1. Events on the way to Golgotha 23:26-32

Luke omitted reference to the Roman soldiers' mockery and flogging of Jesus (Matt. 27:27-30; Mark 15:16-19). Perhaps he wanted to connect the Jews' call for Jesus' crucifixion and the crucifixion itself as closely as he could. This arrangement of the facts has the effect of heightening the innocence of Jesus and the guilt of those who demanded His execution.

 The example of Simon of Cyrene 23:26 (cf. Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21)

Luke probably chose to insert this apparently insignificant incident because it provides such a good example of an ideal disciple. Jesus had taught His disciples to forsake all, take up their cross, and follow Him (9:23; 14:27). That is precisely what Simon did. It involved laying aside his personal plans, becoming associated with Jesus publicly in His humiliation, and following in His steps as His servant.

Cyrene was in North Africa. Normally criminals condemned to crucifixion had to carry the large crosspiece of their own cross to their place of execution.⁵⁰⁵Apparently Jesus' severe beating had made it impossible for Him to carry it the whole way to Calvary.

 The fate of the guilty predicted 23:27-31

Luke is the only evangelist who recorded this incident. He apparently did so because the fate of Jerusalem was one of his special interests. He had already recorded several warnings that Jesus had given to the people of Jerusalem (cf. 11:49-51; 13:1-5, 34-35; 19:41-44; 21:20-24). If though innocent Jesus experienced such a fate as crucifixion, what could the Jews who had rejected their Messiah anticipate?

23:27-28 Luke's interest in Jesus' concern for women surfaces again. They were mourning His fate and were evidently sympathizers rather than mockers (cf. 7:32; 8:52). Evidently they were residents of Jerusalem rather than women from Galilee who had been ministering to Jesus since Jesus addressed them as daughters of Jerusalem. This is an Old Testament designation for the residents of Jerusalem that views them as typical Israelites (Mic. 4:8; Zeph. 3:14; et al.). He urged them to mourn their own fate and the fate of their children more than His.

23:29 Jewish women considered barrenness a misfortune and children a blessing. Jesus announced that in the future the opposite would be true. They would see their children suffer and wish they had never been born. The context of Jesus' quotation from Hosea 10:8 is a passage describing Israel's idolatry and God's consequent judgment of her for it. Jesus was predicting God's judgment here.

23:30 Probably the people would call on the mountains and hills to hide them from God's wrath (cf. Rev. 6:15-16). The Tribulation is in view in the Hosea passage. Probably the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the Tribulation judgments on Jerusalem are in view here. The destruction by the Romans would only be a foretaste of the worse judgment still future.

23:31 This was evidently a proverbial saying in Jesus' day. The green tree stands for good conditions resulting from God's blessing and the dry tree for bad conditions resulting from divine judgment. If God allowed innocent Jesus to perish in times of His blessing, what would happen to guilty Jerusalem when God judged her?

Jesus' words constituted yet another call for repentance. There was still time for individuals and the nation to believe on Him and escape God's wrath, but barring repentance God's severe judgment would certainly fall. Luke evidently recorded these words because of his interest in extending the call to salvation to his readers.

 The criminals crucified with Jesus 23:32

This verse constitutes a narrative bridge connecting Jesus' journey to the Cross with His crucifixion. One of its functions seems to be to introduce the two criminals who feature later in the story (vv. 33, 39-43). More important it associates Jesus with guilty sinners.⁵⁰⁶This reference also adds to the humiliation of Jesus that Luke stressed. There are several indications that Luke wanted to point out Jesus' humiliation in the next section. This notation also indicates a fulfillment of prophecy (cf. 22:37; Isa. 53:12).