Luke 23:26-32
As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then
" 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"and to the hills, "Cover us!" '
For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
Observation:
- Who followed Jesus when he walked on the way to crucifixion?
Simon from Cyrene, who carried the cross, a large number of people and the women who mourned and wailed for him.
- What did Jesus teach to the women who cried for him?
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '
- Was it reasonable to crucify Jesus?
"For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" Jesus said. "Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed."
Explanation and application:
1. On the way to his crucifixion, Jesus' body had been flogged heavily. It can be inferred that he must be so greatly tortured that he was unable to carry the cross. He was just 33 years old then and he was in his strongest. It also took just half a day from being arrested to walking on the way to Golgotha. Among those who followed him, the majority were onlookers, believing that a bad guy would be killed. Only a few women mourned and wailed for him, who felt the pain of Jesus and leaned that the Lord was despised with the transgressors.
2. What surprises me is the teaching from Jesus: "Do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children." He asked the women to focus on whether they were saved and reborn.
We can only overcome the environment when the life of the Lord is inside us. "The time" Jesus mentioned refers to a time of trouble for Jacob and the day of the Lord's second coming. Many people will suffer greater pain if they are not prepared.
3. Jesus' last parable: "For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? "Generally, a carpenter makes furniture with dry trees. A green tree is unfit material for furnishings.The parable shows that his death is unreasonable. Jesus was executed when people had no sense of right and wrong. What will happen when the cat is out of the bag?They will realize that they need to repent for this, which means rebirth.
Translated by Karen Luo
