The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (101 page)

23:28-31
Jesus warns the women of
Jerusalem
that another tragedy is heading for their city. It would soon be destroyed by siege, war, and fire in
A.D.
70. Even barrenness will seem like a blessing in these dreadful days.
See note on Lk 21:5-36
. 
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23:30 Fall on us . . . Cover us:
Expressions of agony and despair drawn from Hos 10:8. • In its original context, Hosea pronounced doom on the northern kingdom of Israel (in Samaria) for abandoning the Lord in favor of idols. Since the Israelites ignored the prophet's warnings, they were crushed by the Assyrians in the eighth century
B.C.
Jesus redirects this oracle from Samaria to Jerusalem, which will likewise taste the bitterness of war and devastation for its prolonged impenitence (Rev 6:16). 
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23:31 the wood:
A symbol of Jerusalem. As long as the city is like
green
wood, which is moist and unsuitable for making a fire, there is still time to repent and embrace the Messiah. Persistent rebellion, however, will make Jerusalem
dry
and fit to be burned. • Jesus alludes to Ezekiel's condemnation of Jerusalem in the sixth century
B.C.
, implying that once again the wayward city will become firewood for the flames of divine judgment (Ezek 15:1-8; 20:47). In addressing this to the faithful "Daughters of Jerusalem" (Lk 23:28), he may be identifying them with the righteous "daughters" of the city who will escape the catastrophe by the mercy of God and become a source of consolation for others (Ezek 14:22). 
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23:33 The Skull:
A translation of the Aramaic "Golgotha" (Mk 15:22).
crucified:
The Romans reserved crucifixion for insurrectionists and other base criminals. Nailed to wooden beams, the victims died excruciating deaths through gradual blood loss and asphyxiation. Ironically, what appeared to be Jesus' utter defeat became the sign of his victory and the instrument of salvation for the world (1 Cor 2:2; 1 Pet 2:24).
See note on Mk 15:24
. 
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23:34 Father, forgive them:
Jesus shows mercy to his executioners (1 Pet 2:23), realizing they are sinning in ignorance (Acts 3:17; 1 Cor 2:8). Stephen likewise prayed for his enemies at death (Acts 7:60) (CCC 597, 2635).
divide his garments:
The execution squad customarily dispossessed the dying victim of any remaining belongings. • The Passion of Jesus parallels the entire movement of Ps 22, which narrates the rejection and final vindication of the righteous sufferer. The division of garments echoes Ps 22:18, the Crucifixion recalls Ps 22:16, and the mockery of the crowds evokes Ps 22:6-7. According to Mt 27:46 and Mk 15:34, Jesus recited the opening line of Ps 22 on the Cross.
See note on Mt 27:46
. 
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23:38 an inscription:
According to Roman practice, criminals displayed a sign inscribed with the charges brought against them. Jesus' placard was written in three languages (Jn 19:20). 
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23:42 remember me:
The penitent thief may have sneered at Jesus earlier (Mk 15:32). His conversion at the final hour is now manifest by his insight: he does not see Jesus' death as his demise, but looks forward to the coming of his royal kingdom. The promise of "Paradise" (Lk 23:43) is generously out of proportion to the man's simple request (CCC 1021). See word study:
Paradise
at 2 Cor 12:3. 
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23:44 sixth . . . ninth hour:
From noon until 3
P.M.
, when the day's brightest hours were shrouded by the "power of darkness" (22:53).
See note on Mt 27:45
. 
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23:45 curtain:
One of the two veils that separated God's presence from his people in the Jerusalem Temple. That this curtain is torn at the time of the Crucifixion indicates that Jesus' suffering is a sacrificial and priestly act that opens for us a new and living way into the sanctuary of heaven (Heb 10:19-22).
See note on Mk 15:38
. 
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23:46 Father, into your hands:
Jesus is in full possession of himself as he entrusts even his death to the Father's care. His Crucifixion is thus a willing sacrifice, not a tragic accident beyond his control (Jn 10:17-18; Eph 5:2). • Jesus makes the cry of Ps 31:5 his own. The entire psalm moves from lamentation to praise, expressing both the agony and the confidence of an innocent sufferer. It is because the sufferer trusts in the Lord's goodness that he anticipates his final deliverance and vindication in the end. 
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23:47 centurion:
A commander of 100 Roman soldiers.
innocent!:
Or, "righteous". The centurion also professes that Jesus was God's Son (Mt 27:54; Mk 15:39). 
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23:51 looking for the kingdom:
Joseph of Arimathea risked his honored reputation as a member of the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin. Withholding consent, he distanced himself from the council's verdict against Jesus (22:71) and now arranges his burial. He is elsewhere called a "disciple" (Mt 27:57; Jn 19:38). 
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23:53 rock-hewn tomb:
Owned by Joseph of Arimathea (Mt 27:60). Such tombs resembled small caves, with bench-like shelves cut into the walls, and could be used to bury entire families. A large stone was lodged into the entryway to seal it shut (Mk 16:4). 
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23:54 day of Preparation:
Friday. Because the
sabbath
rest began at sundown, Jesus was buried quickly in a tomb near the city (Jn 19:42). 
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23:56 spices and ointments:
The little time between Jesus' death and the start of the Sabbath allowed for some preparation of his body but not the full customary procedures (Jn 19:39). The women return to finish on Sunday what was not completed on Friday (Lk 24:1). 
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24:1-53
Jesus' Resurrection crowns the story of all four Gospels (Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-8; Jn 20:1-18). In Luke, Jesus'
disappearance
from the tomb is only the initial evidence of his rising. He soon
appears
to his disciples (24:31, 36), eats in their presence (24:42), and invites them to touch his risen body (24:39). There are some of the "many proofs" that testify to the miracle of Easter (Acts 1:3) (CCC 640-44). 
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24:1 first day:
Sunday. The Sabbath day (Saturday) is the final day of the Jewish week (Gen 2:1-3). The early Christians called Sunday the "Lord's day" to commemorate Christ's Resurrection and celebrate the Eucharist (see Acts 20:7; Rev 1:10; CCC 1166, 2174). 
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24:4 two men:
They are angels, according to 24:23 (Mt 28:2; Acts 1:10). 
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24:10 Mary Magdalene:
The first person on record to see the risen Jesus (Mk 16:9; Jn 20:11-18). She had long been a disciple (Lk 8:2). 
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24:12 Peter rose:
Simon rushes to the empty tomb, accompanied by the Apostle John (Jn 20:3-9). His inspection confirms the report of Jesus' disappearance. 
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24:13 Emmaus:
A Judean village of uncertain location (1 Mac 9:50). 
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24:18 Cleopas:
Probably the same person as the one called "Clopas" in Jn 19:25. Early Christian tradition identifies him as the brother of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus (3:23), and the father of Simon/Simeon, the second bishop of Jerusalem (see Eusebius,
Ecclesiastical History
3, 11, and 4, 22). 
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24:19 mighty in deed and word:
Moses is described in these terms in Acts 7:22. The implication is that Jesus is the awaited prophet-like-Moses announced in Deut 18:15 (Acts 3:22-23; 7:37). Jesus was often viewed as a prophet by his contemporaries (Lk 7:16; Mt 16:14; 21:46; Jn 6:14).
See note on Lk 9:35
. 
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24:21 redeem Israel:
The discouraged travelers had hoped that Jesus would reign as king in Jerusalem and rescue their nation from Roman oppression (19:11; Mk 11:10; Acts 1:6). Their expectations are out of step with God's plan to free Israel from sin and death, not from political subjugation (Mt 1:21; Jn 1:29; CCC 439).
See note on Lk 4:18-19
. 
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24:27 all the Scriptures:
Jesus gives an overview of salvation history from the OT. His entire life was foreordained in Scripture, including his birth (Mt 1:23; 2:6), ministry (4:1819), death (20:17; Acts 8:32-33), and Resurrection (Mt 12:40; Acts 2:24-28) (CCC 601, 652). 
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24:30 took . . . blessed . . . broke . . . gave:
A sequence kilkJ of actions recalling the Last Supper accounts (22:19; Mt 26:26). Here the disciples encounter Christ in a spiritual way, discerning his presence in the meal (24:35).
See note on Mt 14:13-21
. • The structure of the Emmaus episode reflects the structure of the eucharistic liturgy, where Jesus gives himself to the Church in word and sacrament, in the proclamation of Scripture (24:27) and in the eucharistic Bread of Life (24:30, 35) (CCC 1346-47). 
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