Luke 23:48

48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, ¹beating 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, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last.

47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent."

48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts.

49 And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man

Cross References

• 1. Luke 8:52; Luke 18:13

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. as a traditional sign of mourning or contrition