but let us weepfor our own sins, and the sins of our
children, which causedhis death; and weepfor fear of the miseries we shall
bring upon ourselves, if we slight his love, and rejecthis grace. If God
delivered him up to such sufferings as these, because he was made a sacrifice
for sin, what will he do with sinners themselves, who make themselves a dry
tree, a corrupt and wickedgeneration, and goodfor nothing! The bitter
sufferings of our Lord Jesus shouldmake us stand in awe of the justice of
God. The best saints, compared with Christ, are dry trees;if he suffer, why
may not they expect to suffer? And what then shall the damnation of sinners
be! Even the sufferings of Christ preachterror to obstinate transgressors.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
See the notes at Matthew 27:32.
After Jesus - Probably to bear one end of the cross. Jesuswas feeble and
unable to bear it alone, and they compelled Simon to help him.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
27-31. women—notthe precious Galileanwomen (Lu 23:49), but part of the
crowd.
Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 27-31. What is in these verses is only found in this evangelist;but being
part of what happened in the way, while our Saviour was leading to his cross,
we have before opened what is here in Matthew 27:32-34. Theyare another
prophecy of the dreadful calamities which happened about forty years after
this, at the destruction of Jerusalem.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And there followedhim a greatcompany of people,.... Notonly of the common
people, but of the principal inhabitants of the city; for among these were the
chief priests, Scribes, and elders:some went for one thing, and some another;
some pitying, and others mocking at him, and all to see the melancholy sight,
Luke 23:48 as is usual at executions:and what might make the crowd the
greater, was the number of people in the city, which were come from all parts
to the passover;as also the fame and characterofthe person, who was going
to suffer:
and of women, which also bewailedand lamented him; not that these were the
same with the preficae of the Romans, or the of the Grecians;for though the
Jews had their or mourning women, who were hired to assistin mourning; by
using mournful gestures, tones, andsongs, see Jeremiah9:17, yet public
mourning was not allowedfor persons that were executedas malefactors;and
therefore it is the more remarkable, that here, and in Luke 23:48 any public
tokens of sorrow should be expressed:for,
"those that are executedby the sanhedrim, "they do not mourn for them";
but their near relations come and ask the peace of, or salute the witnesses, and
they salute the judges, to show, that they have not any thing in their hearts
againstthem, seeing they have passeda true sentence;but though they do not
use mourning, lo, they grieve for them; for there is no grief but in the heart
(r).''
The reasonwhy they did not mourn was, because theirignominy and death
atoned for their crime (s): but it seems, there was a difference betweenthose

that were put to death by the order of the Roman government, and those that
were put to death by the sanhedrim:
"all that are put to death by the government, although they are executedby
the order of the king, and the law gives power to slay them, lo, "they mourn
for them"; and they do not restrain any thing from them, and their substance
goes to the king, and they are buried in the sepulchres of their fathers; but all
that are put to death by the sanhedrim, "they do not mourn for them"; but
they grieve for them; for there is no grief but in the heart; and they are not
buried with their fathers, till their flesh is consumed;and their substance goes
to their heirs (t).''
And since Christ was condemnedto death by the Roman governor, hence it
may be public mourning was allowedof, and might be done without notice;
but these still were not the mourning women, but persons that followedon
their own accord:some expressedtheir concernand sorrow through a natural
tenderness of spirit, and from a principle of humanity, being grievedthat so
useful and innocent a person, as Christ appeared to be, should be put to such
a cruel and shameful death; and others from a spirit of gratitude, they, or
their friends, having receivedcures from him, being healed by him of
sicknesses, ordispossessedofdevils; and others from a spiritual, as well as
natural affectionfor him; among whom were his own mother and his
mother's sister, and Mary Magdalene, andother womenthat followedhim out
of Galilee.
(r) Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 13. sect. 6. Vid. Misu. Sanhedrin, c. 6. sect4.
(s) Jarchi & Bartenora in Misn. ib. (t) Maimon. Hilch. Ebel. c. 1. sect. 9.
Geneva Study Bible

{8} And there followedhim a greatcompany of people, and of women, which
also bewailedand lamented him.
(8) The triumph of the wickedhas a most horrible end.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
27. of women] Some of them may have come to offer the anodynes which were
supposedto be demanded by the Rabbinic interpretation of Proverbs 31:6.
This is the only other recordedincident of the processionto Calvary, and it is
mentioned by St Luke alone. It is a sadfact that no man—not even His
Apostles—seems to have come forward to support these His lasthours.
bewailed]Rather, were beating their breasts for Him. Comp. Luke 8:52, Luke
18:13.
Bengel's Gnomen
Luke 23:27. Ἐκόπτοντο, bewailed)eitherjointly under the emotion of the one
common feeling, or even under the influence of peculiar affection. Κόπτεσθαι
properly applies to the gestures:[256]θρηνεῖν refers to the lamentation, and
weeping tone of voice.
[256]To smite one’s self on the breaston accountof some one, is the strict
meaning; as the Latin, plangere.—E. and T.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 27. - And there followedhim a greatcompany of people, and of women,
which also bewailedand lamented him. The greatcompany was made up of
the usual concourse ofcurious lookers-on, ofdisciples, and others who had
heard him in past days, and now came, with much horror, to see the end. The
women speciallynoticed consistedmostly, no doubt, of holy women of his own

company, such as the "Maries,"togetherwith some of those kindly Jerusalem
ladies who were in the habit of soothing the last hours of these condemned
ones - unhappily in those sad days so numerous - with narcotics and anodynes.
These kindly offices were apparently not forbidden by the Roman authorities.
This recitalrespecting the womenis peculiar to St. Luke.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Luke 23:27 And following Him was a large crowdof the people, and of women
who were mourning and lamenting Him.
KJV Luke 23:27 And there followedhim a great company of people, and of
women, which also bewailedand lamented him.
and of Lk 23:55;8:2; Mt 27:55; Mark 15:40
THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM - James Stalker- Luke 23:27–31
Luke 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
The scene with the mourning women describedin this next section(Lk 23:27–
31) is unique to Luke
And following Him was a large crowd of the people - We can only guess atthe
number in this large crowd of people who had lined the road as Jesus had
made His triumphal entry only a few days earlier. And imagine their thoughts

as they witnessedthe road of triumph give be replacedby a road to
crucifixion, an event many of them interpreted as Christ's defeat!
MacArthur adds an interesting comment regarding the crowdstating that
"They were also disappointed. After Christ’s death, “allthe crowds who came
togetherfor this spectacle, whenthey observed what had happened, beganto
return, beating their breasts” (Luke 23:48)in a universal signof grief. They
wanted Him to be their Messiah;probably until the very last, some of them
were wishing that Christ would be the one who would fulfill their desires.
Perhaps, at the last moment, He would come down from the cross, as His
enemies mockingly challengedHim to do (Mark 15:32), and lead an assault
againstthe Romans."
There is a bitter irony is Luke's use of the verb for following (akoloutheo)
Him, for earlier Jesus Himself had used the same verb in His call to
discipleship, not to describe those that were simply physically following Him,
but to identity those who His genuine disciples and were spiritually following
Him, declaring "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and
take up his cross daily and follow (akoloutheo in presentimperative calling
for this to be one's lifestyle, a lifestyle only possible of course as one yields
daily to and is empoweredby His Spirit) Me." (Lk 9:23).
And of women who were mourning and lamenting Him - Some consider that
these women were likely professionalmourners (cf Mk 5:38-40).
Hughes - These womenare not to be confusedwith his devoted followers who
had traveled from Galilee and would stay with him to the bitter end (cf. Luke
24:49). Rather, these were devout women of Jerusalemwho had come to
bewail the death of a young man, localwomenwho regularly turned out to
witness executions and provide opiates and drugs to ease the pain (M.

Sanhedrin 43a). Some were acting out the part of professionalmourners as
they literally “were beating themselves and bewailing him.”9 These daughters
of Jerusalemwere well-intentioned, sympathetic, kind souls. (Preaching the
Word: Luke)
Guzik writes "It was customary for a greatmultitude to follow a condemned
criminal on his way to crucifixion. It was intended to be a public event.
MacArthur comments that the women mourning "Jesus were notHis mother,
Mary Magdalene, orany of the other women who accompaniedHim and the
disciples (Luke 8:2-3); they were professionalmourners. It was traditional for
women to mourn at the death of someone (cf. Luke 8:51-52), particularly
someone prominent like Jesus, who many had hoped would be the Messiah.
But though they were official mourners who were doing their duty, surely it
was not without a measure of sincerity and sympathy. Nowhere in the Gospels
is there a record of a woman who was hostile to Jesus, rebukedHim, or spoke
evil of Him. These womenwere likely no exception." (MacArthur New
TestamentCommentary – Luke)
Mourning (imperfect tense - over and over)(2875)(kopto)means literally (in
the active voice)to cut off (as when MessiahenteredJerusalemto begin His
final week on earth = Mt 21:8 = "cutting branches from the trees," Mk 11:8 =
"leafybranches which they had cut from the fields"; this same sense in Lxx =
Nu 13:24;Jdg 9:48). The more common usage is figurative and in the middle
voice (as in Lk 23:27) kopto means to beat one's body with the hands
(especiallyone's breast)as an act of mourning or lamentation (Mt 24:30, Mt
11:17, Lk 23:27; Lxx - 1Ki 13:28, 2Ki 1:12, 11:26, Zech 7:5, Ge 23:2, 1Ki
25:1).
The same verb kopto is used in the Septuagint translation of Zechariah 12:10
in which Jehovahsays "I will pour out on the house of David and on the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they
will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn (Lxx = kopto)

for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weepbitterly over Him
like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." Jesus is NOT referring to this time of
mourning by the Jews, which will occur in the believing Jewishremnant, who
are alive at the return of Christ at the end of the GreatTribulation. See more
detailed discussionof Zechariah12:10.
Lamenting (imperfect tense - over and over)(2354)(threneo from threomai =
to shriek out) means to express one's grief by mourning, lamenting, singing
funeral songs (sing a dirge) (Mt 11:17).
Threneo is used only 4 times in the NT - lament(1), lamenting(1), sang a
dirge(2). - Matt. 11:17; Lk. 7:32; Lk. 23:27; Jn. 16:20.
Jn. 16:20 “Truly, truly, I say to you (DISCIPLES), that you will weepand
lament (WHEN HE IS CRUCIFIED), but the world will rejoice;you will
grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.
MacArthur - The very event that made the hateful realm of mankind
("world") rejoice and cause griefto Jesus'disciples, will be the same event
that will leadto the world's sorrow and the believer's joy. The disciples would
soonrealize the marvelous nature of God's gift of salvationand the Spirit
through what He accomplished, and the blessing of answeredprayer (Jn
16:24). Acts records the coming of the Holy Spirit and the powerand joy (Ac
2:4-47; 13:52)of the early church. (MacArthur Study Bible)
Gilbrant on threneo - This verb was used throughout classicalGreek from the
time of Homer (ca. Eighth Century B.C.)meaning, “mourn, lament.” Usually
it is used transitively, “mourn for someone” (cf. Bauer). According to Vincent
thrēneō was a formal, audible expressionof grief, meaning “to utter a dirge
over the dead” (Word Studies in the New Testament, 2:258). Such expressions
of grief were commonly known in the days of the Old Testament. The

Septuagint uses thrēneō to translate eight different Hebrew terms all of which
generallymean “lament, mourn” for a loved one (cf. Judges 11:40;2 Samuel
1:17; 2 Chronicles 35:25). In a few instances thrēneō was also used
intransitively to describe a generalcondition of mournful “weeping” (cf. Joel
1:5,11;Zephaniah 1:11; Zechariah 11:3).In the New Testamentthe verb
occurs four times. In Matthew 11:17 (and its parallel in Luke 7:32) it is used
intransitively, “We sang a dirge, but you did not mourn” (free translation). In
other words, the people who did not believe were not responding in the
sensible way to the messageofthe Kingdom. Examples of its transitive use can
be found in John 16:20 where Jesus told the disciples they would “mourn”
because His death was imminent. A similar usage is found in Luke 23:27
where the women “lamented” for Jesus who was on His way to the cross. For
this occurrence it is useful to compare kopetos (2842), “lamentationfor the
dead” (in a ceremonialsense), with thrēneō, because whatthe women did by
accompanying Jesus from Gabbatha to Golgotha was a form of burial
procession. (Complete BiblicalLibrary Greek-EnglishDictionary)
Threneo - 28x in 26v -
Jdg. 11:40; 2 Sam. 1:17; 2 Sam. 3:33; 2 Chr. 35:25;Jer. 9:17; Jer. 22:10;Jer.
51:8; Lam. 1:1; Ezek. 7:12;Ezek. 8:14; Ezek. 32:16; Ezek. 32:18;Joel1:5;
Joel1:8; Joel1:11; Joel1:13;Mic. 1:8; Mic. 2:4; Zeph. 1:11; Zech. 11:3
Luke 23:28 But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters ofJerusalem, stop
weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
KJV Luke 23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem,
weepnot for me, but weepfor yourselves, and for your children.
daughters Song 1:5; 2:7; 3:5,10;5:8,16; 8:4

THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM - James Stalker- Luke 23:27–31
JESUS'FINAL PUBLIC MESSAGE
PRIOR TO CRUCIFIXION
But Jesus turning to them said - It is interesting that Jesus spoke 3 sentences
in this section, and this would have temporarily halted the processionto the
place of the Skull, and yet there is not a suggestionthat the soldiers told Him
to stop speaking and start moving! Jesus was in control to the very last step!
Jesus sets us all such an incredible example - here even in his last words, He is
not complaining about the gross injustice and unfair torture He has received,
but is thinking of others. This is the supreme example of selfless love we are
chargedto imitate (1 Cor 11:1+, 1 Jn 2:6+), but dare not try to do this in your
own natural powerfor such love is only possible as it is "infused" through us
by the Holy Spirit in us (Gal 5:22+).
Daughters of Jerusalem- This is similar to the phrase in the OT "Daughterof
Jerusalem" (singular)used as a metaphor for Israelas a whole. (Mic. 4:8+;
Zeph. 3:14+; Zech. 9:9).
Stop weeping for Me - The present imperative with a negative is a command
to stop weeping for Him.
Weeping (2799)(klaio)means to mourn, to weep, to lament or to wail with
emphasis upon noise accompanying weeping and thus represents an
expressionof one’s immediate and outward reactionthat took place when
someone died.

It is fascinating that klaio is the very verb Luke used to describe Jesus'
weeping as He entered into the city (Lk 19:41+ "When He approached
Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it," ) and now Luke uses it of others
weeping as Jesus walks the Via Dolorosa,the road to Calvary, leaving the city
He loved to be crucified outside the city walls (Heb 13:11-12+).
But weepfor yourselves and for your children - Why? Jesus is alluding to the
horrible time of suffering that will come in 70 AD when Rome destroys
Jerusalemand in the siege some severelystarvedwomen are forced to eat
their own children! Hundreds of thousands of Jews woulddie.
Weep, O my daughters, but grieve not for Me;
Weepfor yourselves and your children;
Shed bitter tears of mourning and pray.
O pray "Miserere, nostriDomine."
(Have mercy on us, O Lord)
—EDWIN COX
Warren Wiersbe writes that "Too often in our preaching and teaching, we so
emphasize the physical aspects ofour Lord’s sufferings that we forget the
spiritual agony that He endured on the cross in being separatedfrom His
Father. As Jesus lookedto the future, He saw glory for Himself (Heb. 12:2)
but judgment for the Jewishnation. Too much “religious devotion” is only
sentimental emotion that is shallow and transient. Jesus wants us to share “the
fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10) and not try to duplicate the feelings
of His sufferings." (Wiersbe's ExpositoryOutlines on the NT).

Luke 23:29 "Forbehold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessedare
the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.
KJV Luke 23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say,
Blessedare the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which
never gave suck.
the days Lk 21:23,24;Mt 24:19; Mark 13:17-19
BlessedDeut28:53-57;Hosea 9:12-16;13:16
THE PROPHECYCONCERNING
JERUSALEM
For - Term of explanation. Jesus is going to explain why they should not weep
for Him, but for themselves.
Behold (2400)(idou)is used here to prompt or arouse these women's attention
as Jesus prophetically introduces something unusual.
The days are coming when they will say - Days are coming identifies this as a
prophecy. They is the Jews living in Jerusalemin this coming time of
destruction and doom. Compare the similar phrases in predictions of
Jerusalem's fall "the days will come" (Lk 19:43, Lk 21:6), "these are days of
vengeance"(Lk 21:22-24).

Blessedare the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that
never nursed - Jesus'point is that in these coming days, it will be better to
have never had any offspring, so horrible will be this time! What bitter irony!
Normally barrenness was consideredto be like a divine curse (Luke 1:25; Ge
30:23;Isa 4:1) and childbirth a joy and blessing (Lk 1:57–58;11:27; Ge 21:6–
7; Isa 54:1) but in this time of destruction it would be a "blessing" (relatively
speaking), for womenwould loose their offspring and even some would be
forcedto cannibalize their offspring to stay alive! (Cannibalism had been
prophetically promised as one of the curses onIsrael for breaking covenant -
see Lev 26:29, Dt 28:53, Jer19:9, cf 2 Ki 6:28-29, Lam 4:10. Josephus tells a
dreadful story of the siege ofJerusalemby the Romans. see this accountin
Josephus War6. Chapter 3. Paragraph4)
Notice the irony once againas Jesus is predicting judgment coming on the
Jews and their holy Temple - Jesus is not so much as the judged as He is the
Judge (Acts 10:42)in full control of the situation, even His last steps prior to
His crucifixion!
Jesus had earlier predicted the fall of Jerusalem
When He approachedJerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying,
“If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!But
now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 “Forthe days will come upon
you when your enemies will throw up a barricade againstyou, and surround
you and hem you in on every side (TITUS LAID SIEGE TO JERUSALEM IN
70 AD BEFORE DESTROYING THE TEMPLE AND THE CITY), 44 and
they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will
not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the
time of your visitation.” (Lk 19:41-44+).

Comment: Notice Jesus'words "If you had known in this day" clearlyimplies
they could have known the day, certainly the generaltime, when Messiah
would come into Jerusalem. How could they have known? Had they studied
and believed Daniel9:24-27 (notes), they could have know "this day!"
“But when you see Jerusalemsurrounded by armies (THIS DESCRIBES 70
AD NOT THE GREAT TRIBULATION), then recognize that her desolation
is near. 21 “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and
those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the
country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so
that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23 “Woe to those who are
pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be
greatdistress upon the land and wrath to this people; 24 and they will fall by
the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and
Jerusalemwill be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the
Gentiles are fulfilled. (Lk 21:20-24+)
Luke 23:30 "Then they will begin TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, 'FALL
ON US,' AND TO THE HILLS, 'COVER US.'
KJV Luke 23:30 Then shall they begin to sayto the mountains, Fallon us;
and to the hills, Cover us.
Isaiah2:19; Hosea 10:8;Rev 6:16; 9:6
THE PLEA FROM THOSE WHO
LIVE IN JERUSALEM

Then they - The they in context is probably the Jews who live in Jerusalem
when the future day of suffering comes.
Will begin TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, 'FALL ON US,' AND TO THE
HILLS, 'COVER US - Jesus is predicting a dreadful judgement which would
cause those alive in Jerusalemto do any thing to escape, this passagesaying in
essencethat even death would be better than suffering the pangs and anguish
of this time. Some commentators think this refers to protection rather than a
quick death but that is hard to fathom if one is calling for a mountain to fall
(pipto in aoristimperative = Do this now!) on them!
Hughes agrees theirs was a plea for merciful death - The coming judgment
would be so unbearable that Israelwould cry out with language usedby
ancient unfaithful Israel (Hosea 10:8), pleading for an earthquake to cause the
mountains to fall on them and thus put them out of their misery. (Ibid)
Jesus is quoting Hosea 10:8 which warned the Northern (12 Tribes) Kingdom
of Israel of the coming invasion by Assyria. The captivity would be so severe
that the people would pray for the mountains and hills (SOUNDS A BIT
LIKE IDOLATRY DOESN'T IT?)to fall on them, similar to the days that
would soonbe coming on Jerusalemin 70 A D, which was but a foretaste of
the horrible GreatTribulation of the lastof the Last Days, when the Jews
would experience the Time of Jacob's distress describedin Jeremiah 30:7. The
earth-dwellers (unbelieving Jews and Gentiles ) at that time will be so
horrified at God's hand of judgment that they will cry out "to the mountains
and to the rocks, “Fallonus and hide us from the presence ofHim who sits on
the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." (Rev 6:16+).
Isaiahhas a similar prophecy that speaks ofthe future dread Day of the Lord
writing "Menwill go into caves ofthe rocks And into holes of the ground

Before the terror of the LORD And the splendor of His majesty, When He
arises to make the earth tremble." (Isaiah 2:19+).
MacArthur comments that "Jesus did not offer a final invitation to the people
who were accompanying Him on the wayto the cross, but rather pronounced
a final doom on them. Their perspective was totally skewed. Theyneededto
shed tears not for Him, but for themselves in light of their impending
judgment." (MacArthur New TestamentCommentary – Luke)
Luke 23:31 "Forif they do these things when the tree is green, what will
happen when it is dry?"
KJV Luke 23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done
in the dry?
Proverbs 11:31; Jeremiah25:29; Ezekiel15:2-7;20:47,48;21:3,4;Daniel9:26;
Mt 3:12; John 15:6; Hebrews 6:8; 1 Peter4:17,18;Jude 1:12
THE PROVERB
CONCERNING JERUSALEM
For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is
dry? - This proverbial like saying is difficult to interpret with absolute
certainty.
A T Robertson- Greenwood is hard to burn and so is used for the innocent.
In the dry (ἐν τῳ ξηρῳ [en tōi xērōi]). Dry woodkindles easilyand is a symbol
for the guilty. This common proverb has various applications. Here the point

is that if they can put Jesus to death, being who he is, what will happen to
Jerusalemwhen its day of judgment comes?
Robert Stein feels the most likely interpretation is "If God has not spared his
innocent Son from such tribulation [by permitting his crucifixion], how much
worse will it be for a sinful nation when God unleashes his righteous wrath
upon it [by permitting the Romans to destroy Jerusalem]."
Arnold Fruchtenbaum suggestthat"This was a Jewishidiom meaning, “if I
suffer this much and I am innocent, how much more will the guilty suffer?”
Ezekiel20:46-47 is the back ground from which this idiom comes."
Darrell Bock gives anexcellent analysis of this difficult passage -Jesus makes
a comparison:he is the green or damp wood, the nation in future judgment is
the dry wood(ξύλον, xylon; Plummer 1896:530;BAGD 549 §3; BAA 1113
§3). Jesus presents a lesser-to-greaterargument: if this is what happens to a
living tree, what might happen (a deliberative subjunctive; BDF §366.1)to a
dead one? Though the basic image is clear, the referents are disputed
(Fitzmyer 1985:1498;Plummer 1896:529):
1. If the Romans treat an innocent personlike Jesus this way, how much
more will they mistreat a nation in revolution? This view introduces the
Romans into a context where they are absent.
2. If the Jews treatJesus this way for coming to deliver them, how will they
be treated for destroying him? The only thing againstthis view is that the
subject shifts in the secondhalf of the passage.
3. If humankind behaves this way before wickednessis full, how much more
will it do so when wickednessoverflows? It is not clear, however, how the

reference to greenand dry trees can produce this sense. This view sees the
greentree as a negative reference, which is unlikely.
4. If God has not spared Jesus, how much more will the impenitent nation
not be spared when divine judgment comes? In this view “they” is an oblique
third-person plural reference to God (12:20 has a similar reference). It is
easierto burn dry wood than lush, moisture-filled greenwood.
5. The proverb is a generalremark about coming judgment that lacks
more specific referents (Nolland 1993b:1138).
The widely held fourth view is most likely correct(Creed1930:286;Danker
1988:372;Manson1949:343;Marshall 1978:865;J. Schneider, TDNT 5:38
n. 7 [who notes that the remark looks historical]). Schweizer(1984:358)says
the point is, “The fate of Jesus, like that of the prophets, is sure to befall his
enemies.” If view 4 is not correct, then view 2 is the next best option. Deciding
betweenthe two is not easy. A generalreference to judgment (view 5) seems
too vague. The conceptof wood consumedin judgment is also found in Isa.
10:16–19 andEzek. 20:47 (but Luke does not have the conceptof burning
found in these two references).10This is Jesus’lastlament for the nation.
(BakerExegeticalCommentary - Luke).
So here we see Jesus going to His death, but ever desiring to show grace and
love and thus pausing to issue a warning cry to all who have ears to hear. His
poignant warning echoes downthrough the centuries to all who see Him
traverse the Via Dolorosa,and yet still fail to truly place their faith and trust
in Him as their Protectorin the day of God's wrath. Dearreader, if you know
ABOUT Jesus, but do not truly KNOW Him (cf Mt 7:23 +), then the
application is simple - Today is the day of salvation(2 Cor 6:2). Today believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be rescuedby Him from the wrath to
come (Acts 16:31+, 1 Th 1:10+).

WILLIAM BARCLAY
THE ROAD TO CALVARY (Luke 23:26-31)
23:26-31 As they led Jesus away, they took Simon, a Cyrenian, who was
coming in from the country, and on him they laid the cross to carry it behind
Jesus.
There followedhim a greatcrowd of the people and of women who bewailed
and lamented him. Jesus turned to them. "Daughters of Jerusalem," he said,
"do not weepfor me, but weepfor yourselves, and for your children, because-
-look you--days are on the way in which they will say, 'Happy are those who
are barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never fed a
child.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the
hills, 'Coverus!' For if they do these things when the sap is in the wood, what
will they do when the tree is dry?"
When a criminal was condemnedto be crucified, he was takenfrom the
judgment hall and setin the middle of a hollow square of four Roman
soldiers. His own cross was then laid upon his shoulders. And he was marched
to the place of crucifixion by the longestpossible route, while before him
marched another soldier bearing a placard with his crime inscribed upon it,
so that he might be a terrible warning to anyone else who was contemplating
such a crime. That is what they did with Jesus.

He began by carrying his own Cross (John19:17); but under its weighthis
strength gave out and he could carry it no farther. Palestine was anoccupied
country and any citizen could be immediately impressedinto the service of the
Roman government. The sign of such impressment was a tap on the shoulder
with the flat of the blade of a Roman spear. When Jesus sank beneaththe
weight of his Cross, the Roman centurion in charge lookedround for someone
to carry it. Out of the country into the city there came Simon from far off
Cyrene, which is modern Tripoli. No doubt he was a Jew who all his life had
scrapedand savedso that he might be able to eat one PassoveratJerusalem.
The flat of the Roman speartouched him on the shoulder and he found
himself, willy-nilly, carrying a criminal's cross.
Try to imagine the feelings of Simon. He had come to Jerusalemto realise the
cherishedambition of a lifetime, and he found himself walking to Calvary
carrying a cross. His heart was filled with bitterness towards the Romans and
towards this criminal who had involved him in his crime.
But if we can read betweenthe lines the story does not end there. J. A.
Robertsonsaw in it one of the hidden romances of the New Testament. Mark
describes Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus. (Mark 15:21.) Now you
do not identify a man by the name of his sons unless these sons are well-known
people in the community to which you write. There is generalagreementthat
Mark wrote his gospelto the Church at Rome. Turn to Paul's letter to the
Church at Rome. Amongst the greetings atthe end he writes, "GreetRufus,
eminent in the Lord, also his mother and mine." (Romans 16:13.)So in the
Roman church there was Rufus, so choice a Christian that he could be called
one of God's chosenones, with a mother so dearto Paul that he could call her
his mother in the faith. It may well be that this was the same Rufus who was
the sonof Simon of Cyrene, and his mother was Simon's wife.

It may well be that as he lookedon Jesus Simon's bitterness turned to
wondering amazement and finally to faith; that he became a Christian; and
that his family became some of the choicestsouls in the Roman church. It may
well be that Simon from Tripoli thought he was going to realize a life's
ambition, to celebrate the Passoverin Jerusalemat last; that he found himself
sorelyagainsthis will carrying a criminal's cross;that, as he looked, his
bitterness turned to wonder and to faith; and that in the thing that seemedto
be his shame he found a Saviour.
Behind Jesus there came a band of womenweeping for him. He turned and
bade them weep, not for him, but for themselves. Days of terror were coming.
In Judaea there was no tragedy like a childless marriage; in fact childlessness
was a valid ground for divorce. But the day would come when the woman who
had no child would be glad that it was so. Once againJesus was seeing ahead
the destructionof that city which had so often before, and which had now so
finally, refused the invitation of God. Luke 23:31 is a proverbial phrase which
could be used in many connections. Here it means, if they do this to one who is
innocent, what will they some day do to those who are guilty?
ALBERT BARNES
Verse 28
Daughters of Jerusalem- Women of Jerusalem. This was a common mode of
speaking among the Hebrews.
Weepfor yourselves … - This refers to the calamities that were about to come
upon them in the desolationof their city by the Romans.

Verse 30
To the mountains, Fall on us … - This is an image of greatcalamities and
judgments. So greatwill be the calamities that they will seek forshelter from
the storm, and will call on the hills to protect them. The same figure is used
respecting the wickedin the day of judgment in Revelation6:16-17. Compare
also Isaiah2:21.
Verse 31
For if they do these things in a greentree … - This seems to be a proverbial
expression. A “green” tree is not easilyset on fire; a dry one is easily kindled
and burns rapidly; and the meaning of the passage is - “If they, the Romans,
do these things to me, who am innocent and blameless;if they punish me in
this manner in the face of justice, what will they not do in relation to this
guilty nation? What security have they that heavier judgments will not come
upon them? What desolations and woes may not be expected when injustice
and oppressionhave takenthe place of justice, and have setup a rule overthis
wickedpeople?” Our Lord alludes, evidently, to the calamities that would
come upon them by the Romans in the destruction of their city and temple.
The passagemay be applied, however, without impropriety, and with great
beauty and force, to the punishment of the wickedin the future world.
Thus applied, it means that the sufferings of the Saviour, as comparedwith
the sufferings of the guilty, were like the burning of a green tree as compared
with the burning of one that is dry. A greentree is not adapted to burn; a dry
one is. So the Saviour - innocent, pure, and holy - stood in relation to
suffering. There were sufferings which an innocent being could not endure.
There was remorse of conscience, the sense of guilt, punishment properly so
called, and the eternity of woes. He had the consciousnessofinnocence, and he
would not suffer forever. He had no passions to be enkindled that would rage
and ruin the soul. The sinner is “adapted” to sufferings, like a dry tree to the

fire. He is guilty, and will suffer all the horrors of remorse of conscience. He
will be punished literally. He has raging and impetuous passions, and they will
be enkindled in hell, and will rage forever and ever. The meaning is, that if the
innocent Saviour suffered “so much,” the sufferings of the sinner forever in
hell must be more unspeakably dreadful. Yet who could endure the sufferings
of the Redeemeron the cross for a single day? Who could bear them forever
and ever, aggravatedby all the horrors of a guilty conscience, andall the
terrors of unrestrained anger, and hate, and fear, and wrath? “Why will the
wickeddie?”
BRIAN BELL
“GreatGrace!”
2.3. WEEPING WARNING!(27-31)
2.4. The only words recordedas falling from His lips betweenHis
condemnation &
the hours when He hung on the cross.
2.5. Mourning should not be directed toward Him, but reservedfor
themselves.
2.5.1. This points to the judgment coming on Jerusalem. [both 70ad& mid-
trib]
2.6. Don’t weepfor me…weepbecause yoursins made it necessarythat He
should die!
Don’t weepfor me…weepbecause your sins nailed the Redeemerto the tree!
Don’t weepfor the crucifixion…weepoveryour transgression!
2.6.1. Key Æ To weepover a dying Savioris to weepover the remedy!

2.6.1.1. It’s wiser to wail over the disease then the surgeon’s knife.
2.6.2. Jesusis never to be the object of pity but instead of wonder & true
worship.
2.7. (29)When persecutionhits moms wouldn’t want their children to
experience it.
Plus all the problems with running for your lives & being separatedfrom your
kids.
2.8. (31)A proverbial expressionprobably meaning here “If the Romans so
treat the
innocent Jesus, whatwill be the fate of the guilty Jerusalem?”1
2.8.1. Fire consumes green(moist)woodslowly, but dry woodburns swiftly.
2.8.2. If suffering was inflicted on an innocent man, how much more would
be done to sinners?
2.8.3. Jesuswas the greenwood which the Jews were kindling; but the
days were to come when the Romans would do the same thing to the
Jewishpeople, who were like dry woodready to be consumed when
Jerusalemwas conquered.
CHRIS BENFIELD
The Walk toward Calvary
Luke 23: 26-32

After enduring a long night of betrayal and false accusation, Jesus was
brought before
Pilate, sent to stand before Herod, and returned to stand in judgment before
Pilate again. He was
condemned of crimes worthy of death, mercilesslyscourged, mocked, and
ridiculed by the Roman
soldiers who showedno pity or remorse.
After the unbearable abuse Jesus endured, His cross is placedupon His back
and He is
led by the soldiers toward Calvary’s hill to be crucified. Our text deals with
the journey Jesus made
toward the site of His crucifixion. This path is commonly referred to as the:
Via Dolorosa. The
name comes from the phrase “Wayof Grief” in Latin. It is a road within the
old city of Jerusalem
that led from the hall of Pilate unto the hill of Golgotha, where Jesus wouldbe
crucified, bearing
the sin of humanity and suffering the righteous judgment of God in our place.
As we examine the text before us, I want to look at the details of Jesus’
journey as we
consider:The Walk toward Calvary. As we do, I hope we realize the
magnitude of Jesus’suffering
and the grace extended to sinners such as we are. Notice:
I. The Delegationthat Followed(26-27)– Here Luke reveals the gathering
that followedJesus
along the path toward Calvary. Consider:

A. The Cyrenian (26) – And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one
Simon, a Cyrenian, coming
out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bearit after
Jesus. We have already
consideredSimon in our last study. Again, I want to emphasize the impact this
encounter with
Jesus must have had on Simon. Mark 15:21 – And they compel one Simon a
Cyrenian, who passedby,
coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his
cross. Acts 13:1 – Now there
were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers;as
Barnabas, and Simeon that was
calledNiger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up
with Herod the tetrarch, and
Saul. Some believe this was the same man who helped Jesus bearthe cross.
Rom.16:13 – Salute
Rufus chosenin the Lord, and his mother and mine. Also, some believe this to
be Rufus, the son of
Simon. We cannotsay with absolute certainty, but one thing is sure: one
cannot come into close
contactwith Jesus, evenbearing His cross, and not be changedby that
encounter!
B. The Company (27) – And there followedhim a greatcompany of people,
and of women, which also
bewailedand lamented him. This was no small processionheading toward
Calvary. Many were
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there to ensure the death of Jesus on the cross, but some were there in support
of Jesus, desiring
to be near Him as long as they could. We can only imagine the scene that day.
No doubt many
were shouting at Jesus. Some were mocking Him. Those close to Him followed
in grief and
mourning. Others stoodthere in total disbelief as Jesus passedby, beaten
beyond recognition.
His crucifixion was not carried out behind the scenes. There were many
witnesses to this brutal
atrocity. As eachone lookedon, they were forced to make a decision
regarding Jesus. The same
is true in our day as well. We cannot considerChrist and the suffering of the
cross and remain
neutral. We must make a decision!
C. The Conduct (27) – And there followedhim a greatcompany of people, and
of women, which also
bewailedand lamented him. It was apparent the womenwho followedJesus
were visibly upset.
Luke reveals they bewailedand lamented Jesus. This shows their strong
emotion and utter grief
during the proceedings. Theirbewailing has the idea of “striking or beating
one's body, particularly
the breast, with the hands in lamentation.” This is an outward display of inner
grief. Their

lamenting reveals the dreadful sound of their grief, literally crying out in
despair.
 This would not have been a pleasantscene. The Via Dolorosawouldhave
been lined with
those who hoped to catcha view of the proceedings. Long before Jesus and
Simon ever
appeared, one would have heard the cries and screams ofthe womenwho
followed.
II. The Declarationforthe Future (28-31)– The words Jesus spoke during the
entire process of
the trials and the crucifixion are limited, but here we find a few statements He
made as He
journeyed towardthe cross. Consider:
A. The Compassion(28) – But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of
Jerusalem, weepnot for me,
but weepfor yourselves, and for your children. As Jesus heard the
lamentation of the women, He
was moved to speak to them. His situation was excruciating, and yet He took
the time to speak to
the womenthat followed. His suffering would be beyond imagination, but He
knew He was fulfilling
the Father’s will, and there was comfort in that. Jesus also knew the multitude
had rejectedHim,
and those who chose to follow Him would suffer persecution. He showed
compassionfor those
who followedHim.

 It is interesting to note this accountwith the women. In that culture, and
even there today,
women were not held in high regard. Their place in societywas always below
that of men.
However, Jesus took time to console the women. In fact, we find no accountin
the Gospels where
a woman opposedor sought to harm Jesus. This reveals His care, compassion,
and provision for
all people, especiallythose whom societyoftenrejects.
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B. The Caution (29-30)– Here Jesus speaks a wordof cautionto the women,
and all who would
hear. Through His words of caution we discover:
 The Prophecy (29) – For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they
shall say, Blessedare
the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave
suck. Certainly a time of
greatcalamity awaitedthe Jews in the near future. The Romans would
destroy the Temple and
they would be scatteredthroughout the world. Barrenness was considereda
curse among the
Jews, andyet Jesus declares itwill become a blessing in that day.
This too refers to the dreadful time yet future when the Antichrist will appear
on the scene,

setting himself up as God within the Temple in Jerusalem. This will be a time
of greatsuffering
and despair for the Jews and all who do not know Christ as their Savior.
 The Intensity (30) – Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on
us; and to the hills,
Coverus. Jesus reveals the suffering will be so intense that the people will
literally cry out for the
rocks and stones from the mountainsides to fall upon them, covering them,
and removing them
from the dreadful agonythey are under through extreme persecution. This
will be repeatedin the
end times, as God begins to pour out His wrath upon those who deny Christ as
Lord and Savior.
Rev.6:15-17 – And the kings of the earth, and the greatmen, and the rich
men, and the chief captains, and
the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in
the dens and in the rocks of
the mountains; [16]And said to the mountains and rocks, Fallon us, and hide
us from the face of him that
sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: [17] Forthe greatday
of his wrath is come; and who
shall be able to stand?
C. The Confirmation (31) – For if they do these things in a greentree, what
shall be done in the dry?
Jesus uses imageryto make a profound point. He is the greentree, full of life,
vigor, and

provision. The GreenTree was forsaken, condemned, and crucified. If
humanity will treat the Son
of the living God, Saviorof the world, in such a way, how will they treat mere
mortals, those that
are dead and dry spiritually?
 As I consideredthe words of Jesus, Iwas reminded of the holiness of God.
He allowedHis
Son to bear the righteous judgment deserved of sinners. Jesus bore our sin
and endured the
wrath of God so we could escapethrough salvation. For those who deny the
Lord in salvation,
greatsuffering and judgment awaits. Godwill not allow sin to go unpunished.
Those who have
denied Christ as their Savior remain accountable forsin, and will receive the
judgment of God. I
am thankful my sin debt is paid, but I also realize many remain accountable
for their sin.
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III. The Descriptionof the Felons (32) – And there were also two other,
malefactors, ledwith him to
be put to death. Here Luke provides a brief description of those who were to
be crucified along side
of Jesus. Consider:
A. Their Character – We find they were described as malefactors. The term
literally means “an

evildoer” and it speaks ofthe malicious characterthey possessed. Thesemen
had been convicted
of heinous crimes againstsociety.
 As they are crucified on Calvary’s hill, Jesus will hang in the midst of these
malefactors.
They had committed crimes worthy of their punishment, but Jesus was
innocent of any crime or
misdeed. He was falselyaccusedand condemned. We must not forget,
however, this was all
within the plan and will of God. Jesus was not there by accidentor mistake.
He was there to atone
for our sin, offering Himself as the substitutionary sacrifice for our sin. The
innocent took His place
among the guilty, bearing the sin and shame of all sin. Innocence died so the
guilty could live.
Isaiah53:12 – Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the
strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered
with the transgressors;and
he bare the sin of many, and made intercessionforthe transgressors.
B. Their Condemnation (32) – led with him to be put to death. These two men
were led to Calvary
with Jesus. Theywill soonbe put to death for the crimes they had committed.
One can only
imagine the agonyof soul these men felt. Their carefree life of crime had
caught up with them.

Their sin had resulted in condemnation and death. We don’t have any record
of anyone being
there to show support for these men. It is very likely they were companions of
Barabbas, orat
leastknew him. Can you imagine how they felt, trying to comprehend the fact
that an innocent
Man would soondie, and one who was clearlyguilty was setfree? They will
soonhear the words
Jesus speaksfrom the cross. One will look to Him by faith and the other will
die in his sin. For the
one who rejectedJesus, his physical and emotionalsuffering didn’t end at
death. In fact, it had
only begun; and as he closedhis eyes in death, the reality of a Christ-less
eternity beganto setin
on him.
 Even in condemnation, these men were confronted with Truth. One received
Christ as his
Savior, believing by faith. The other rejectedthe only means of salvationand
died in his sin,
eternally separatedfrom God. We discoverthat none are beyond the reachof
salvationthrough
Christ, but only those who respond by faith receive salvation. Jesus died on
the cross to purchase
our redemption. He suffered in agony so we could escape the righteous
judgment of God. He died
and was buried, but He rose againtriumphant in resurrection life. Becauseof
that, there is a

means of forgiveness andeternal life for all who respond to Him in faith.
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Conclusion:This has been a moving passageofScripture, even though it is
one we haven’t
heard preached or taught as often as other passages. We see the tender heart
of compassion
Jesus had for all who believe upon Him. We are reminded of the greatprice
He paid on our
behalf. I am thankful to know Him in salvation. Canyou say the same? Do
you know Christ as
your Lord and Savior? If not, I urge you to come to Him by faith, repent of
sin, and receive
salvationthat only He cangive.
Christian, there is a challenge for us in these verses as well. The women who
followed
were not ashamedto identify with Jesus during a dangerous and volatile time.
How is our witness
for Jesus?Are we willing to publicly identify with Him when most do not? He
is worthy of our
worship and our service!
JIM BOMKAMP

VS 23:27-31 -“27 And following Him was a large crowdof the people, and of
women who were mourning and lamenting Him. 28 But Jesus turning to them
said, “Daughters ofJerusalem, stopweeping for Me, but weep for yourselves
and for your children. 29 “Forbehold, the days are coming when they will
say, ‘Blessedare the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts
that never nursed.’ 30 “Then they will begin to sayto the mountains, ‘Fall on
us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 “Forif they do these things when the tree is
green, what will happen when it is dry?”” - A large crowdfollowedbehind
Jesus lamenting Him howeverHe tells them to lament for themselves because
of the future judgment that is coming upon them
3.1. The large crowdthat is now following Jesus to Calvary is not
the same crowdthat had been at His trial and cried out for Him to be
crucified. This crowdconsists ofHis followers and other sympathizers. These
people are loudly mourning and lamenting the horrible atrocity of injustice
being carried out againstJesus as wellas the suffering that He is and will be
going through as He is crucified.
3.2. As we considerall that has happened on this night and
morning with Jesus it becomes obvious that Jesus has not been thinking about
Himself. Jesus is willingly submitting Himself to all that He has to go through
in order to redeem mankind. He did not resistthose who arrestedHim and
even healed the ear of the high priest’s slave after Peter had cut it off. He did
not defend Himself to His accusersorjudges nor try to manipulate Himself
out of His difficulty. He took every punch and slap without cursing or
assailing the one who hit him. Here when the crowdfollowing Him is

mourning and lamenting Him He tells them with a broken heart to think
about themselves and to mourn and lament for themselves because ofthe
judgment that is about to come upon the nation of Israelfor rejecting Him as
their Messiahand refusing to believe that He might be the Holy One of Israel.
3.3. When Jesus says to the women following Him, ‘‘Blessedare
the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never
nursed.’ 30 “Thenthey will begin to sayto the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to
the hills, ‘Cover us.’,’ this saying is inline with Jesus’Olivet Discourse in
chapter 21 of Luke that prophetically predicts the events of the destruction of
Jerusalemin 70 AD as well as the events that will occurduring the 7 year
Tribulation period of the book of Revelationwhich lead up to Jesus’Second
Coming. See also Luke 19:41-44. Things willbe so turned upside down
during the fall of Jerusalemthat people will desire death, for the mountains to
fall upon them, howeverbecause Godis judging them they will not find death.
GENE BROOKS
Have you ever satwith someone, a loved one, who was dying? Remember all
the flood of different emotions? The helplessness?The sinking as death came?
That is what we must do today.
Jesus’Crucifixion is the greatestparadoxof all time. The justice of God came
through the injustice of condemning an innocent Jesus. God’s mostholy

purposes were workedout through the cruel hands that whipped and nailed
Him to the cross. The demonic plot to murder the Son of God became the way
by which the world was delivered from Satan’s control. The brutal and fearful
symbol of the cross became a beaconofhope for the world.
Everything was wrong with Jesus’crucifixion – hatred, jealousy, greed. But
out of all the wrong came everything that was right and eternallife to boot. As
Jesus enters the Valley of the Shadow of Death, watchthe Grace that marks
every step He takes.
Key Truth: Luke wrote Luke 23:26-56 to teach people that Jesus’crucifixion,
death, and burial demonstrates that Jesus is a Man of Forgiveness,
Righteousness, andHonor.
Key Application: Today I want to show you what God’s Word says about
Jesus in His Death.
Key Verse:Luke 23:43
Pray and Read: Luke 23:26-56
Contextual Notes:
All of Luke’s Gospelhas been building toward these climactic final hours in
Jesus’life. The first four chapters give a wide-angle shot at Jesus’first 30
years. The next five chapters show snapshots ofJesus’two-and-a-half-year
ministry in Galilee. Chapters 10-19 give us Jesus’6 month travelogue as He
ministered on His way to Jerusalem. With dramatic close-ups, Luke zooms in
on Jesus’final week in chapters 20-24. It is in these final photos that we see
the reasonfor the rest of Luke’s book. The plot takes a terrible twist, but it is
a role the main characterhas been preparing since the beginning of time.

Throughout his Gospel, Luke emphasizes the importance of walking in faith
and avoiding unbelief. He has made it clearthat every individual who meets
Jesus Christ must make a decisionabout Him. Christ must be receivedor
rejected. His claims must be believed or denied.[1] Once Jesus enters
Jerusalem, Luke urges us to trust Jesus because He is worthy to be praised
(Luke 19:28-40), and the only Hope for a doomed world (Luke 19:41-44). He
stands by His Word (Luke 19:45-48), and He has ultimate authority (Luke
20:1-8). Luke calls Jesus ourInheritance (Luke 20:9-16), our Cornerstone
(Luke 20:17-19), our Lord (Luke 20:20-26), ourResurrection(Luke 20:27-40),
our Messiah(Luke 20:41-47), and our Provider (Luke 21:1-4) as we watch
and pray until He returns (Luke 21:5-38). In the Last Supper, Luke identifies
Jesus as our PassoverLamb (Luke 22:1-23)and Suffering Servant (Luke
22:24-38). Jesus models prayer in testing (Luke 22:39-46), gracein betrayal
(Luke 22:47-53), and strength in trial (Luke 22:54-65). Ontrial, Jesus
demonstrates His purpose in coming: Not to threaten us, but to assume His
Throne; not to entertain us, but to take awayour sin; and not to please us, but
to save us. In our passagetoday, Jesus is crucified as friends, enemies, and
bored soldiers watch (Luke 23:26-43). He dies and his body is hurriedly
placed in a borrowedtomb (Luke 22:44-56). Jesus’storyseems, but only
seems, to come to an end.
Sermon Points:
1. Jesus’Crucifixion shows He is a Man of Forgiveness(Luke 23:26-43)
2. Jesus’Deathshows He is a Man of Righteousness(Luke 23:44-49)
3. Jesus’Burial shows He is a Man of Honor (Luke 23:50-56)
Exposition: Note well,
1. JESUS’CRUCIFIXION SHOWS HE IS A MAN OF FORGIVENESS
(Luke 23:26-43)

a. The Roman policy was to carry out executionimmediately. Luke shows us
a Jesus faithfully fulfilling his calling to suffer as the servant of God. Though a
victim of injustice, Jesus is still in charge of His fate. Jesus continues
dispensing grace, forgiving enemies and offering salvationto the repentant
criminal.
b. Luke 23:26 – Simon of Cyrene: Mark 15:15 tells us that Jesus was first
floggedin a brutal beating. After that, with all He had endured since the
Upper Rooma few hours earlier, has weakenedHim to such an extent that the
Romans fear He might collapse androb the cross ofits victim. Therefore, they
press into service Simon of Cyrene. The Romans make him carry the
crossbeam, the patibulum, which is proving too much for the Lord. Cyrene
was in north Africa (modern Lybia) where a large Jewishcommunity was
located. Simon was probably a Jewishpilgrim visiting Jerusalemduring
Passover.
c. Luke 23:29-30 – Blessedare the barren women: In an incident recorded
only by Luke, a sympathetic group of women follow Him with the death wail
of funeral mourners. It was illegalto mourn the death of a condemned person,
so people would gather to sympathize with a fellow Jew on his way to
execution. Even carrying the cross He continues to act as a prophet with a
heart not of concernfor Himself, but for them. He tells them it will soon be
they who will need comfortand calls on the grieving women to mourn for
themselves and the coming devastationof Jerusalem(Luke 13:34-35;19:41-
44; 21:20-21). Jesus’words are a shock in a culture where childlessnesswas a
shame. The barren will not have to watch their children suffer and die before
their eyes. The siege of Jerusalemwas especiallyhard on women and children.
They will sayto the mountains, Fallon us: This is an allusion to Hosea 10:8
(cf. Rev 6:16), a prophecy of judgment againstIsrael. It indicates the desire
for a swift death rather than prolonged judgment.

d. Luke 23:31 – when the tree is green. . . when it is dry: Jesus gives a
proverb. Greenwooddoes not normally burn, nor are innocent men normally
executed. But if these things do happen now, how much worse will it be for
dry woodand evil men? Jesus probably means that if the Romans crucify an
innocent man during relatively peacefultimes (green wood), how much worse
will they do during the coming days of Jerusalem’s fall (the dry). Josephus
said that thousands were crucified during the JewishRevolt. Soldiers nailed
them in different postures and so many were executedthat space couldnot be
found for crossesnorenough crossesforbodies.
ADAM CLARKE
Verse 28
Weepnot for me - Many pious persons have been greatly distressedin their
minds, because they could not weepon reading or hearing of the sufferings of
Christ. For the relief of all such, let it be for ever known that no human spirit
can possibly take any part in the passionof the Messiah. His sufferings were
such as only God manifested in the flesh could bear; and, as they were all of
an expiatory nature, no man can taste of or share in them. Besides, the
sufferings of Christ are not a subject of sorrow to any man; but, on the
contrary, of eternal rejoicing to the whole of a lost world. Some have even
prayed to participate in the sufferings of Christ. The legend of St. Francis and
his stigmata is well known. - He is fabled to have receivedthe marks in his
hands, feet, and side.
Relative to this point, there are many unwarrantable expressions usedby
religious people in their prayers and hymns. To give only one instance, how
often do we hear these or similar words said or sung: -

"Give me to feel thy agonies!
One drop of thy sadcup afford!"
Reader!one drop of this cup would bear down thy soul to endless ruin; and
these agonies wouldannihilate the universe. He suffered alone:for of the
people there was none with him; because his sufferings were to make an
atonement for the sins of the world: and in the work of redemption he had no
helper.
Verse 30
Mountains, fall on us - As this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, and as
the same expressions are used, Revelation6:16, Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that
the whole of that chapter may relate to the same event.
Verse 31
If they do these things in a green tree - This seems to be a proverbial
expression, the sense ofwhich is: If they spare not a tree which, by the beauty
of its foliage, abundance and excellence ofits fruits, deserves to be preserved,
then the tree which is dry and withered will surely be cut down. If an innocent
man be put to death in the very face of justice, in oppositionto all its dictates
and decisions, by a people who profess to be governedand directed by Divine
laws, what desolation, injustice, and oppressionmay not be expected, when
anarchy and confusionsit in the place where judgment and justice formerly
presided? Our Lord alludes prophetically to those tribulations which fell upon
the Jewishpeople about forty years after. See the notes on Matthew 24:1-51
(note).

The DeathWalk - Luke 23:26-33
Rev. Bruce Goettsche
Union Church of La Harpe Illinois
Luke • Sermon • Submitted 2 months ago • Presented9 years ago
Luke 9:23–24LukePassionofChrist
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There are some images so horrible they mesmerize us. Think about the planes
crashing into the World Trade Center, the Challengerexplosion, the Tsunami
in Japan, the flooding in New Orleans, and videos of tornadoes bringing
incredible damage. All of these things are horrible images, but we find
ourselves almostunable to turn awaybecause they are so mind-boggling.

I think the crucifixion of Jesus is one of those kinds of images. As horrible as it
is we watchas in slow motions and try to “take it all in”. This morning we
look at the journey of Jesus to the cross. In the following weeks we willlook at
Jesus as He is crucified and then we will look at his death and burial.
It’s important to understand that crucifixion was meant to be horrible. This
public means of execution existedfor the express purpose of making a
statementto deter others. Over the years the Jews practicedpublic stoning,
the Romans sometimes sentpeople to the Lions in the Coliseum, there have
been public hangings, guillotines, and people burned at the stake. In Colonial
days people were sometimes displayed in stocks.Theywere all designedto
send a simple message:do not disobey the law.
The process ofcrucifixion took a rather routine pattern,
The criminal had to carry the crossbeamto the point of execution. The
crossbeamcould weighas much as 100 pounds. The place of executionwas
likely just outside the walls of Jerusalemat a place calledGolgotha or the
place of the Skull. It is named that because the place lookedlike a skull. The
criminal would be marched through the city to the place of execution.
(Deterrents work best when people observe what was happening.)
The main stake was usually alreadyfixed in the ground at the point of
execution. The condemned personwould be bound to the crossbeameither by
ropes or (in the case ofJesus)nails or spikes. The crossbeamwouldthen be
lifted by forkedpoles and fastenedto the upright pole or dropped into a slot at
the top of the upright beam. The crossbeamwas high enoughoff the ground
so the condemned could not reachthe ground with their feet (which would
have helped them to breathe).

A tablet specifying the crime would often be carried in front of the personas
he carried the cross and then was either hung around the accusedorfastened
on the pole to indicate the crime of which the person was convicted.
The personbeing crucified would experience greatagony and eventually die
of either exposure or asphyxiation. Criminals might hang on the cross for a
few days.
We pick up Luke’s accountin this first stage. Jesus was carrying his
crossbeamto the place of execution. He encountered severalpeople along the
way.
Simon
26 As they led him away, they seizedSimon from Cyrene, who was on his way
in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind
Jesus.,
Jesus Could NotCarry His Cross. Jesus hadbeen up all night, beaten and
taunted by the soldiers, He had a crownof thorns pushed into his scalpand
then was whipped by Pilate. It is possible that Jesus was whipped with the
dreaded flagellum whip which containedpieces of bone and lead. Even if he
was not whipped in the most violent fashion Jesus was weakand even
disfigured from all he had been through. He tried to carry the crossbeam, he
just was too weak. We are reminded of His great suffering.

Simon is Pressedinto Duty. Since Jesus struggledwith the cross the soldiers
determined to have someone carry the crossbeamforJesus. Romanlaw stated
they could enlist anyone they wanted for any duty. They pickedSimon.
What we know about Simon is that he was from Cyrene which is in modern
Libya in the northern part of Africa, just westof Egypt. Todaythe city of
Cyrene is calledTripoli. Becauseofthe distance, it is possible that Simon was
making his first visit to Jerusalemto celebrate the Passover. Who knows?
Simon may have saved for a long time to make this trip and would have been
filled with eageranticipationas he came toward Jerusalem(think about
someone heading into a baseballstadium or a NASCAR track, or lining up for
Macy’s fireworks show). It’s possible Simon was so preoccupiedhe didn’t
even notice what was happening in the city until it was “too late.” He was
conscriptedto carry the cross for Jesus.
Why do the gospelwriters tell us about Simon? I think there are two reasons.
Simon’s cross-bearing provides us a striking image. Remember these words
of Jesus?
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
daily and follow me. 24 For whoeverwants to save his life will lose it, but
whoeverloses his life for me will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)
The image of Simon carrying the cross behind the Savior is a powerful picture
of the way we are to live our lives. It is a story that should spur us on like
George Washington’s courage,Abraham Lincoln’s honesty and Winston
Churchill’s determination. Simon is a picture of the nature of true
discipleship.

Sadly many in our day have a cross-lessChristianity. We look at the cross and
thank Jesus for dying in our place. We cry at movies like the Passionof the
Christ, we are moved by the sacrifice and gratefulfor what Jesus did in the
past. However, there is no cross in our discipleship. A cross-less Christianity
emphasizes smiles, blessing, abundance, prosperity, and victory. The idea of
denial and sacrifice is scornedas being a lack of faith . . . even though Jesus
clearly says it is a part of faith.
The result is that we presenta message thatis hollow to those who struggle
(which is most of us). We seemto say others are failures at faith because they
struggle or because discipleshipis hard.
This is not Christianity! Jesus reachedout to the hurting; He told us to reach
out to the thirsty, the imprisoned, and the naked. Paul exhorted us to care for
the poor, the widows, the orphans. The apostles talkedabout the privilege of
suffering in the name of Christ. Jesus tells us to “count the cost” before we
ever claim to be His follower. Simon of Cyrene shows us the true nature of
true faith. It involves taking up our cross and sacrificiallyfollowing our Lord
Jesus.
Second, the story of Simon is recordedbecause it is a greatstory of a changed
life. To understand this we need to do some detective work. In the Gospelof
Mark, Simon is identified as the “father of Alexander and Rufus.” It is fair to
conclude that Mark mentions his children because the early believers were
familiar with these two men.
In Romans (16:13), Paul wrote, “GreetRufus, outstanding in the Lord, and
his mother and mine.” I believe this is the same Rufus mentioned by Mark.
That would make his mother the wife of Simon, who carriedthe cross of
Jesus.

We have to speculate to imagine what happened. It is likely that Simon
resentedthe intrusion brought to Him by having to carry the cross of Christ.
Simon (and perhaps his sons)walkedbehind Jesus and may have watchedas
they nailed Him to the cross and perhaps they remained and witnessedthe
incredible love and grace of this one who was being crucified. Perhaps they
were witnesses ofthe earthquake and darkness.
I’m sure Simon heard about the resurrection of Jesus. I suspectit was a big
story that spread quickly. Somewhere along the line Simon and his family
came to personally trust Christ as their own Savior. If Simon was like most
dads, I suspecthe told the story of the man whose cross he carried over and
over again. As Paul wrote, Simon’s family were well knownmembers (and
perhaps even leaders)in the church.
This is the waylife often works. In the times of greatestburden, in the very
things we often initially resent, God is working to bring about the greatest
blessings and effectreal transformation in our lives. Keep this in mind as you
face the trying times of your life.
A Large Number of People
Luke also records,
27 A large number of people followedhim

The trek to the place of executionwas very public. The crowds took notice. It
is reasonable to think that in this crowd were a number of different kinds of
people.
Those who loved Jesus and believed He was the Messiah…theyfollowedout of
devotion and anguish.
Those who hated Jesus and were part of the scheme to have Him executed.
Those who were attracted by the spectacle. Theymay not have known or
perhaps even caredwho this man was who carried the cross, but it was an
event and they watchedand talkedabout later but were not personally
involved.
If you think about it, this describes the make-up of any group of people in a
church.
There are some who have surrendered their lives to Jesus and want to live
their lives in conformity to His direction. They are true believers.
There are others who are in the church because of socialconvention. They
have heard that “going to church” is the thing goodpeople do, so they go to
church but do not know, understand, or truly care about Jesus.
There are those drawn by the crowd. Sometimes you ask someone, “Whyare
you attending a particular church” and they respond, “Becauseit is really

big” or “Everyone goes there”. Theyare attractedto the “event” and not
necessarilythe Savior.
The question we should all ask is this: Which group do we belong to?
The Women
Luke singles out one other group that was part of this crowd which included,
women who mourned and wailedfor him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them,
“Daughters ofJerusalem, do not weepfor me; weepfor yourselves and for
your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessedare the
barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’
30 Then
“ ‘they will sayto the mountains, “Fallon us!”
and to the hills, “Coverus!”
31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it
is dry?”
On the surface Jesus sounds a little rude doesn’t He? We need to understand
that these women were not the same women who helped support the ministry
of Jesus or who came to the tomb on the Day of Resurrection. Theywere
most likely professionalmourners who were moved by the suffering of Jesus.

This is a reminder that it is possible to “brought to tears” by a story, touched
by a song, or moved by some great need, yet still not be a genuine followerof
Christ.
Jesus saidto these women: “Don’t weepfor me . . . .weepfor the judgment
that is going to come on you!” Jesus isn’t being mean; He loves these women
and is warning them that they need to see the implications of what is
happening to Him. Jesus was being rejectedas the Messiahandthis was going
to bring fierce negative consequences.Jesus warnedthat there was coming a
day (in 70 AD) when the Judgment would be so fierce that women would be
glad they did not have any children because it would save them the anguish of
watching their children suffer.
Jesus adds a somewhatenigmatic statement, “Forif men do these things when
the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (31) I think Jesus is
saying, “If people war againstthe Kingdom of God when it is before them in
the personof Christ . . . how much more will they war againstit when he is no
longerwalking among them?” Humanity was never been closerto God than
when Jesus lived on earth and we killed him!
The point is simple: Rather than mourning for His suffering they should be
repenting and seeking God!People are always upset when we talk about the
Judgment of God. They rant and rail at the Biblical notion of Hell. But the
main reasonpeople find this so offensive is because it declares that we will be
held responsible for our choices!They want a discipleship with no
responsibility!
Yet, the idea of a final judgment actually affirms the value of life! It proclaims
that what we do now actually matters. The popular approachof “living for
the moment” is short-sighted and ultimately diminishes the value of life

because it makes it simply a mad sprint that is heading nowhere. Jesus is
trying to help us see the big picture.
Ultimately we will all stand before God and have to either give an accountfor
every act of rebellion or indifference towardGod or we will cling to Jesus as
our substitute and our Savior. When we realize this, we will stop playing at
faith as if it were merely a hobby to enjoy when we are “in the mood” or
“have time”. Instead we will re-orient our lives around the One who will
enable us to stand on that Dayof Judgment. The words may sound harsh but
they are truly the most truly loving words we canspeak to others. We must
repent, turn, and hide ourselves in Christ.
Take Home Points
I see three applications to this short section. First, Jesus calls us to take up our
cross and following Him. We need to fix this picture of Simon clearly in our
heads. This is what true discipleship looks like. God calls us to sacrifice our
time, resources, andeven our lives for the cause of the gospel.
Let me be brutally honest. I like and prefer “convenient” discipleship. I want
a faith that makes no demands yet offers all kinds of benefits. Unfortunately,
this idea of “fitting Christ into our schedules” is from Satan, not from God.
This notion that God knows how busy we are and is grateful for whatever
part of our life He can share is sheerdelusion. He calls us to “deny ourselves
(which we do very poorly), take up our cross (which we try desperatelyto
keephidden), and follow Him (even though we prefer that He follow us).” We
are not really following Christ unless we are living with this attitude.

Jesus was addressing the sorrowing women

Jesus was addressing the sorrowing women

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