Proper 29 Series C

Proper 29 Series C

Christ the King

(November 20 - 26)

Malachi 3:13–18

Colossians 1:13–20

Luke 23:27–43

Lord Jesus Christ, You reign among us by the preaching of Your cross. Forgive Your people their offenses that we, being governed by Your bountiful goodness, may enter at last into Your eternal paradise; 

Jesus Christ Reigns, Enduring the Cross — Its Scorn and Shame

The Lord Jesus reigns in love among those who are baptized in His name. “They shall be mine,” He says, “and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him” (Malachi 3:17). 

Jesus’ service through crucifixion for sinful men anchors us in new life. In the proclamation of His Son, God makes His justice clear, defining “the distinction between the righteous and the wicked” (Malachi 3:18). 

He truly is “the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38), who governs His Church with all authority in heaven and on earth. He has come into His kingdom by His cross, and He graciously remembers us in paradise. Therefore, do not weep for Him, but with repentant faith “weep for yourselves and for your children” (Luke 23:28). Then the mountains and hills of Jerusalem, His holy Church, shall cover you with His righteousness and peace. For He “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). 

"All things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16), and “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” bodily in Him, reconciling all things to Himself “by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19–20).

Jesus is a king on a cross. His enemies did not realize the truth of the mockery, "If You are the King of the Jews..."  The political authorities also did not realize what they wrote, "This is the King of the Jews."  

On Psalm Sunday the faithful sang praises to their King - "Behold, your king is coming to you."  There are various reactions to this king. The people - they watch from a distance as mere spectators - v.35. The rulers were scoffers and cynics - v.35.  The soldered mocked and ridiculed - v.36. Sinners offered prayers and petitions of penitence - Vv. 39-43.  

The Great Absolution: Father Forgive Them (Luke 23:34)
Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Brege

Our Lord’s first words from the cross are universally and foundationally meaningful. As his accusers and tormentors accomplished their goal by giving Him the appointment with death through the torturous Roman cross, the Savior called out the intercessory absolution, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We here emphasize the first words, “Father, forgive them.”  (Indeed no sinner knows what he is doing; man’s mind is set against God.)

His wondrous words are universally meaningful because there is the universal sinful condition of mankind.  Many theologians have concluded that Christ’s absolution from the cross was for more than those who directly crucified Him. Scripture indicates all humanity—all sins—put Him to death. St. Paul states, “He died for all.”   St. John wrote:  “He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” From these inspired statements and many others we realize the universal payment for sin that was made by Christ at the cross. It was thus not merely the sins of those who were present at His crucifixion that nailed Him to the tree, but it was the sins of all humanity, from Adam to the end of time, that crucified Him. Even as He dies for all He also speaks absolution for all by praying, “Father, forgive them.” He thus intercedes for all humanity; His is a universal absolution.

As the crucified Son of God speaks to His eternal Father, “Father forgive them,” His words are foundational to all Christian truth and works. Holy Scripture echoes the foundational need for man’s forgiveness from God. What is the basis for such forgiveness?  Getting more specific, why would God forgive Adam and Eve?  Why did the animal sacrifices offer forgiveness in Old Testament times?  What was the foundation for the forgiveness pronounced, for instance, by Nathan to King David?  Why do Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution and the Holy Supper bring forgiveness?  Indeed the work of the cross creates the reason behind all forgiveness, but Christ’s prayer—Father, forgive them—marks the foundational petition behind all forgiveness—past, present and future. This foundation is thus that the Father in heaven forgives because of the crucifixion and because of the cross-supported request of His Son.

This forgiveness of God toward mankind creates other wonders of the Christian faith as well.  In our Father’s forgiveness of us there is the reason and the power to forgive one another. In Christ we are tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ has forgiven us. Additionally our gift of eternal life only flows from God’s foundational forgiveness of our sins, for, as Luther Biblically concluded, where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation.

Would the Father be forgiving us without the specific request made by the Son? Indeed the crucifixion of Jesus is in itself the absolution of humanity, but what joy and comfort is found in the absolving words, “Father, forgive them.”

Luke 23:26-43 

The Crucifixion - 

Luke 23:26 

Καὶ ὡς ἀπήγαγον αὐτόν, ἐπιλαβόμενοι [a]Σίμωνά τινα Κυρηναῖον ἐρχόμενον ἀπ’ ἀγροῦ ἐπέθηκαν αὐτῷ τὸν σταυρὸν φέρειν ὄπισθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. 

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Luke 23:27 

Ἠκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ πολὺ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γυναικῶν [b]αἳ ἐκόπτοντο καὶ ἐθρήνουν αὐτόν.

And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 

Literally, “beating the breast." Pious women occasionally and customarily would lament those being sentenced to death.  

The term for 'the people' τοῦ λαοῦ is found in Revelation 7 

Luke 23:28

στραφεὶς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὰς [c]ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν• Θυγατέρες Ἰερουσαλήμ, μὴ κλαίετε ἐπ’ ἐμέ• πλὴν ἐφ’ ἑαυτὰς κλαίετε καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, 

But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 

"Weep upon yourselves and your children."  

"Daughters of Jerusalem" is reference to OT a way of referring to the OT church. See Palm Sunday Old Testament readings.

Luke 23:29 

ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καὶ [d]αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ [e]ἔθρεψαν. 

For behold, (right here and now in time) the days are coming when they (NOT 'you') will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'  

The world is literally ending! It’s happening now. 

Luke 23:30 

ότε ἄρξονται λέγειν τοῖς ὄρεσιν• Πέσετε ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς• Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς•

Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' 

- See Revelation 6:15-16. This what the unbelievers say of themselves of mocking the faithful of themselves.  These are not words of faithfulness but of panic not the words of faith. See also Hosea 10:8 

Luke 23:31

 ὅτι εἰ ἐν [f]τῷ ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ ταῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ τί γένηται; 

For if they do these things when the wood is green, (moist) what will happen when it is dry?" 

-A proverb? - see Proverbs 11:31 - an expectation of the coming persecution.

These are the beatitudes of evil. They are evil but not the ultimate evil.  

See the reference to Jesus' cursing of the fig tree.  Mark 11:12-25; Matthew 21:18–22[

Luke 23:32 

Ἤγοντο δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι [g]κακοῦργοι δύο σὺν αὐτῷ ἀναιρεθῆναι. 

Two others, who were criminals, (wicked workers) were led away to be put to death (executed) with him. 

Luke 23:33 

αὶ ὅτε [h]ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν καλούμενον Κρανίον, ἐκεῖ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς κακούργους, ὃν μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν ὃν δὲ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν.

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 

Why is Jesus in the center?  He is set apart as an example. 

Luke 23:34

 [i]ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν• Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν. διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον [j]κλήρους. 

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.

See the variant reading, it belongs to the text. 

Luke 23:35

καὶ εἱστήκει ὁ λαὸς θεωρῶν. ἐξεμυκτήριζον δὲ καὶ οἱ [k]ἄρχοντες λέγοντες• Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν, σωσάτω ἑαυτόν, εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστὸς [l]τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ ἐκλεκτός. 

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"

Luke 23:36

 [m]ἐνέπαιξαν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ στρατιῶται προσερχόμενοι, [n]ὄξος προσφέροντες αὐτῷ 

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 

- See Psalm. 22, Psalm.69 

Luke 23:37

 καὶ λέγοντες• Εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, σῶσον σεαυτόν. 

and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 

A little word is added here "if"   

Luke 23:38

 ἦν δὲ καὶ [o]ἐπιγραφὴ ἐπ’ [p]αὐτῷ• Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων [q]οὗτος. 

There was also an inscription over him, "The King of the Jews This." 

Luke 23:39 

Εἷς δὲ τῶν κρεμασθέντων κακούργων ἐβλασφήμει αὐτόν [r]λέγων• [s]Οὐχὶ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός; σῶσον σεαυτὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at (blasphemed) him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

More than joining the mocking...a double negative. 

Luke 23:40

 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἕτερος [t]ἐπιτιμῶν αὐτῷ ἔφη• Οὐδὲ φοβῇ σὺ τὸν θεόν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κρίματι εἶ; 

But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

 "in the same judgment we are" 

Luke 23:41

 καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν δικαίως, ἄξια γὰρ ὧν ἐπράξαμεν ἀπολαμβάνομεν• οὗτος δὲ οὐδὲν ἄτοπον ἔπραξεν. 

And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

Luke 23:42

 καὶ [u]ἔλεγεν• Ἰησοῦ, μνήσθητί [v]μου ὅταν ἔλθῃς [w]ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου. 

And he said, "Jesus, remember me (whenever) you come into your kingdom."

Luke 23:43 

 καὶ εἶπεν [x]αὐτῷ• Ἀμήν [y]σοι λέγω σήμερον μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ.

And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." 

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software