Luke 23:48

48 And all the crowds who had come together to that sight, having seen the things that took place, 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 And Jesus, having cried with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. And having said this, he expired.

47 Now the centurion, seeing what took place, glorified God, saying, In very deed this man was just.

48 And all the crowds who had come together to that sight, having seen the things that took place, returned, beating [their] breasts.

49 And all those who knew him stood afar off, the women also who had followed him from Galilee, beholding these things.

50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good man and a just