Luke 23-24; John 1

Luke 23

Jesus Before Pilate 

• Leaders bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate
• Accusations:
  • misleading the nation
  • opposing taxes
  • claiming to be king
• Pilate finds no guilt

Jesus Before Herod

• Sent to Herod Antipas as Jesus was part of his jurisdiction
• Herod wants to see a miracle and Jesus remains silent
• Soldiers mock Him
• Herod sends Him back

Pilate Delivers Jesus 

• Pilate again declares no guilt
• Crowd demands crucifixion
• Barabbas released instead
• Pilate gives in to the crowd

The Crucifixion 

• Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus’ cross
• Jesus speaks to women and warns them (possibly of Jerusalem being besieged)
• At Calvary Κρανίον (Kranion)- we get Calvary from Latin Calvaria

Language	Word	Meaning
Hebrew/Aramaic	גֻּלְגֹּלֶת (gulgōleth)	skull
Greek	Κρανίον (Kranion)	skull
Latin	Calvaria	skull
English	Calvary	derived from Latin

• At crucifixion: “Father, forgive them…”
• Two criminals:
  • one mocks
  • one believes
• Jesus to repentant one “Today you will be with me in paradise”

The Death of Jesus

• Darkness from noon to 3pm
• Temple curtain torn
• Jesus: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” and He dies
• Centurion declares Him innocent

The Burial of Jesus 

• Joseph of Arimathea asks for body and places Jesus in tomb
• Women see where He is laid and prepare spices

Luke 24

The Resurrection 

• Women go to tomb early and find stone rolled away
• Two angels: “He is not here, but has risen”
• Women report back and apostles initially do not believe
• Peter runs to tomb and finds it empty

Road to Emmaus 

• Two disciples walking to Emmaus
  • One named Cleopas (only mention)
  • Other unnamed 
• Jesus joins them (they don’t recognize Him)
• Explains Scriptures about Himself
• At meal:
  • their eyes opened
  • they recognize Him
• He vanishes
• They return to Jerusalem (7 miles!)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

• Men tell disciples that Jesus has appeared
  • Also to Simon Peter (privately?)
• Jesus appears: “Peace to you”
• Shows hands and feet and asks for food
• Eats with them (fish and honeycomb)
• Explains:
  • Scriptures fulfilled
  • suffering, resurrection, repentance
• Promise of the Holy Spirit to guide them

The Ascension 

• Jesus leads them to Bethany
• Blesses them and ascends into heaven
• Disciples worship Him and return with great joy

John 1

Traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, one of the Twelve and part of Jesus’ inner circle alongside Peter and James.

He is:

• called “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23)
• the brother of James
• son of Zebedee
• likely one of Jesus’ youngest disciples

AD 80–95

Likely written after:

• the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70
• the other three Gospels
• Because of this, John often assumes readers already know many events from the Synoptic Gospels.

“In the beginning”  similar to Genesis 1

• Jesus is called:
  • the Word (λόγος, logos)
    • word
    • message
    • reason
  • eternal
  • with God
  • God
• All creation came through Him
• In Him was life and light
  • The light shines in darkness
  • darkness cannot overcome/comprehend it

Witness of John the Baptist

• John the Baptist is sent by God
• His role:
  • witness to the Light
  • prepare people to believe
• John himself was not the Light

The True Light Comes Into the World

• Jesus is the true Light
• The world did not know Him
• His own people largely rejected Him
• But those who receive Him:
  • become children of God
• This birth is:
  • not physical
  • but from God

The Word Became Flesh

• “The Word became flesh”
  • incarnation/ God entered humanity
• Jesus “dwelt” among us
  • Greek: ἐσκήνωσεν (eskēnōsen)
  • literally “tabernacled”
  • God dwelling with Israel in the tabernacle
• John says “we have seen his glory”
• Jesus is full of grace and truth
• Moses brought the Law
• Jesus brings:
  • grace
  • truth
  • full revelation of God

John the Baptist

Religious leaders question John:

• “Are you the Christ?”
• “Elijah?”
• “The Prophet?”

John answers: no, instead he identifies himself as: “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3)

• John prepares the way for Jesus
• He says he is unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandal

John sees Jesus and declares: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

• sacrificial imagery:
  • Passover lamb the Lamb of God,
  • temple sacrifices who takes away the sin
• The Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove
• John testifies Jesus is the Son of God

Andrew and Peter Follow Jesus

• Two disciples of John follow Jesus
  • One is Andrew (other John?)
    • Andrew brings Simon (brother) to Jesus
    • Jesus renames him: Cephas/Peter “rock/stone” כֵּיפָא (Kepha)

Philip and Nathanael

• Jesus calls Philip “Follow me”
• Nathanael is skeptical: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
  • Philip replies:“Come and see.”
• Jesus already knows Nathanael “…in whom there is no deceit!”
• Nathanael confesses:
  • “You are the Son of God”
  • “King of Israel”
• Jesus promises greater things

Jacob’s Ladder Imagery

“You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Reference to Genesis 28: Jacob’s ladder/dream

Jesus presents Himself as the link between heaven and earth

Application

In the end of Luke we see Jesus suffer for our sins, but His resurrection proves that death is not the end! God’s plan was fulfilled as promised. John 1 teaches that Jesus is the true Light who came into a dark world. Jesus became human so people could know God personally and receive eternal life through Him.