The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33–43)
Introduction
We don't need to dress this one up. This is the cross. Jesus is nailed to wood. The world is at its worst, and God will act the best. There is no escape hatch here, no miracle to swoop in and save the day. Just blood and breath, slipping away. Luke's account of the crucifixion doesn't linger on the violence, but he shows us the people. The ones watching. The ones mocking. The ones hanging beside him. This isn’t just history—it’s theology with a pulse.
We might want to rush past this passage to get to Easter morning, but not so fast. Stay here a moment. Because how we see Jesus on the cross will shape how we see God, suffering, ourselves, and grace. Luke 23:33–43 gives us one of the clearest windows into the heart of Jesus. Let’s walk through it, verse by verse.
The Crucifixion by Bartolome Esteban Murillo (c. 1675) offers soft light and delicate realism. Notice how Jesus is set against a very dark world. It’s somewhat surprising to me that it evokes such serenity in what was obviously anything but. Source
Verse by Verse Breakdown of The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33–43) and Commentary
Luke 23:33
"When 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."
The place is called "The Skull" for a reason. It’s where people go to die, stripped of dignity. And that’s where Jesus is taken. But notice Luke's restraint. No vivid gore. No sensational details. Just a quiet, devastating sentence: "They crucified Jesus." Luke wants us to focus not on the violence but on the placement—Jesus is numbered with the criminals—one on either side.
This isn't just geography. It's a statement. Jesus is in the middle of human failure, literally surrounded by guilt and judgment. And he doesn't flinch. He takes his place among the worst of us. Isaiah 53:12 said he would be "numbered with the transgressors," and here he is. Right where he meant to be.
Golgotha—the place called The Skull- is thought to have gotten its name either because of its physical appearance or its association with death.
Luke 23:34
"Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.' And they cast lots to divide his clothing."
No one asks for forgiveness. No one repents. And yet Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them." It is maybe the most shocking line in the Gospel. These soldiers aren’t sorry. They’re gambling over his robe like it's a souvenir. But Jesus doesn't wait for remorse to show mercy. In their mind, Jesus is a dead man already.
If you want to know what God is like, this is it. God forgives before we clean up. The Lord intercedes for the clueless and the cruel. Jesus sees the people who hurt him, and he doesn't curse them. He covers them. This isn’t weakness. It’s power beyond anything Rome could comprehend.
I’ve taken time to write and preach on the cross and how it teaches us. Read more:
The Hardest Word to Learn - Forgive
Luke 23:35
"And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at Him, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Messiah of God, His chosen one!'"
There’s a crowd, and they are silent. Just watching. Maybe horrified. Maybe curious. And then the religious leaders do what they do best—mock what they don’t understand. "He saved others; let him save himself." It sounds clever, but it’s hollow. They still think power means escape.
But Jesus isn’t in the saving-himself business. That was never the plan. The irony is, by not saving himself, he is saving others. The ones watching. The ones mocking. The ones reading this today.
Fra Angelico’s (Guido di Pietro The Crucifixion (Source) is unlike the crucifixions of the High Renaissance or Baroque periods. Here, Christ is cenral and dignified, not contorted. There is symetry in the arrangement of figures - Mary, John, Mary Magdalene, and others- who respond in quiet sorrow, prayer, and meditation. Some soliders gaze at Christ and some look elsewhere.
Luke 23:36–37
"The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine, and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!'"
Even the soldiers join in. They treat Jesus like a joke, a fake king. The wine is a parody of royal hospitality. They don’t get it. They think kings rule by climbing higher. Jesus rules by going lower.
Their mockery shows how blind the world is to real authority. Power, to them, means domination. But here is a King who conquers by refusing to retaliate. He holds still while nails hold Him down.
Luke 23:38
"There was also an inscription over Him, 'This is the King of the Jews.'"
Rome liked to make examples out of people. The sign was meant to be sarcastic—a warning to any would-be rebels. "Here’s what happens to Jewish kings." But the irony runs deeper than they know. It is true. He is the King. Not just of the Jews. Of all of it.
Pilate was tired of insurrections and this gets the point across.
Even when people speak truth as a joke, it’s still true. That’s how deep the kingship of Jesus runs. You can try to mock it, deny it, minimize it—but it stands tall, even when nailed down.
Luke 23:39
"One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding Him and saying, 'Are You not the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!'"
Pain doesn’t always make us soft. Sometimes it makes us mean. One thief joins the chorus of mockers. He’s in agony, but still manages sarcasm: "Save yourself and us!" He wants a Messiah who escapes, not one who stays.
We can be like that. Wanting Jesus to prove himself by fixing our situation, not realizing he’s saving us by staying in it with us. The cross isn’t a failure to act. It is the act.
This thief wants rescue without repentance, glory without grace. He doesn’t ask to be remembered—he demands to be rescued. And in doing so, he misses who’s hanging next to him. He wants a king who comes down, not one who gives himself up. And when Jesus doesn’t perform, the thief mocks like everyone else.
But maybe the saddest part? He’s inches from salvation and still chooses scorn.
Luke 23:40–41
"But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.'"
This second criminal sees it clearly. He knows he's guilty. He knows Jesus isn't. That contrast is everything. One man mocks to the end. The other owns his guilt and looks at Jesus not with contempt, but with hope.
You don't have to be clean to come to Jesus. You just have to be honest. This man doesn’t pretend. He doesn’t bargain. He just tells the truth: I deserve this. He doesn’t.
Do you ever wonder if one of these men could have been selected instead of Barabbas?
Luke 23:42
"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.'"
That one line is loaded with faith. He doesn't ask to be rescued from the cross. He just wants to be remembered. He sees a dying man and believes in a coming kingdom. That’s more faith than most people had when Jesus was feeding five thousand.
Sometimes the deepest faith isn’t asking for a miracle, but asking to be remembered. Not fixed, just included. Not spared, but seen.
Luke 23:43
"He replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'"
No delay. No religious hoops. No caveats. Just grace. Jesus gives the man more than he asked for. He asked to be remembered later. Jesus says, "You’ll be with Me today."
This is the gospel in one sentence. Jesus doesn’t just offer a future. He offers Himself. And even on the cross, even in death, He keeps His promises.
It causes one to happily ponder how grace, hope, and redemption could transform such a cruel instrument into a symbol of love.
The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33–43) Meaning for Today
This passage reminds us that the grace of God reaches further than we think. Jesus forgives before people apologize. He welcomes a criminal into Paradise while hanging on the cross. He holds still when mocked and crowned with thorns. This is not a weak Messiah. This is a Messiah who refuses to save Himself in order to save us.
And that changes how we live. We don’t need to posture or pretend. We just need to turn to Him. Like the second thief, we can come broken, guilty, last-minute—and still be received. The cross shows us who Jesus really is, and it undoes every lie we’ve believed about needing to earn God’s love. He gives it. Freely. Even from a cross.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are there two criminals crucified with Jesus?
To fulfill prophecy (Isaiah 53:12) and to reveal two different human responses to Christ—mockery or faith. We all mirror one or the other.
What is the significance of Jesus saying, "Father, forgive them"?
It reveals the heart of God. Forgiveness isn’t earned here. It’s extended even in the middle of violence and mockery. That’s radical grace.
Is Paradise the same as Heaven?
While scholars differ, in this context "Paradise" clearly refers to the presence of God. Jesus promises immediate fellowship with Him after death.
Why doesn’t Jesus save Himself?
Because love held Him there. The cross wasn’t a trap. It was a choice. Jesus stayed not because He was powerless, but because He was purposeful.
What does this mean for me personally?
It means there is nothing too late or too broken for Jesus to redeem. If a dying thief can be saved with one honest sentence, so can you.
