The Death of Jesus and the Centurion's Confession
Luke 23:44-49
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Luke.23.44 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ηδη: ADV
- ωσει: ADV
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εκτη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- σκοτος: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εγενετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- εφ᾽ολην: PREP+ADJ,acc,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- γην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εως: CONJ
- ωρας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ενατης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Matthew 27:45 (verbal): Synoptic parallel—Matthew likewise reports darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour over the whole land during Jesus’ crucifixion (near-identical time frame and wording).
- Mark 15:33 (verbal): Synoptic parallel—Mark also records that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness fell over the whole land at Jesus’ crucifixion (close verbal and narrative correspondence).
- Amos 8:9 (allusion): Prophetic antecedent—Amos declares that God will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth, a vivid Old Testament precedent often seen as being echoed in the passion darkness as a divine sign. (LXX and MT imagery overlap with the Gospel motif.)
- Exodus 10:22-23 (thematic): Typological precedent—The plague of darkness in Egypt (a supernatural, land-wide darkness) provides an OT motif for extraordinary, divinely caused darkness covering the land, which the Gospel evokes in the crucifixion scene.
- Joel 2:31 (thematic): Eschatological parallel—Joel’s oracle about the sun being turned to darkness and cosmic signs in the day of the LORD is thematically related to the passion darkness as an apocalyptic sign accompanying God’s decisive act.
Alternative generated candidates
- It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
- It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Luke.23.45 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ηλιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εκλιποντος: VERB,pres,part,act,gen,m,sg
- εσχισθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- καταπετασμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ναου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Matthew 27:51 (quotation): Parallel passion narrative: reports the temple curtain torn at Jesus' death (adds 'from top to bottom' and links the event with an earthquake and opened tombs). Compare wording and accompanying signs with Luke's account.
- Mark 15:38 (quotation): Parallel account in Mark: the curtain of the temple is torn at the moment of Jesus' death (Mark also records 'from top to bottom'), showing close verbal and narrative affinity with Luke's report.
- Hebrews 10:19-20 (allusion): The torn curtain is interpreted theologically as access to God—'we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus' and the curtain is called 'his flesh,' linking the temple image to Christ's atoning work.
- Exodus 26:31-33 (structural): Describes the construction and function of the veil in the tabernacle that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, providing the cultic background for understanding the significance of the curtain's tearing.
Alternative generated candidates
- The sun's light failed, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
- The sun's light failed, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two in the middle.
Luke.23.46 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- φωνησας: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,m,sg
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- μεγαλη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν·Πατερ: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- παρατιθεμαι: VERB,pres,mid,ind,1,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- ειπων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- εξεπνευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 31:5 (quotation): Jesus' words directly echo Psalm 31:5 (LXX 30:6): 'Into your hand I commit my spirit,' invoking the language of trust in God's care.
- Matthew 27:50 (verbal): Matthew records a similar final moment: Jesus cries out and 'yielded up his spirit,' paralleling Luke's wording about committing the spirit.
- Mark 15:37 (verbal): Mark closely parallels Luke's description: 'And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last,' matching the loud cry and the giving up of the spirit.
- John 19:30 (thematic): John's account presents the same salvific consummation—after his final saying ('It is finished') Jesus 'gave up his spirit'—thematically consonant with Luke's emphasis on deliberate entrusting of the spirit.
- Acts 7:59 (allusion): At his martyrdom Stephen prays 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,' echoing the motif of entrusting one's spirit to God/Christ and reflecting early Christian reception of Jesus' final act.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." And having said this, he breathed his last.
- Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit." And having said this, he breathed his last.
Luke.23.47 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ιδων: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εκατονταρχης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- γενομενον: VERB,aor,mid,ptcp,nom,sg,n
- εδοξαζεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- θεον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- λεγων·Οντως: VERB,pres,act,ptcp,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- δικαιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Mark 15:39 (structural): Same crucifixion scene with the centurion's confession; both portray a Roman soldier recognizing Jesus' true identity in response to the events at his death (Mark explicitly: 'This man was the Son of God,' Luke: 'This man was righteous/innocent').
- Matthew 27:54 (structural): Parallel account of the centurion (and those with him) declaring Jesus' identity after the signs at the crucifixion—similar context and function to Luke's centurion confession.
- Luke 23:4 (verbal): Pilate's repeated declaration in Luke that he finds no basis for a charge against Jesus ('I find no fault in this man') underscores the theme of Jesus' innocence that the centurion later affirms.
- Luke 7:9 (thematic): Earlier in Luke a (different) centurion expresses remarkable faith in Jesus' authority ('not even in Israel have I found such faith'); thematically connects Gentile recognition of Jesus' authority/rightness with the centurion's declaration at the cross.
Alternative generated candidates
- When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Truly this man was righteous."
- When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Truly this man was righteous."
Luke.23.48 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- συμπαραγενομενοι: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,pl,m
- οχλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- επι: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θεωριαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ταυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- θεωρησαντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- γενομενα: PTCP,perf,pass,nom/acc,pl,n
- τυπτοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- στηθη: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- υπεστρεφον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Mark 15:39 (structural): Parallel account of Jesus’ death where those present react to the extraordinary events; both passages place an emotional response among eyewitnesses immediately after the crucifixion.
- Matthew 27:54 (structural): Matthew’s parallel to Luke’s scene: witnesses to Jesus’ death are struck with fear and glorify God—another Gospel version of the crowd’s post-crucifixion reaction.
- Luke 18:13 (verbal): Same physical gesture of repentance—‘beating one’s breast’ (τυπτω/τυπτων τὰ στήθη)—used here of the penitent tax collector, showing continuity of the gesture as an expression of remorse/humility in Luke.
- Acts 2:37 (thematic): After Peter’s sermon the listeners are ‘cut to the heart’ and ask what to do—thematic parallel in which a public revelation of divine action provokes conviction, penitential response, and decisive movement by the crowd.
Alternative generated candidates
- And all the crowds who had come together for this sight, when they saw what had happened, returned home beating their breasts.
- And all the crowds who had gathered to watch, when they saw it, went away striking their breasts.
Luke.23.49 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ειστηκεισαν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,pl
- δε: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- γνωστοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- μακροθεν: ADV
- και: CONJ
- γυναικες: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- συνακολουθουσαι: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,f
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ορωσαι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
Parallels
- Matthew 27:55-56 (verbal): Almost identical wording: many women were watching from a distance, having followed Jesus from Galilee; closely parallels Luke's mention of the women observing the crucifixion.
- Mark 15:40-41 (verbal): Mark likewise records women standing at a distance (naming Mary Magdalene and others) who had followed Jesus from Galilee, corroborating Luke's account and list of female followers.
- John 19:25 (allusion): John also depicts several women present at the cross (including Jesus' mother and Mary Magdalene). Though details differ (near the cross rather than at a distance), it complements the synoptic tradition of female witnesses.
- Luke 8:1-3 (thematic): Earlier in Luke this passage lists women (e.g., Mary Magdalene, Joanna) who accompanied Jesus from Galilee and supported his ministry, providing background for Luke 23:49's reference to women who had followed him from Galilee.
Alternative generated candidates
- But all his acquaintances, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
- But all those who were known to him, and the women who had accompanied him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
It was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.' And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he glorified God and said, 'Truly this man was righteous.' And all the crowds who had assembled to witness it, when they saw what had happened, returned, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched these things.