[00:00:05] Hello, my name is Sally Moriarty-Flask. Welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore the Gospel that will be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, April 13, 2025, the Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.
[00:00:26] If you listened last week, I explained that this week's episode is broken into two part. This is Part I where I will cover only the main Gospel - the Narrative of Christ's Passion and Death. In Part II, I will cover the remaining Scriptures: the Procession Gospel (from the beginning of Mass where we hear Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem) and then the First Reading, Psalm, and Second Reading.
[00:00:55] One other note, I have a number of photos from my trip to Israel and rather than try to stop at each place along the way and say I have a picture of this, I have a picture of that… I'm just going to place all of them on my Instagram (as many as I can) just to make it easy for everyone. And remember, there are two parts to this episode, so if you're looking for the rest of the Scriptures, they are in Part II. Also, I don't know which order people are going to listen to these episodes in, so I am including the same prayers and the same conclusion in both episodes so, you have them both. Our Palm Sunday episode is entitled: From Triumph to Sacrifice and all of our readings this week allow us to focus on a mystery that is central to our Christian faith, the Passion and Death of Jesus.
[00:01:45] Hopefully our Lenten disciplines have properly prepared us to receive the great and awesome gift that is Holy Week. As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following:
Holy Week offers a number of unique liturgies that allow us to witness the depth and breadth of Jesus’ salvific actions from the extremes of Palm Sunday to the universality of the Chrism Mass celebrated by the Diocesan Bishop, from the quiet beauty of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday to the bitter sorrow of the commemoration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, from the peaceful silence of a Paschal Watch to the joyous celebration of the Lord's Resurrection at the Easter Vigil, we are invited to participate in the greatest mysteries the world has ever known. May each of us traverse these sacred days with open hearts, humbled egos, and as much gratitude as we can muster for the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for us out of love.
[00:02:58] So let's begin.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the gift of this most sacred time of Holy Week, strengthen us so that we may faithfully follow Jesus, Our Savior and King, wherever he leads by loving and serving others and by giving generously of ourselves so that we may reach the new and eternal Jerusalem where he lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Gospel.
Because of the length of this Gospel, I'm going to depart from our normal pattern of reading the Gospel first and then explaining it the second time through. Instead, I'm going to jump right into the exegesis. Hopefully that will adequately prepare all of us to listen with all preparation, reverence, and respect as the Gospel is proclaimed uninterrupted in its entirety on Sunday.
Our Palm Sunday Gospel is the account of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke 22:14 – 23:56.
[00:04:17] It's important to remember that all written Gospels began with the narrative of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. While not unheard of, people had been raised from the dead before, it was by no means a common occurrence. Elijah, of course, raised the son of the widow of Zarephath, Elisha the son of the Shunammite woman, Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain, the daughter of Jairus (the synagogue official), and, of course, Lazarus.
[00:04:51] But none of those were freed from dying again, none of them were transformed. Jesus' Death and Resurrection were different, and the Evangelists wanted to capture and preserve that. Luke's account, the one we hear in Cycle C, is actually the shortest of all of the Gospel accounts. John's is the longest, and we always hear that one on Good Friday. So, let's begin…
[00:05:21] “[W]hen the hour came, [Jesus] sat at table, and the apostles with him.”
Now the hour Luke is referring to is the hour determined by the Father in his plan for salvation. That also happened to coincide with the same time that the Passover lambs were being sacrificed. That would have been about 6pm so the Lamb of God is preparing for his death when the Passover lambs of the Old Covenant are being sacrificed.
“And he said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’”
Jesus is telling his Apostles outright that this Passover is different.
[00:06:16] This is the culmination of his work, the work the Father entrusted to him, the work that will only be fulfilled when the kingdom is fully established. Remember, the kingdom is present in Jesus himself. So we have that already/not yet back and forth. But Jesus is saying, not until the kingdom is fully established will he consume another meal.
[00:06:48] “And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he said, ‘Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’”
[00:07:05] Very few Christians understand the events of a Passover meal, also called a Seder supper, unless you have been fortunate enough to be invited to a Seder supper by one of your Jewish friends. So, let me explain why these cups are important… well, what they are and why they're important.
[00:07:26] There are four cups that are part of the Passover meal, and each represents one of the promises God made to the Israelites. And those are all recorded in Exodus 6. The first cup, the Cup of Sanctification, recalls God's promise to free his people from the burden of the Egyptians.
[00:07:50] The second cup, which is called the Cup of Deliverance, represents God's promise to deliver his people from slavery. Those two things sound like the same thing to us who are not Jewish, but they're actually two completely different promises.
[00:08:10] Read back through Exodus 6 if you need to be refreshed about that, but they are two different promises.
[00:08:19] The third cup, the Cup of Redemption, symbolizes God's promise to redeem his people by his outstretched arm. And the fourth cup, the Cup of Praise, signifies God's promise to take the Israelites as his own people.
[00:08:39] Four cups, four promises.
[00:08:43] The cup that Jesus blesses and instructs his disciples to divide amongst themselves is the third cup, the Cup of Redemption, which, as I just said, represents the promise of redemption by God's outstretched arm. Jesus chose that particular cup for his Apostles to divide among themselves because he will redeem all mankind by stretching out his arms on the cross the very next day.
[00:09:21] “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”
Jesus’ words to the disciples are clear and explicit - This is my body.
[00:09:42] He doesn't say this isn't really my body, but I want you to pretend it is; he doesn't say this is just a sign of my body; he doesn't say that this is really bread, but I'm somehow there too. He says: This is my body… which is given for you.
[00:10:05] Then he says: Do this in remembrance of me.
[00:10:11] Only the Apostles were present at that last Passover meal, that Last Supper so those instructions were given directly to them.
[00:10:24] Jesus’ words institute the ministerial priesthood of the Catholic Church and instruct the
Apostles, and their successors, to remember this event and repeat those words and actions - just as he instituted them - for all time.
[00:10:45] What the priest (celebrant) does during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass is precisely what Jesus did at the Last Supper: take, bless, break, and give.
[00:11:02] And once Jesus blesses the unleavened bread of the Passover meal, it is no longer part of the Jewish Passover - Jesus has consecrated it to be something new. It is no longer a symbol of the Old Covenant, it is now the substance of the New Covenant… it becomes Jesus himself.
[00:11:32] “And likewise the chalice after supper, saying, ‘This chalice which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’”
[00:11:42] That cup would be the fourth cup, the Cup of Praise, which, if you will remember, represents God's promise to take his followers as his own people.
[00:11:55] That promise is fulfilled by the Blood of Christ in the New Covenant. And every Baptized Christian belongs to God and is part of that New Covenant… we are washed in the Blood of Christ.
[00:12:11] We enter into his death, as Saint Paul tells us, by entering into the waters of Baptism. We emerge new creations, we receive his Blood in the Eucharist, and we belong to God - we are marked for him… our souls are marked for him. And we belong to God as part of the New Covenant instituted by Jesus.
“But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.”
[00:12:50] That's an ominous declaration. Notice Luke doesn't mention Judas by name here. He isn't actually named until the arrest in the Garden. And one way to look at that is to see it as a personal challenge to each of us to see ourselves in that unnamed betrayer. Because truthfully, the betrayer can be anyone that engages in the works of darkness and sin while still gathering around the Lord's Table.
[00:13:29] What I mean by that are things that invade our heart and remain there, possibly without our really being consciously aware of it… things like prejudice, hatred, envy, greed, divisiveness - that names just a few of those works of darkness that are so prevalent in our world today. That makes it even more important for us to root those out of our own hearts before we come to Mass, before we approach the Altar.
“For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”
What Jesus means there is… his fate is already written, he knows what will happen to him. But, until the deed is accomplished, the betrayer still has a choice. He could still turn away from the evil he is contemplating. And Jesus will not turn his back on even a single lost sheep.
[00:14:55] “And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this. A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.”
[00:15:07] That argument seems strangely out of place to us and might actually be funny if it wasn't so tragic. On the one hand, the Apostles have just been presented with a rather strange declaration, and so we can understand arguing… well, is it me? Is it me? On the other hand, it may actually be quite understandable… bear with me. On some level, the Apostles know the that the end of their time with Jesus is drawing near. They may not be aware of it consciously, but - on some level - they have to be aware of that, because Jesus has been preparing them for that exact eventuality throughout their entire last journey to Jerusalem. So, they have to be anxious and frightened, even if they aren't completely sure why.
[00:16:10] “And he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves.’”
[00:16:30] The word benefactor has really positive connotations in our modern language. But the word Jesus uses is not a description… it's a title, and it's not a compliment.
[00:16:45] In biblical times, it referred to a person who did good works only to gain social status, not out of generosity, but to be seen as more important.
[00:16:59] Then Jesus says: but not so with you… in other words, don't act that way! I taught you to be better than that! He taught us to be better than that!
[00:17:14] “For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
[00:17:28] That series of sentences sounds strange and awkward to us. So, let's break it down. Jesus asks his Apostles two rhetorical questions.
[00:17:40] He is essentially trying to make them look at their argument in a different way. From the argument he just heard amongst them, he knows what they are thinking but, as I said, he wants them to think differently.
[00:18:01] Society tells them that the one who sits at table is more important. Jesus is telling them that the one who sits at table possesses honor only in the eyes of the world, whereas the one who serves has honor in the eyes of God. Jesus does not want them to confuse worldly honor with spiritual greatness.
[00:18:36] They are all capable of spiritual greatness… we are all capable of spiritual greatness. And Jesus is still in their midst as one who serves, right? That's what he says: I am among you as one who serves. So, they (the Apostles) should follow his example, seeking humility rather than worldly approbation.
[00:19:05] That is an excellent reminder for us, too. It doesn't matter what the world thinks of us. What matters is what God thinks of us.
[00:19:19] “You are those who have continued with me in my trials; as my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint for you that you may eat and drink at my table in the kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
[00:19:38] Jesus is assuring his Apostles: hey, don't worry, you will have honor, you will be rewarded. Don't argue about it now. It's a done deal.
[00:19:51] But… it will be fulfilled in the kingdom. Now Jesus will share with them his own royal authority, which will in fact begin on earth with the authority that they will exercise in his name as leaders of the early Church - but that same authority will continue in the kingdom of heaven… they will be part of what happens, they will be part of the kingdom, and they will have an important part of the kingdom. And Jesus assures them of that.
[00:20:30] Then he goes on to address Simon Peter directly. And - by the way - this only happens in Luke.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.”
[00:20:57] Jesus tells Simon Peter that a battle was waged on his account, that the devil wanted to lay claim to him, but that Jesus prayed that he wouldn't be susceptible to the devil's influence.
[00:21:14] Then Jesus says: when you have turned again, I'm sure Peter had no idea what Jesus meant by those words at that time. But we do, don't we?
[00:21:27] Jesus means when Peter has repented - after his upcoming three-fold denial - he will again take his rightful place as leader of the Apostles. And with the humility earned by that terrible experience, he will have what he needs to serve as a source of stability and strength to the Church.
[00:21:55] “And [Simon] said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’ He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me.’”
[00:22:13] Remember the old adage: the road to hell is paved with good intentions? Well, Peter certainly had good intentions here. Unfortunately, in spite of Jesus's prayer, in spite of the advanced warning he received, Peter does in fact deny Jesus three times - we know that to be true. Which just proves how susceptible we all are to the forces of evil. It also reminds us that Jesus can take anything and make it to our benefit.
[00:22:52] “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’ They said, ‘Nothing.’”
[00:23:03] Jesus is, of course, referring here to the original mission that he sent them on back in Luke 10, remember, he sent out the 70 disciples two-by-two to teach, heal, and drive out demons. And they acknowledged that no, they lacked for nothing during that mission, despite the fact that they were told to take nothing additional with them.
“He said to them, ‘But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.’”
[00:23:42] Jesus is telling his Apostles that they will be facing a more hostile reality and greater persecutions than they did on that original mission. In their new reality, they will have to fend for themselves… so take a purse. They will not be given lodging and supplies necessarily… so take a bag.
[00:24:13] And they will have to defend not only the faith, but possibly themselves as well. So that's what he means by a sword. But when Jesus says: buy a sword, he's not really promoting violence. He is speaking metaphorically. He's talking about the Apostles defending themselves.
[00:24:38] It is unusual to say that Jesus is speaking metaphorically when he's not teaching in parables, however, I think - in this instance - it's perfectly safe to do so. Jesus never condoned violence, we know that to be absolutely true. And the incident in the Garden during the arrest, which we will hear in just a few verses, bears that out. So, it's safe to assume that he's using a metaphor here.
“‘For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me, “And he was reckoned with transgressors”; for what is written about me has its fulfillment.’ And they said, ‘Look, Lord, here are two swords.’ And he said to them, ‘It is enough.’”
[00:25:26] Jesus is quoting Isaiah 53 here, the Fourth Suffering Servant Song, referring to the criminals that will be executed with him.
[00:25:38] And he's very clear saying that these Scriptures must be fulfilled - and that everything that was written about him will be fulfilled. But then the Apostles make a strange and baffling observation: hey, look, we have two swords! As if they expect Jesus to be proud of them. He is talking about Scripture being fulfilled, and they are still two steps behind.
[00:26:09] Despite being frustrated with their continued lack of understanding, Jesus is unfortunately out of time to address it. We see that in his terse reply, it is enough, right? Essentially, Jesus is saying, drop it. I did all I could. Now I have to trust that I did enough.
[00:26:37] “And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.”
[00:26:44] We know that Jesus spent a significant amount of time in prayer - Luke tells us that throughout his Gospel - and Luke tells us here that the Mount of Olives was a frequent destination for that prayer, at least when he was near Jerusalem.
[00:27:04] The fact that Jesus behaves as he normally would means that Judas would know exactly where to find him AND that Jesus did absolutely nothing to elude Judas or interfere with his planned betrayal. That betrayal furthers Jesus’ mission, right? He had to be handed over… he had to be Crucified. Judas could have changed his mind at any time - he did not. If he would have, something else would have happened… some other means would have come about for Jesus to end up being Crucified. We know that was God's plan. Judas was the instrument, and he bought into it, and fulfilled that.
[00:28:01] “And when [Jesus] came to the place”
While Luke doesn't name the location, we know it is the Garden of Gethsemane.
“he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this chalice from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.’”
[00:28:31] That prayer provides a precious glimpse into the divide between Jesus human frailty and his divine will. Jesus asks - as a human being - to be spared from his Passion and Death, as any human would when faced with such overwhelming yet inevitable pain and suffering. But we also know that Jesus’ human will yielded to his divine will.
[00:29:14] Not my will, but your will, be done. And Jesus allowed himself to be Crucified. The Father answered Jesus’ prayer, not by removing the chalice of suffering, but by strengthening him to endure it. And we are told…
“[T]here appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”
[00:29:41] That detail is also only found in Luke and it really should remind us of the angels that ministered to Jesus during his Temptation in the Wilderness.
[00:29:54] “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling upon the ground.”
[00:30:04] That is called hematohydrosis and it is a very real, albeit a very rare, phenomenon.
“And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,”
[00:30:20] The condition in which Jesus found his disciples suggests that they were at the end of their rope, they were exhausted by worry and grief, and so they simply fell asleep. That may seem like a strange occurrence to us, but if you've ever known anyone who's dealt with depression, or if you've dealt with it yourself, you know that sleep is actually a pretty common coping mechanism. And that alone speaks to the state of mind in which the disciples find themselves at this point.
“[Jesus] said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ While he was speaking, there came a crowd, and the man Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.”
[00:31:11] Notice, the identity of the betrayer is finally revealed and we cannot help but be startled by the sudden intrusion of a large hostile crowd into intimacy of the Garden… that is intentional. And knowing that the crowd is being led by one who should have been part of that close knit group further emphasizes Judas separation and the heinous nature of his betrayal.
“[Judas] drew near to Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?’”
[00:32:02] That kiss was the sign agreed upon between Judas and the Chief Priests. It was meant to be a kiss of peace, which is a sign of friendship, but Judas turned it into the ultimate act of betrayal.
“And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.”
[00:32:32] All four Gospels record that the slave's ear was cut off, only Luke and John say that it was his right ear.
“Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him.”
Jesus soundly repudiates the violence done to the slave, which supports the idea that Jesus' words about buying a sword (during the Last Supper) were metaphorical. And only Luke, himself a physician, recounts that Jesus healed the servant.
“Then Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.’”
If we think back to the First Sunday of Lent, we are told at the end of the Gospel that the devil departed from Jesus for a time. Well, he's back! But this isn't his first reappearance, is it? We are told in Luke 22 that he entered into Judas Iscariot, where he enticed Judas into betraying Jesus. And now Satan manifests himself amidst the chief priests and elders as they come to arrest Jesus. When Jesus says: this is your hour and the power of darkness it is just as likely that he is speaking directly to the devil as it is that he's speaking to the chief priests. Because they - in this instance - are nothing more than the instruments the devil is using to accomplish his evil deed.
“Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house.”
[00:34:36] Luke is referring, of course, there to the house of the High Priest in Jerusalem - his residence in Jerusalem. And, notice, our attention now shifts to Simon Peter.
“Peter followed at a distance;”
Keep the words at a distance in mind, we'll hear them again during the Crucifixion.
“and when they [the crowd] had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter set among them.”
Peter has established himself as part of the crowd, rather than being separated as a follower of Jesus. And with that, Luke sets the scene for Peter's three-fold denial.
“Then a maid, seeing [Peter] as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’”
[00:35:39] Denial number one.
“And a little later some one else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not.’”
[00:35:50] Denial number two.
[00:35:53] “And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are saying.’”
Denial number three.
[00:36:12] Despite the fact that Peter's accent gave him away as being from Galilee, despite the number of times that people have pointed out that Peter seemed like someone who should have been with Jesus, Peter has squarely placed himself within the group of people that persecuted Jesus.
[00:36:34] And then notice what happens.
[00:36:37] “And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.”
[00:36:49] That detail - that Jesus looked at Peter - is found only in Luke.
“And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.”
Peter's deep sorrow shows his genuine remorse and marks the beginning of his healing and restoration, which will only be completed when he encounters Jesus at the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection… but it has begun. Now our attention shifts from Peter back to Jesus.
“Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?’ And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him.”
Those occurrences fulfill two Old Testament prophecies: the mockery is from Psalm 22 (which is our Psalm this week) and the beating is from Isaiah 50 (which is our First Reading).
“When the day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council,”
All those who had persecuted and arrested Jesus then turned him over to the council, meaning the Sanhedrin, the judicial and legislative council of the Jews.
“and they said, ‘If you are the Christ, tell us.’ But he said to them, ‘If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer.’”
That seems like an odd response, doesn't it? But both Luke and John help us find clarity. In John 10, the Jewish authorities ask Jesus to tell them plainly if he is the Messiah, to which he replies: I told you and you do not believe which is why Jesus now says: if I tell you, you will not believe. Then in Luke 20, those same Jewish leaders asked Jesus what gave him the authority to teach in the temple. And, as he so often does, Jesus answered their question with a question of his own, namely did John the Baptist's authority originate with God or with man? The Jewish leaders were afraid to answer so they simply said: we don't know which is why Jesus now says: if I ask you, you will not answer.
[00:39:34] So, armed with that information, Jesus' response now no longer seems strange. It actually seems perfectly logical. Then he goes on…
“But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
[00:39:50] Jesus is quoting Scripture again, but it's kind of a mashup. Daniel 7 describes one like a son of man who was presented before the Ancient of Days (meaning God the Father) and Psalm 110 says the king (meaning Jesus) is seated at God's right hand. So, that Scripture is kind of a mashup of both Daniel and Psalms.
[00:40:15] “And they all said, ‘Are you the Son of God, then?’”
Clearly the Jewish authorities knew their Scripture!
“And he said to them, ‘You say that I am.’”
[00:40:25] Jesus' response tells us, at this point, that words no longer matter.
[00:40:32] Jesus has already declared himself to be the Messiah… the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes refused to acknowledge that, so nothing more needs to be said.
“And they said, ‘What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.’”
Clearly, they heard nothing… but they're also not listening. They have heard, but not the truth… because they're blinded by their own preconceptions. So really, what they heard was what they wanted to hear before any of this started.
“Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him,”
The Jewish authorities level three separate charges against Jesus. So, let's find out what they are.
“We found this man perverting our nation,”
Charge #1: Jesus is a threat to the peace of Israel.
“forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar,”
Charge #2: Jesus told them not to pay Roman taxes. Now, both of those charges are patently false, but the second one, actually, Jesus specifically responded to when he very famously said: render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God that which is God's. So, we know both of those first two charges are false.
[00:41:58] Charge #3:
“and saying that he himself is Christ a king.”
Now, that charge is the only one that really seems to trouble Pilate and to such an extent that he actually asks Jesus about it. The first two have gone by unremarked; this one, Pilate says to Jesus…
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
[00:42:21] That question appears in all four Gospels.
“[Jesus] answered him, ‘You have said so.’”
Again, words no longer matter… in particular, Pilate's words don't matter. But from Pilate's perspective, Jesus isn't openly claiming to be king, so he doesn't appear to be dangerous.
“Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, ‘I find no crime in this man.’”
This is the first time Pilate declares Jesus to be innocent. Keep in mind, Pilate's sole concern in all of this is to preserve Roman authority and protect his own position. He perceives no immediate threat from Jesus, so in his mind, there is no crime. Pilate, however, sees that the Jewish leadership certainly feel threatened by Jesus, but that has no direct impact on him. The Sanhedrin's response, however, is a clever one… they are clearly not giving up so easily!
“[T]hey were urgent, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.’ When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.”
Pilate is torn at this point. On the one hand, he is quite concerned about the idea of sedition among the Jews, but on the other hand, he is breathing a huge sigh of relief. Hearing that Jesus is from Galilee means that he can pass off the responsibility (and the consequences) of dealing with Jesus to someone else.
[00:44:07] “[W]hen [Pilate] learned that [Jesus] belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.”
[00:44:17] This is Herod Antipas, by the way, the son of Herod the Great. And only Luke records Jesus' interrogation by Herod. Now, I have to mention Herod would normally not have been in Jerusalem, but he was likely there because of the Passover.
“When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.”
This had nothing to do with faith and everything to do with Jesus' entertainment value.
“So [Herod] questioned [Jesus] at some length; but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, clothing him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate.”
[00:45:16] Since Jesus is not willing to entertain Herod and his court cronies, and since Herod can't find any legal charge to level against Jesus, he indulges his personal anger, disappointment, and frustration by mocking Jesus and then sending him back to Pilate. Luke tells us…
“And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.”
Those events, that interaction, bred a sinister alliance between the two corrupt and self-serving rulers.
[00:45:59] “Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who is perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him;”
There is the second time that Pilate declares Jesus to be innocent. He goes on…
“neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him;”
There is no capital crime… not found by Pilate and not found by Herod.
“I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
Chastise is such an innocuous euphemism, isn't it? What he really means is having Jesus flogged… hoping that the flogging would serve as a warning to others who might try to stir up trouble and - at the same time - placate the Jews so that they will finally leave him (Pilate) alone.
[00:47:06] “But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and released to us Barab’bas’ - a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder.”
That name may have been a real name, or it may have just been a play on words. Either way, it is highly significant… bar Abbas (Hebrew for Son of the Fathers) in contrast with the real Son of the Father (capital “F” Father - meaning God). Luke is telling us that the Jewish authorities demanded the release of a criminal - and not just any criminal - an insurrectionist and a murderer, while at the same time rejecting the true Son of God.
[00:47:55] “Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; but they shouted out, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him.’”
This is Pilate's third and final declaration of Jesus’ innocence. Now, it's interesting to note that all of the Evangelists report that Jesus was flogged, but none recount the actual details of the flogging.
“But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for;”
Matthew, Mark, and John all tell us that it was the custom of the Roman governor to release a prisoner on the occasion of Passover. Luke has the Jewish authorities demanding that Pilate release a prisoner, but doesn't say that it was his custom.
[00:49:07] That detail, however, is historically debatable and there is no factual corroboration of it. Both Josephus and Philo (1st century Jewish authors) wrote about Pilate's cruelty, his brutality, and his corruption. And given those details, and knowing Pilate's penchant for self-preservation, it is unlikely that he would have released a murderer and an insurrectionist, since that would most assuredly have brought the wrath of the Roman Empire down on his own shoulders. However, absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence… in other words, just because we can't find any record of it doesn't mean it didn't happen… just that there's no written historical evidence to support it.
“but Jesus he delivered up to their will.”
So the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes got their way.
“As they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre’ne,”
Notice the name – Simon! The Simon who should have been there helping Jesus was nowhere to be seen and a stranger named Simon helped Jesus instead.
“they seized Simon of Cyre’ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.”
[00:50:41] Notice also that Simon is following Jesus, the attitude of a disciple.
“And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.”
We have to wonder how many of those who greeted Jesus with shouts of acclaim just a few days ago are now following behind. This next section, Jesus addresses the daughters of Jerusalem - that is found only in Luke.
“Jesus turning to them said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming”
Meaning tragedy will come to Jerusalem… and it did, in fact, in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple by the Romans.
“the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!”
In the days of tragedy, barrenness will seem like a blessing rather than a curse.
[00:51:55] “Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’”
[00:52:01] Jesus is again quoting scripture: fall on us and cover us are from Hosea 10.
[00:52:10] In that verse, the prophet is actually referring specifically to the Northern kingdom of Israel's lack of fidelity to the Covenant which resulted in the conquest of Israel by the Assyrians. Certainly, dark days… days of tragedy. Jesus, however, uses those words as a hint to the women of Jerusalem about just how dark this day is and how much tragedy it actually does contain.
“For if they do this, when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
While the wood is green is a saying that means there's still time to repent (green wood, as we know, has too much moisture in it to burn effectively). So, Jesus is saying, there is still time. When the wood is dry, however, it will burn well, meaning - by then it's too late… too late to repent, too late to change their behavior. Even on the way to his own Crucifixion, Jesus is still trying to save lost sheep.
“Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.”
That, of course, fulfills Isaiah 53, which says: he was counted among the wicked.
“[W]hen they came to the place which is called The Skull,”
Golgotha is Aramaic for skull.
‘there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.”
Crucifixion was a brutal method of execution reserved for the absolute worst of the worst criminals.
“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
The words that Jesus speaks on the Cross put his words - throughout his public ministry - into concrete action.
[00:54:08] In Matthew 5, Jesus says: love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you and that is absolutely what Jesus is doing here.
[00:54:19] “And they cast lots to divide his garments.”
We hear that in Psalm 22, our Psalm for this week.
“And the people stood by, watching;”
[00:54:28] Then Luke points out three different groups of people that mock Jesus.
[00:54:35] “[T]he rulers scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One.’”
[00:54:44] So, the Jewish authorities become the first group to mock Jesus. And again, that echoes Psalm 22… and, again, their words echo the words of Satan in the desert… If, right? If… if he is the Christ of God.
[00:55:01] “The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’”
So, the Roman soldiers become the second group to mock Jesus. And their words, again, echo the words of Satan in the Temptation in the Wilderness, right? If… if you are the King of the Jews. But of course, that's a meaningless challenge. Jesus won't save himself, since that would run counter to the Father's will - the will to which he has already surrendered himself - and to the Father's plan for the salvation of all.
“There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’”
That comes from the Roman practice of listing the charges against a person being crucified on a scroll above their head. Jesus, of course, was no exception. Remember, though, the Jewish authorities brought three charges before Pilate but this one was the only one that Pilate found even remotely interesting. So, it was the one placed above Jesus head.
It was also the only one that was actually true, even though Pilate was completely ignorant of its legitimacy at the time he ordered it put there. Jesus is the King of the Jews, the legitimate descendant of David's line, the one who - as God promised - will rule forever, whose throne will last forever.
[00:56:37] “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.’”
[00:56:44] So one of the two criminals becomes the third to mock Jesus. And his challenge is similar to the challenge posed by the Roman soldiers: save yourself, but then the criminal adds: and us, meaning that Jesus shouldn't just help himself, but… hey, do the brother a solid, help us too!
[00:57:09] “But the others rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’”
The other criminal, in this his final hour, recognizes Jesus’ innocence while at the same time confessing his own guilt.
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’”
[00:57:50] Jesus' words to that criminal, sometimes called the Good Thief, are a beautiful promise made not just to him and not just on that day, but to every Christian every day.
[00:58:10] Those words encompass our hope for eternal life… Today you will be with me in Paradise.
[00:58:20] For those of you who are familiar with my home parish, you know that those words are enshrined in the apse of our Church so that we can see them every time we look at the Altar.
“It was now about the sixth hour,”
A couple of weeks ago, I explained that the Jews divide the day into 12 hours, beginning at sunrise and ending at sundown. That means that the 3rd hour was about 9 am, the 6th hour noon, the 9th hour 3 pm, and the 12th hour sunset. So, when Luke tells us: it was now about the sixth hour - he's telling us it was about noon. And if that sounds familiar to you, it should. That reminds us that that is the same hour that Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well… Jesus (her 7th and perfect husband) encounters the Samaritan woman at the sixth hour.
[00:59:24] That is the same hour that Jesus, our bridegroom, the bridegroom of the Church, is nailed to the Cross… is sacrificed… sacrifices himself… for our sake.
“and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed;”
[00:59:51] What should be the brightest hours of the day, the time when the sun should be blazing directly overhead, those hours are shrouded in the darkness of evil. Is there a scientific explanation for that? Certainly, of course there is. Several historians recount that a solar eclipse occurred at that time. One particular mention comes from Phlegon of Tralles, a 2nd century Greek historian, who wrote that not only was there an eclipse at the time of the Crucifixion but that an earthquake accompanied the darkness. Luke doesn't mention that detail, but Matthew does. Simply because there is a scientific explanation for that… does that make the event any less impactful? Of course not!
[01:00:45] It still indicates to us that the power of darkness held sway at that time - during the time of Jesus' Crucifixion.
“and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”
[01:01:00] That is significant because the curtain of the temple served to separate the people from God's presence. Having the curtain be torn in two tells us… first of all, that access to God is no longer restricted, access to God is now freely granted through the sacrifice of Jesus. And second, it tells us that temple sacrifice is now obsolete… it is now over.
“Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’”
Those words emphasize for us that Jesus is in complete control of these events! His death is not an accident, he offered his life - willingly sacrificed his life - in obedience to the Father's will and in furtherance of the Father's plan of salvation.
“And having said this he breathed his last.”
[01:02:21] In contrast to the three groups that mocked Jesus as he hung on the Cross, three groups of people will now react to his death.
[01:02:34] “[W]hen the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’”
This centurion, a gentile, a Roman officer in command of 100 soldiers, is the first to react to Jesus’ Death by declaring that he was innocent. In Matthew 27 and Mark 15, he actually declares that Jesus was the Son of God: This man was truly the Son of God.
“And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.”
That was a sign of mourning, a sign of repentance, and a sign of sorrow. So, the crowds who watched the Crucifixion now mourn its outcome.
“All his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.”
There are those words at a distance again, right? From Luke's words we should assume that he means all of Jesus’ disciples, including the Apostles and the women. Although it is interesting that Luke mentions the women separately. And Luke tells us that they all now stand at a distance in reverence… silent, humble witnesses to Jesus' sacrificial Death.
[01:04:13] “Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe’a.”
[01:04:18] This may seem like an insignificant detail, but it's really not. A man named Joseph cared for Jesus as an infant and a young boy; and now another Joseph cares for him in his Death.
[01:04:38] “He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God.”
[01:04:48] By saying that he was a member of the council, Luke tells us that he was part of the Sanhedrin. Then Luke tells us he was good and righteous and, most importantly, that he had not consented to their purpose and deed. In other words, Joseph of Arimathea did not go along with the rest of the council in calling for Jesus' execution. Luke then says that he was looking for the kingdom of God, meaning that he was a follower of Jesus; Matthew and John, however, actually call him a disciple.
“This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid.”
The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Joseph was a wealthy man and the fact that he wrapped Jesus’ Body in a linen shroud, which would have been a costly burial garment, confirms that. We are then told that Joseph laid Jesus’ Body in an unused rock-hewn tomb, which also speaks of Joseph's wealth.
[01:05:55] Matthew tells us the tomb was actually Joseph's own tomb. At that time, Jewish burial customs dictated that the body of the deceased should be washed and anointed, then the hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, the face covered separately, and the entire body covered in a shroud before being placed in a tomb. However, Luke tells us…
“It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.”
That means that it was near sundown – Jesus’ Body was reverently but hastily covered and buried… the burial bands were placed, the cloth was put on his head, the shroud was placed over his body, and he was interred so as not to encroach on the Jewish proscription against work on the Sabbath. Not even burials were permitted to take place on the Sabbath.
“The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid;”
The women from Galilee now serve as witnesses of his burial, just as they witnessed his Death on the Cross.
“then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.”
When the women returned to their place of lodging, they devoted as much time as they could - before the Sabbath began - to preparing the spices and ointments needed to anoint Jesus’ Body. What were those spices and ointments? Most likely myrrh, aloe, spikenard and cassia. And some of those were solids that needed to be suspended in olive oil. So, they would have done all of that. Once their preparations were complete they did not have enough time to return and anoint Christ's Body before sundown, so they planned to wait until after the end of the Sabbath. Then Luke tells us…
“On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”
The woman did no work according to Jewish law - as commanded by Jewish law - the women rested from work on the Sabbath… Jesus “rested” in the tomb.
On Palm Sunday, our story ends in apparent tragedy. We must traverse the length of Holy Week to reach the triumph of Easter.
But I'd like to leave you with a message of hope and inspiration - and an invitation. In his book, The Lamb's Supper, Catholic theologian Scott Hahn wrote: “Of all things Catholic, there is nothing so familiar as the Mass. With its timeless prayers, hymns, and gestures, the Mass is like home to us.” To that sentiment, I would add that there is nothing more sacred than Holy Week and Easter.
[01:09:15] During these days, we are guided through the nearly inconceivable physical and emotional pain that Jesus endured for the sake of all humanity… for your sake… for my sake… done out of a love beyond all telling.
[01:09:35] And here is my invitation… if you have never taken the opportunity to attend Holy Week liturgies, I strongly encourage you to do so this year. These liturgies are the most captivating, profoundly moving, and unbelievably beautiful of any liturgies throughout the entire year. So, I highly encourage everyone to embrace this sacred time with humility and gratitude and be forever changed by the love that Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, has for each and every one of us.
[01:10:28] Remember, if you're looking for the remainder of the Scriptures, you'll need to go to Part II of this episode and I hope you take the time to listen to that one as well.
If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for spending this time with me and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain and may he hold you, safe and secure, in the palm of his hand.
[01:11:01] From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS on Audio Solutions.
The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask.
Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thank you for listening and God Bless.
