Day 23 — Luke 23 — The Question You Cannot Avoid

“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” — Luke 23:34 (ESV)

Luke 23 brings us to the final hours before the cross, and it places Jesus face-to-face with a variety of people—each responding differently to Him. Pilate, Herod, Barabbas, the thief on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, and the restless crowd all stand in the presence of the Son of God. What unites them is not their circumstances but the unavoidable question Jesus forces upon every human heart: What will you do with Me?

No one encounters Jesus and remains neutral.

Jesus is passed from Pilate to Herod and back again, shuffled like a political inconvenience. Herod wants a miracle but has no interest in repentance. When Jesus remains silent, Herod mocks Him. Pilate, on the other hand, wants to avoid responsibility altogether. Three times he declares Jesus innocent. Three times he attempts to release Him. Yet ultimately, Pilate caves to the pressure of the crowd.

Luke records it plainly: “So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted” (Luke 23:24). With that sentence, an innocent Man is condemned, a guilty man is released, and justice is abandoned. Barabbas—the rebel, the murderer—walks free, while Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is delivered over to be crucified.

Pilate wanted Jesus out of his life as quickly and painlessly as possible. But that is the great illusion of Luke 23: you cannot get rid of Jesus without making a decision about Him. Pilate tried to remain neutral, but neutrality itself became a verdict. In the end, Pilate pleased the crowd, preserved his position, and sacrificed truth.

What a tragic résumé for a Roman governor tasked with upholding justice.

Herod silenced Jesus by mocking Him. Pilate denied Jesus by ignoring Him. The crowd rejected Jesus by shouting Him down. And yet, from the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them.” Grace flowed even as nails were driven. Mercy was offered while hatred roared.

That prayer reminds us of the blindness of the human heart apart from God. Jesus did not say they were innocent—He said they were ignorant. Sin blinds. Pride deafens. Fear distorts. And yet Jesus intercedes anyway.

We live in a culture not unlike Luke 23. Some want Jesus to perform on demand, like Herod. Others want to ignore Him, like Pilate. Many want Him silenced altogether. The name of Jesus is tolerated as long as it carries no authority, no exclusivity, no call to repentance. But the moment Jesus is declared King, Lord, Savior—the moment His claims confront our autonomy—voices rise in protest.

“Crucify Him” still echoes today, sometimes shouted, sometimes whispered, sometimes lived out through indifference.

Luke 23 also brings us to the most unlikely moment of hope: a dying thief. One criminal mocks Jesus; the other confesses his guilt and acknowledges Jesus’ innocence and authority. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). And Jesus responds with stunning grace: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

This man had no time to make amends, no opportunity to prove himself, no religious résumé to present. He simply believed. And that belief opened the door to eternal life.
Here is the dividing line of Luke 23. Pilate believed Jesus was innocent—but did not trust Him. Herod was curious—but unmoved. The crowd was loud—but blind. The thief believed—and was saved.

Every person must eventually ask the question Luke presses upon us: Who is this Jesus to me? Is He a liar? A lunatic? Or is He Lord? If He is Lord, will I submit to Him? And if I am wrong, do I really want to know the truth?

These are not academic questions. They are eternal ones.

Pilate feared losing power. Herod feared boredom. The crowd feared Rome. The thief feared God. And that fear—the right kind—led him to grace.

Luke 23 exposes the danger of delay. Pilate thought he could postpone the decision. But the crowd prevailed. Time ran out. And history records his choice forever.

Friend, today you stand in that same place—not before a Roman governor, but before a crucified and risen King. You cannot avoid Him. You cannot ignore Him. You cannot outsource the decision. Jesus will not remain neutral about you, and you cannot remain neutral about Him. So what will your response be?

Will you, by faith, acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior? Will you believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, who came to die for your sin and rise again to give you new life? Will you trust Him—not just admire Him, not just respect Him—but follow Him as King of kings and Lord of lords?

The cross stands as both judgment and invitation. Judgment on sin. Invitation to grace.

Pilate washed his hands, but guilt remained. The thief confessed his sin, and paradise was promised.

Today, the choice is still before us.

Prayer:
Father, we thank You for the grace revealed in Luke 23—for a Savior who prayed forgiveness even as He suffered. Open our eyes where we have been blind, soften our hearts where we have been resistant, and give us courage to respond rightly to Your Son. Help us not to delay, dismiss, or deny the truth. Lead us to confess Jesus as Lord, trust Him as Savior, and follow Him faithfully all our days. Thank You that even now, mercy is offered. We receive it with humble faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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