The Gospels

by Sarah Ruden

  52 Then Iēsous said to those who’d come against him, the high priests and the commanders of the temple guards, and the elders:*234 “You’ve come out against me with swords and clubs, as if I were a bandit?*235 53 Day after day I was with you in the temple precinct, and you didn’t raise your hands against me. But this is your time, and the reign of darkness.”

  54 Taking hold of him, they led him away, and led him into the house of the chief priest, and Petros followed at a distance. 55 After they had lit a fire in the center of the courtyard and sat down together, Petros sat down among them. 56 But some slave girl, seeing him sitting with his face to the light, glared at him and said, “Him too—he was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know him, woman.” 58 But after a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You too, you’re one of them.” But Petros said, “It’s not me, man.” 59 Then after about one hour, somebody else insisted, saying, “It’s the truth: he was with him too; and he’s even a Galilaios.” 60 But Petros said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, man.” And then and there, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the master turned and gave Petros a penetrating look, and Petros recalled the master’s words: he’d said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you’ll deny three times that you know me.” 62 And he went out and cried bitterly.

  63 And the men who had hold of him started to taunt him, beating him savagely 64 and wrapping up his head to hide his face,*236 then asking him again and again, “Give a prophecy! Who’s the one who hit you?” 65 And they aimed many other insults at him.

  66 Then when the day broke, the people’s council of elders gathered, both the high priests and the scholars, and they took him into their council chamber 67 and said, “If you’re the anointed one, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I told you, there’s no way you’d believe me. 68 And if I asked, there’s no way you’d answer. 69 But from now on, the son of mankind will be seated to the right of god’s power.” 70 Then they all said, “That means you’re god’s son?”*237 But he addressed them: “You say I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We’ve heard it ourselves, from his own mouth.”

  Chapter 23

  1 Then their entire assembly got up and took him to Pilatos.

  2 There they began to accuse him, saying, “We’ve found him to be leading our nation astray and stopping the people from paying taxes to Kaisar, and saying that he himself is the anointed king.”

  3 But Pilatos questioned him, saying, “Are you the king of the Ioudaioi?” And in answer, he told him, “You say so.” 4 But Pilatos said to the high priests and the crowds, “I don’t find any guilt in this man.” 5 But they persisted, saying, “With his teaching, he rattles the people throughout Ioudaia, starting from Galilaia and clear to here.”

  6 When he heard this, Pilatos asked whether the man was a Galilaios, 7 and when he found out that he was from the jurisdiction of Hērōdēs, he sent him to Hērōdēs,*238 who was in Hierosoluma himself during those days.

  8 And when Hērōdēs saw Iēsous, he was overjoyed, because for quite a long time he’d been wanting to see him, since he’d heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign performed by him. 9 So he asked him quite a few questions, but Iēsous gave no answer to him. 10 But the high priests and the scholars stood there fiercely accusing him. 11 Hērōdēs [too], along with his soldiers, treated him with utter contempt, taunting him and putting splendid apparel on him. Then he sent him back to Pilatos.12 And Hērōdēs and Pilatos became friends with each other on that exact day; before this, they had been each other’s enemies.

  13 Now Pilatos called together the high priests and the leaders and the people 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man on the grounds that he was misleading the people, but look, before your eyes I examined him, and I didn’t find this man guilty of any of the things you accuse him of. 15 Neither did Hērōdēs; in fact, he sent him back to us, and look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 So once I’ve punished him, I’m going to let him go.”*239

  18 Then the whole mass of them screamed the words, “Get rid of him, and release Barabbas to us instead!” 19 Now, he had been thrown into prison because of a certain insurrection that had taken place in the city, and murder.*240 20 Once again Pilatos called on them, wanting to release Iēsous. 21 But they only called out in opposition, saying, “Hang him on the stakes! Hang him on the stakes!”*241 22 Then he said to them a third time, “What has he in fact done wrong? I’ve found no guilt in him that’s worthy of death. So I’m going to punish him and let him go.” 23 But they pressed hard, demanding with loud voices that he be hung on the stakes, and their voices won out.

  24 Then Pilatos gave a verdict to meet their demand. 25 He released the one who’d been thrown into prison for sedition and murder, whom they’d demanded, and he handed over Iēsous to do with as they wished.*242

  26 And as they led him away, they laid hold of Simōn, a certain Kurēnaios, who was coming from the countryside, and they put the stake on him to carry behind Iēsous.*243

  27 A great mass of the people followed him, including women who beat their breasts and lamented for him.*244 28 Turning toward them, Iēsous said, “Daughters of Ierousalēm, don’t cry for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and your children, 29 because, look, the days are coming when they’ll say, ‘The fortunate ones are the women who could have no children, and the wombs that haven’t given birth, and the breasts that haven’t nursed.’ 30 At that time, they’ll start to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover and hide us!’ 31 Because if they can do these things with wet wood, what’s going to happen with dry wood?”*245

  32 Two others besides, ordinary criminals, were led along with him to be executed.

  33 Then when they came to the place called the Skull,*246 they hung him and the criminals on stakes there, one on his right and one on the “better” side. 34 [But Iēsous said, “Father, pardon them, since they don’t know what they’re doing.”]*247 And they divided his clothes, throwing lots for them.

  35 And the people stood there, looking on. But the leaders turned up their noses and sneered at him, saying, “He rescued other people; he’d better rescue himself now, if he’s god’s anointed, the chosen one.” 36 And the soldiers taunted him as they came up to him, offering him vinegar*248 37 and saying, “If you’re the king of the Ioudaioi, rescue yourself!” 38 And there was also a notice written above him:

  “This is the king of the Ioudaioi.”*249

  39 And one of the criminals hanging there insulted him, saying, “Aren’t you the anointed one? Rescue yourself and us.” 40 But the other responded by scolding him, saying, “Don’t you even fear god, just because you’re subject to the same verdict? 41 And for us, it was the right one, since we’re only getting what we deserve for what we did. But he didn’t do any harm.” 42 And he said, “Iēsous, think of me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Amēn I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

  44 And by this time it was about the sixth hour after dawn, but darkness fell on the whole earth until the ninth hour, 45 the sun’s light failed, and the curtain of the temple’s inner shrine split in half. 46 And Iēsous cried out, and these were the words of that loud cry: “Father, into your hands I give over my life’s breath,” and when he’d said this, he breathed his last.

  47 And the centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified god, saying, “Really, this man was in the right.” 48 And all the crowds that had come together there to watch this spectacle returned home beating their breasts, having watched what happened.

  49 But all those he knew, including the women who had followed along with him from Galilaia, stood at a distance, seeing these things.

  50 But look, there was a man by the name of Iōsēf, who was a councilor, [and] an excellent and upright man. 51 He had not consented to their counsel in taking th
is action;*250 he was from Arimathaia, a city of the Ioudaioi,*251 and he was waiting for god’s kingdom. 52 He approached Pilatos and asked him for Iēsous’ body, 53 and he took it down and wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of solid rock, where no one had been laid yet.*252 54 And it was the day of preparation, but the dawn of the sabbata was breaking.*253

  55 Following along, the women who had come with him from Galilaia observed the tomb and how his body was placed in it. 56 And they returned and prepared aromatic spices and perfumes. But over the sabbaton, they rested, according to the command.*254

  Chapter 24

  1 On the first day of the sabbata week, in the deep dark of dawn, they went to the tomb, carrying the aromatic spices that they had prepared, 2 but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Going inside, they didn’t find the body of the master Iēsous. 4 While they were at a loss about this, look, two men stood near them in garments shining like lightning. 5 They were terrified and bowed down their faces to the ground, and the men said to them: “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who’s alive? 6 He isn’t here. No, he’s awakened. Do you remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilaia, 7 telling you that the son of humankind had to be handed over to human wrongdoers, and be hung on the stakes, and awaken on the third day?” 8 Then they remembered the things he’d said.

  9 Then when they’d returned from the tomb, they brought news of all these things to the eleven, and to all the others. 10 The women were the Magdalēnē Maria and Iōanna and Maria the mother of Iakōbos and the others who were with them, and they told the envoys these things. 11 But in their eyes, these statements seemed like nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women. 12 But Petros got up and ran to the tomb, and when he bent down, he saw only the linen wrapping-cloths, and he went back to where he was staying, baffled at what had happened.

  13 But look, on that same day, two of them were traveling to a village that was sixty stades from Ierousalēm, and the village’s name was Emmaous,*255 14 and they were conversing with each other about all these things that had transpired. 15 And it happened that as they were conversing and having their discussion, Iēsous himself came near and joined them on their journey. 16 But their eyes were overpowered, so that they couldn’t recognize him.*256 17 And he said to them, “What are these things you’re talking back and forth about while walking along?” And they stopped and stood there, with gloomy expressions. 18 And one of them, whose name was Kleopas, said to him by way of an answer, “Are you the only one staying in Ierousalēm who doesn’t know the things that happened in the city during these recent days?” 19 And he said to them, “What kind of things?” And they said to him, “Things to do with Iēsous the Nazarēnos, who became a significant man, a prophet*257—powerful in actions and speech in the eyes of god and all the people; 20 and how our high priests and other leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they hung him on the stakes. 21 But we hoped that he was the one to set Israēl free. But it’s just the opposite: besides everything we just told you, the third day’s passing since these things happened. 22 On the other hand, some women who belong to our group shocked us out of our senses: they were at the tomb at dawn, 23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came and told us that they’d actually seen a vision of messengers who said that he was alive. 24 Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found that it was just like the women had said—but they didn’t see him.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, mindless people, and so slow in your hearts to trust in everything the prophets said! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the anointed one to endure these things before entering into his glory?” 27 And starting from Mōüsēs and all the prophets, he explained to them what concerned himself in all the writings.*258

  28 And they neared the village to which they were traveling, but he acted as if he were traveling farther. 29 Then they put hospitable pressure on him, saying, “Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and already the day is drawing to a close.” And he went in to stay with them. 30 Then it happened that when he lay down at the table with them, and took the loaf and blessed it and broke it into pieces and gave it to them, 31 their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But then he disappeared from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts on fire [inside us], when he spoke to us on the road, and when he opened up to us what the writings mean?”

  33 So within the hour, they got up and returned to Ierousalēm, and found the eleven and those who were with them all gathered together 34 and saying, “Really, the master has awakened, and he was seen by Simōn.” 35 Then the two took them through what had happened on the road and how he’d been recognized by them through the act of breaking the loaf.

  36 But while they were still saying these things, he himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 They were stunned and terrified, thinking they were seeing a spirit. 38 But he said to them, “Why are you so disturbed, and what’s the reason these doubts are coming up in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, and you’ll know it’s me, in person. Feel me over and see, because a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can observe that I have.” 40 And having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 But when sheer joy and astonishment still kept them from believing, he said to them, “Do you have anything here that’s fit to eat?”*259 42 So they gave him a piece of broiled fish. 43 And he took it and ate it in front of them.

  44 Then he said to them, “These are the things I’ve spoken, which I said to you when I was still with you: that it is necessary for all the things that have been written in the law of Mōüsēs and in the prophets and in the songs of praise to be fulfilled concerning me.”*260 45 Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the writings. 46 And he said to them, “It’s been written in just this way: the anointed one would suffer but then rise from among the dead on the third day; 47 and a new purpose for pardon from offenses would be announced in his name to all nations, starting from Ierousalēm. 48 You yourselves are witnesses to these things. 49 And [look,] I’m going to send what my father promised to alight on you; so keep living in the city until you’ve been clothed with power from on high.”*261

  50 Now he led them [out] as far as Bēthania, and he raised his hands and blessed them. 51 Then it happened that, while still blessing them, he was separated from them and carried up into the sky.

  52 And they prostrated themselves to him, then returned to Ierousalēm with great joy, 53 and they were in the temple precinct at all times, blessing god.

  Skip Notes

  *1 This introduction is stylistically very different from the three other Gospels, and substantially different from the rest of this one. Here are judiciously angled compound words and harmonious pleonasms. It is all a single elaborate opening sentence, four verses long. The matter as well as the manner is different. Like a Classical author, Luke—probably an associate of Paul of Tarsus—has a patron to attend to before anything else. This passage resembles, besides a conventional dedication, the opening of a forensic speech. Theophilos is presumably a convert under instruction, but he is also rhetorically characterized as a judge or a jury member being presented with a story that must be logical and convincing in detail.

  *2 The mention of Herod the Great (73–4 B.C.E..), who though Jewish was of Idumean and Nabatean stock, and a client ruler for the Romans, contrasts sharply with this couple of ancient and distinguished Jewish lineage. The priests held hereditary office traced back to the time of Moses, and their organization in divisions to carry out the daily sacrifices and blessings dated back to the reign of David. Elizabeth herself is descended from Moses’ high priest Aaron.

  *3 There were twenty-four divisions of the Jewish priesthood, and each division would minister at the Temple for a week at a time. Drawing or casting lots was a widespread practice in the ancient world for discerning the divine will.

  *4 The proph
ecy has many elements in common with praise and prophetic songs in the Hebrew Bible. Like Isaac (Genesis 18:1–15, 21:1–7), John will assure the future of his people by his miraculous birth to a previously barren woman. Like Samson (Judges 13:5) and Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11), he will be a Nazarite, with ascetic abstentions attached to him. Like a number of the prophets, he will restore the covenant by bringing the wayward people back to God and the nation’s laws. Elijah, the prophet taken up into the sky at the end of his earthly life (2 Kings 2:3–12), was of particular interest around the time of Jesus’ life, a time of apocalyptic expectation and dispute over the existence and nature of the afterlife.

  *5 See Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27.

  *6 When marriage was nearly universal among free people, and when children were considered essential, infertility was a great humiliation. The verb “look on” in Greek is a narrow rendering of pagad in Hebrew, which means something more like “treat with special favor”—God’s characteristic treatment of deserving infertile women.

  *7 Matthew 2:23 records the prophecy “He will be called a Nazarene,” but there is no such statement in the Hebrew Bible. See the note there, and also Verse 15 above, concerning the possible confusion between the word for Nazarene (indicating geographical origin) and the word for Nazarite (a religious designation).