33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. 34 [Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”]….
39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” 40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44 It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon 45 because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. 46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last. 47 The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, “This man was innocent beyond doubt.” 48 When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts; 49 but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events.
At the place called the Skull, Jesus is crucified between two criminals—a scene that fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant, who “was counted among the wicked” (Isa. 53:12). But what unfolds is not just a tragic execution. It is the climactic moment in God's plan of salvation, when divine love and mercy are poured out for a sinful world.
In a stunning act of compassion, Jesus prays from the Cross: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Though some early manuscripts omit the verse, its inclusion in the broader tradition reflects the very heart of the Gospel: the mercy of God offered even to His enemies (cf. Luke 6:27–28; Rom. 5:8). Jesus, the true High Priest, intercedes for sinners not with sacrifices of animals, but with His own Body and Blood (cf. Heb. 7:27).
The dialogue between Jesus and the two criminals reveals the drama of human response to grace. One mocks; the other believes. The penitent thief confesses his guilt, acknowledges Christ’s innocence, and entrusts his hope to Him: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus responds with immediate assurance: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (v. 43). This promise affirms the boundless mercy of God and the power of personal repentance. Salvation is not earned—it is received through faith and humility, even in a person’s final hour of earthly life (cf. Titus 3:5–7; Eph. 2:8–9).
Luke alone records that darkness falls over the land from noon until three (v. 44), a cosmic sign of mourning that echoes Amos 8:9: “I will make the sun set at midday and darken the earth in broad daylight.” Nature itself grieves as the Author of Life is slain (cf. Acts 3:15). Then, in a moment charged with profound theological significance, the veil of the Temple is torn in two (v. 45). This tearing symbolizes the end of the Old Covenant sacrificial system and the removal of the barrier between God and humanity. Through the death of Christ, the true Temple, the faithful are now given access to the Father through “a new and living way” (Heb. 10:19–22; cf. John 2:21).
Jesus’ final words are not a cry of despair but a declaration of filial trust: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (v. 46), echoing Psalm 31:6. Unlike the anguished cry recorded in Matthew and Mark, Luke emphasizes Jesus’ serenity, showing that His death is a free and loving self-offering, not a defeat (cf. John 10:17–18). In this voluntary surrender, the Second Adam undoes the rebellion of the first (cf. Rom. 5:12–19).
Even the Roman centurion, likely hardened by many executions, is moved to confess: “This man was innocent beyond doubt” (v. 47). His words reflect the truth that Christ is the spotless Lamb of God, unjustly condemned, whose sacrificial death fulfills the Passover once and for all (cf. 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19).
The crowd departs, beating their breasts—a sign of contrition (v. 48), while the women and followers from Galilee stand at a distance, watching. Their silent presence reminds us that the Cross is not the end of the story. These faithful witnesses will also be the first to hear the news of the Resurrection.
In this stillness at the foot of the Cross, we behold the heart of God’s salvation—a heart that forgives, that welcomes the repentant, and that entrusts all to the Father in love. On Calvary, mercy did not falter under the weight of suffering, but triumphed through it. The Cross stands not as a monument to death, but as the gateway to life, flung open by the pierced hands of the Savior. As we gaze upon the Crucified, we do not merely recall an ancient sorrow—we encounter the living mercy of God, still at work in our hearts today.
Lord Jesus, in Your suffering and death, You revealed the boundless mercy of the Father and opened for us the way to eternal life. From the Cross, You forgave, You welcomed the repentant, and You gave Yourself into the Father’s hands. As we stand before Your Cross this Good Friday, stir our hearts to repentance, deepen our trust, and fill us with the hope of Paradise. Help us to live as those who have been ransomed by love. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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