Luke 23:48

48 All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned beating their breasts.

Luke 23:48 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:48

And all the people that came together to that sight
To see the execution of Jesus; and some of them might be his inveterate enemies, and came to insult him, and did insult him; many of these, though not every individual of them:

beholding the things which were done;
the eclipse, earthquake

smote their breasts;
as conscious of guilt, and as fearing some dreadful judgment would fall upon them, and their nation, for this sin of crucifying Christ. The Persic version reads, "they went back, and kneeled down, and prostrated themselves to the ground"; as being in the utmost astonishment, confusion, fear, and dread:

and returned;
to the city, and to their own houses, where they might more seriously, and with the greater composure of mind, reflect on these things.

Luke 23:48 In-Context

46 Yeshua, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last.

47 When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man."

48 All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned beating their breasts.

49 All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from the Galil, stood far away, watching these things.

50 Behold, a man named Yosef, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man