Luke 24:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.

NIV: The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;

NASB: and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him.

CSB: and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him.

NLT: But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him.

KJV: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

NKJV: and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

Cleopas is telling a supposed stranger how Jesus died. He thinks the man is a visitor who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As such, this man wouldn't necessarily know much about the innocent man who was crucified (Luke 24:13–19). Cleopas doesn't realize the "stranger" is Jesus.

The way Cleopas frames Jesus' death is interesting. Pharisees and those loyal to Herod Antipas had wanted Jesus dead since near the beginning of His ministry (Mark 3:6). When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests joined the Pharisees in their mission (John 11:53).

Despite their joint resolve, they were afraid. The people loved Him (Luke 20:19). Their fear of the people is why they enthusiastically paid Judas to betray Jesus (Luke 22:1–6). It's why they arrested Jesus at night, in the dark, where the people couldn't defend Him and not during the day in the temple (Luke 22:53). It explains why they held illegal trials to try to figure out the right charges to bring against Jesus. They had to find Him guilty of a crime against the Mosaic law to justify demanding His death and a capital crime against the Roman law to convince Pilate to kill Him. If Pilate killed Jesus, maybe the people wouldn't stone them.

In the end, Pilate did kill Jesus, but not before the chief priests and rulers committed heinous crimes. They threatened to tell Caesar that Pilate was committing treason by not crucifying a self-proclaimed king (John 19:12). And they broke the Mosaic law by claiming Caesar—a foreigner—was their king instead of the heir of David, the King God chose for them (Deuteronomy 17:15; John 19:15).

Despite all the Sanhedrin's machinations, the people know the truth: the chief priests and other Jewish rulers are responsible for Jesus' death.

Jesus isn't too concerned about that. He's more concerned that His followers don't trust the prophets (Luke 24:25–27). If Cleopas had understood and believed when the prophets said the Messiah must suffer, he would have understood that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Luke 24:13–27 contains a meeting between Jesus and two disciples, along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They don't recognize Him. Yet He lets them explain what they've experienced the last three days. When they finish, He points out their foolishness and shows them how the crucifixion and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament. When they invite Jesus for a meal, He reveals Himself and disappears. The two men return to Jerusalem to tell the larger group of disciples (Luke 24:28–35). Mark 16:12–13 gives a synopsis, but are likely not part of the original manuscript of Mark.

After Jesus is executed and buried (Luke 23:52–53), the women who had followed Him from Galilee come to improve His burial condition. They find an open, empty tomb and angels. The disciples are informed. Two of them spend time speaking with a stranger while walking, only to realize it was Jesus Himself. Jesus appears to His followers, eating fish and explaining how His role as Messiah was predicted in Scripture. Jesus then ascends to heaven while His disciples worship.

Luke 24 describes how Jesus' followers learned of His resurrection. Luke 23 recorded His legal trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. Acts chapter 1, also written by Luke, explains how Jesus' followers prepare for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Luke 24's theme is the fulfillment of prophecy from Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. Once Jesus' followers understand, He returns to heaven. Matthew 28 includes how the Sanhedrin bribed the guards. John chapter 20 adds Thomas coming to believe while chapter 21 records Peter's reconciliation with Jesus.

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.