26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.聽27A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.聽28But Jesus turned to them and said, 鈥楧aughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.聽29For the days are surely coming when they will say, 鈥淏lessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.鈥澛�30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 鈥淔all on us鈥�; and to the hills, 鈥淐over us.鈥澛�31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?鈥�
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.聽33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[聽34Then Jesus said, 鈥楩ather, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.鈥橾] And they cast lots to divide his clothing.聽35And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, 鈥楬e saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!鈥櫬�36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,聽37and saying, 鈥業f you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!鈥櫬�38There was also an inscription over him, 鈥楾his is the King of the Jews.鈥�
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, 鈥楢re you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!鈥櫬�40But the other rebuked him, saying, 鈥楧o you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?聽41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.鈥櫬�42Then he said, 鈥楯esus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.鈥櫬�43He replied, 鈥楾ruly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.鈥�
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,聽45while the sun鈥檚 light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.聽46Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 鈥楩ather, into your hands I commend my spirit.鈥� Having said this, he breathed his last.聽47When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, 鈥楥ertainly this man was innocent.鈥櫬�48And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.聽49But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
"New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Transcript
Luke introduces a number of important changes into Mark鈥檚 account. He presents no Roman mocking of Jesus and the crowning with thorns is absent. Perhaps this relates to Luke鈥檚 interest in favorably portraying Roman characters because in his time he is hoping for legal status for Christianity in the Empire. While Simon carries the cross, Jesus encounters weeping women of Jerusalem. He warns them of the disaster that awaits the city in the future. In words found only in Luke鈥檚 Gospel, Jesus prays for forgiveness for his executioners. The reconciling savior forgives even those who are torturing him.
Unlike in Mark and Matthew in which everyone mocks Jesus, Luke distinguishes between the leaders and the people in general. In addition, one of the other crucifixion victims defends Jesus. The healing presence of Jesus functions even during their executions. In Luke, the curtain of the Temple is torn聽before聽Jesus dies.聽 One can almost imagine Jesus directing his last words, 鈥淔ather, into your hands I commit my spirit,鈥� in a straight line toward the divine Presence in the Temple. In Acts of the Apostles, Stephen dies with similar words. This suggests that Luke is presenting his readers with the dying words that all Christians should pray.
Unlike the Marcan and Matthean centurions who proclaimed Jesus as God鈥檚 Son, Luke鈥檚 centurion exclaims what has been one of Luke鈥檚 constant emphases throughout his passion narrative: Jesus is innocent. Finally, in Luke鈥檚 Gospel, the crowd departs in sorrow and all of Jesus鈥� associates are present, including presumably the male disciples who in the other Gospels had all fled. Luke consistently prefers to portray the followers of Jesus as a harmonious community.