NOTES for Luk 23:26-56

The Evangelist looks upon the events of Jesus Christ’s Passion and execution without describing the eyewitnesses’ emotions, their condition, dejection, or horror. He sees Jesus’ cross retrospectively, looking back on the events of His death from the experience of the Resurrection. For him, therefore, this account testifies not to hatred, despair, and defeat, but to the victory of love. This is easy to see if we follow his description of Jesus’ final words and deeds. He takes pity on the women of Jerusalem, asks the Father to forgive the soldiers who crucify Him, and forgives the repentant thief. As though preparing for sleep, He commends His spirit into the Father’s hands, showing that suffering does not destroy His trust in God. His friends come to pay Him their final tribute of love. Death is conquered in Jesus’ death; despair dissolves in His trust. These lines could have been written only by someone who knows that love is stronger than death, someone who knows that Jesus is alive.