The Meaning of Luke 23:48 Explained

Luke 23:48

KJV: And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

YLT: and all the multitudes who were come together to this sight, beholding the things that came to pass, smiting their breasts did turn back;

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

ASV: And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts.

What is the context of Luke 23:48?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  all  the people  that came together  to  that  sight,  beholding  the things which were done,  smote  their  breasts,  and returned. 

What does Luke 23:48 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 23:47-56 - Faith From, Unexpected Quarters
God has His agents everywhere. They are not known to us, but are well known to Him, and one word from Him will bring them and their resources to His help. How many are unsuspected lovers of His Kingdom! Who would have thought that Joseph was waiting for the kingdom of God, or that he would have identified its advent with the death on the cross!
The body of our Lord was well cared for. They who commit themselves to God will find that He will make Himself responsible for the body, in life to feed and in death to honor; see Matthew 6:33; Deuteronomy 34:6. The new tomb was so ordered that there could be no possible mistake in identifying the precious body, and that the Resurrection should be beyond question. Love, which clings to the last offices with tender solicitude hastened to express itself with a devotion that braved the hatred of the rulers. Darkness and silence settled on the scene-but this was not the end. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 23

1  Jesus is accused before Pilate, and sent to Herod
8  Herod mocks him
12  Herod and Pilate become friends
13  Barabbas is desired of the people,
24  and is released by Pilate, and Jesus is given to be crucified
26  He tells the women, that lament him, the destruction of Jerusalem;
34  prays for his enemies
39  Two criminals are crucified with him
46  His death
50  His burial

Greek Commentary for Luke 23:48

Certainly [οντως]
Really, old adverb from the participle ον — on from ειμι — eimi to be. Used also in Luke 24:34 of the resurrection of Jesus. [source]
A righteous man [δικαιος]
Mark 15:39 (Matthew 27:54) which see, represents the centurion as saying τεου υιος — theou huios (God‘s Son) which may mean to him little more than “righteous man.”That came together (συνπαραγενομενοι — sunparagenomenoi). Double compound (συν — sun together, παρα — para along), that came along together.To this sight This spectacle Imperfect active of υποστρεπω — hupostrephō See them slowly wending their way back to the city from this Tragedy of the Ages which they had witnessed in awe. [source]
That came together [συνπαραγενομενοι]
Double compound (συν — sun together, παρα — para along), that came along together. [source]
To this sight [επι την τεωριαν ταυτην]
This spectacle Imperfect active of υποστρεπω — hupostrephō See them slowly wending their way back to the city from this Tragedy of the Ages which they had witnessed in awe. [source]
Returned [υπεστρεπον]
Imperfect active of υποστρεπω — hupostrephō See them slowly wending their way back to the city from this Tragedy of the Ages which they had witnessed in awe. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 23:48

Matthew 27:55 Many women [γυναικες πολλαι]
We have come to expect the women from Galilee to be faithful, last at the Cross and first at the tomb. Luke (Luke 23:49) says that “all his acquaintance” Matthew names three of the group by name. Mary Magdalene is mentioned as a well-known person though not previously named in Matthew‘s Gospel. Certainly she is not the sinful woman of Luke 7 nor Mary of Bethany. There is another Mary, the mother of James and Joseph (Joses) not otherwise known to us. And then there is the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John), usually identified with Salome (Mark 15:40). These noble and faithful women were “beholding from afar” These three women may have drawn nearer to the Cross for Mary the Mother of Jesus stood beside the Cross (παρα τωι σταυρωι — para tōi staurōi) with Mary of Clopas and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25) before she left. They had once ministered unto Jesus (διακονουσαι αυτωι — diakonousai autōi) and now he is dead. Matthew does not try to picture the anguish of heart of these noble women nor does he say as Luke (Luke 23:48) does that “they returned smiting their breasts.” He drops the curtain on that saddest of all tragedies as the loyal band stood and looked at the dead Christ on Golgotha. What hope did life now hold for them? [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 23:48 mean?

And all the having come together crowds to the spectacle this having seen the things having taken place beating the breasts were returning [home]
καὶ πάντες οἱ συμπαραγενόμενοι ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τὴν θεωρίαν ταύτην θεωρήσαντες τὰ γενόμενα τύπτοντες τὰ στήθη ὑπέστρεφον

συμπαραγενόμενοι  having  come  together 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: συμπαραγίνομαι  
Sense: to come together.
ὄχλοι  crowds 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
θεωρίαν  spectacle 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: θεωρία  
Sense: a viewing, beholding.
ταύτην  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
θεωρήσαντες  having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: θεωρέω  
Sense: to be a spectator, look at, behold.
τὰ  the  things 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γενόμενα  having  taken  place 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τύπτοντες  beating 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τύπτω  
Sense: to strike, beat, smite.
στήθη  breasts 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: στῆθος  
Sense: the breast.
ὑπέστρεφον  were  returning  [home] 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ὑποστρέφω  
Sense: to turn back.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 23:48?

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