Luke 23:54 - Printer Friendly

ESV: It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

NIV: It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

NASB: It was a preparation day, and a Sabbath was about to begin.

CSB: It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

NLT: This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.

KJV: And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

NKJV: That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

All four Gospels include this indication of time (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; John 19:42). Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take Jesus' body and give it a quick burial in Joseph's nearby tomb (John 19:39; Matthew 27:59–60). The women watch them (Luke 23:55–56). Why is it done so quickly? Because it's the day before Sabbath—the day of Preparation.

Every Friday at sundown the Sabbath begins; it continues until sundown on Saturday. In addition, several holidays are considered Sabbaths when no work may be done. Passover is not one of them, but the first and last days of the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread are (Exodus 12:16). Even if Jesus hadn't been crucified on Friday, that evening is still the beginning of a holiday Sabbath.

No work may be done on the Sabbath, so families need to prepare the day before. They need to make the food, place everything in the home where it should be, and gather all supplies that may be needed. People may walk only a certain distance during the Sabbath, so if they're staying outside of town or need to retrieve something, they must be finished before sundown. Considering there are tens of thousands of people in Jerusalem, filling every room—and this Sabbath is also a feast day—this would be a busy time.

In the Mosaic law, everyone in Israel must observe the Sabbath, including servants and Gentiles who live in the country (Exodus 20:10). When Rome had authority over the land and the people, this didn't apply. On Saturday, the Pharisees go to Pilate's house and ask permission to seal the tomb. They don't want the disciples to steal Jesus' body and claim He rose from the dead. Pilate tells them to take Roman soldiers and make the tomb secure. The walk from their homes to Pilate's palace, to the garden where Jesus is buried, and back home again is within the allowed distance. Since the Roman soldiers do the work, the Pharisees are technically still observing the Sabbath (Matthew 27:62–66).

In Luke 23:50–56, Jesus has died and His follower from the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, takes responsibility to bury His body. The women from Galilee follow and watch so they may add to the aromatics after the Sabbath. Mark 15:42–47 records much of the same information. Matthew 27:57–66 includes how the Sanhedrin asks Pilate to make Jesus' tomb secure. John 19:31–42 goes into more detail about how the soldiers ensure Jesus is dead and adds that Nicodemus helps Joseph. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead and meets with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. At the end, He ascends into heaven.

Luke 23 records the remaining trials, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. He is examined by the Roman governor and the local appointed King, neither of whom are interested in passing a death sentence. Local religious leaders incite the crowd, pressuring the governor, Pilate, to authorize crucifixion. Jesus accepts the faith of another condemned man and dies. Joseph of Arimathea asks for Jesus body and buries it in a tomb cut from rock.

Luke 23 records Jesus' civil trials, crucifixion, and burial. The members of the Sanhedrin have put Jesus through three trials in their attempt to convince Pilate He's a threat (Luke 22:47–71). Their case is weak, but their political influence is powerful enough to force Pilate's hand. Jesus is executed. Three days after Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus, Jesus reappears on the road to Emmaus where He explains Messianic prophecies in Jewish Scriptures. After spending time with His followers, Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24) and the disciples build the church (Acts).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.