44 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
44 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Luke 23:44–49"
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date = "2023-02-20"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk23.44-49)
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The death of Jesus is accompanied by several supernatural signs, and Luke
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doesn't tell us all of them that happened. The first is darkness from noon to
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about 3 P.M. (Before you think "Eclipse!" like I did, know that Passover
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happens during the full moon, and solar eclipses during the new moon.) The
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second is the tearing of th e curtain in the temple. This curtain separated the
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Holy Place in the temple from the Holy of Holies and would have been anywhere
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from 10 to 30 feet tall. It was also thick enough that no one could see through
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it. And yet, when Jesus died, it was torn completely in two from top to bottom.
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Luke doesn't tell us about the earthquake or the saints rising from the dead on
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Sunday, but they also heralded the death (and soon-to-be resurrection) of
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Jesus.
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The fact that Jesus is able to call out with a loud voice right before He dies
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is also something outside the natural order of things. Crucifixion is a death
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by asphyxiation wherein the victim becomes too exhausted to take a breath. With
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the arms stretched out, the diaphram can't pull in enough air unless the legs
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are standing on the nail driven through the feet. But this a very painful
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position, so one is constantly struggling between needing to breathe and
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relieving what pain you can. The other two criminals had their legs broken so
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their deaths would be hurried along before the Sabbath started. They wouldn't
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have been able to support their chests in order to breathe after that. But
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after three hours of torture, after being too weak to carry His cross up the
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hill, Jesus is able to speak loudly, and then chooses to stop breathing
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entirely.
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The centurion in charge of these executions was very experienced with executing
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criminals this way, and he noticed that Jesus's death was not how it went,
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ever. He recognized God's hand in the supernatural events going on around him.
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The people who had come to see the specatacle of a public execution were also
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disturbed and grieved by what they saw. Interesting, then, that we don't get
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any reactions from Jesus's followers when they see their Teacher perish. They
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merely bear witness.
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* * *
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Even in death, You are glorified. And Your victory over the grave proves Your
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majesty.
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