Luke 23:48

48 And all the people of them that were there together at this spectacle, and saw those things that were done, smote their breasts, and turned again.

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 And Jesus crying with a great voice, said, Father, into thine hands I betake my spirit. And he saying these things, gave up the ghost. [And Jesus crying with great voice, saith, Father, into thy hands I betake my spirit. And he saying these things, sent out the spirit, or died.]

47 And the centurion seeing that thing that was done, glorified God, and said [saying], Verily, this man was just.

48 And all the people of them that were there together at this spectacle, and saw those things that were done, smote their breasts, and turned again.

49 But all his known stood afar, and women that followed him from Galilee, seeing these things.

50 And lo! a man, Joseph by name, of Arimathaea, a city of Judaea, that was a decurion, a good man and a just, [And lo! a man, Joseph by name, that was a decurion, or having ten under him, a good man and just,]