◄ Luke 24:20 ►
Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him.
Study Bible
Our chief priests and rulers

This phrase highlights the religious and political leaders of the Jewish community at the time of Jesus. The chief priests were part of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish council, responsible for religious decisions and maintaining order. The rulers included both Jewish leaders and Roman authorities, indicating a collaboration between religious and political powers. This reflects the tension between Jesus and the established religious order, as He challenged their interpretations and practices. The involvement of these leaders fulfills prophecies such as Psalm 2:2, where rulers conspire against the Lord's Anointed.

Luk 23:13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests,…
Mat 27:1-2 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders…
Mrk 15:1 Early in the morning, the chief priests and elders…

delivered Him up

The act of delivering Jesus to the authorities signifies betrayal and rejection by His own people, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:3. This delivery was not just a legal handover but a spiritual rejection of the Messiah. It also reflects the fulfillment of Jesus' own predictions about His suffering and death (Mark 10:33-34). The term "delivered" is significant in the New Testament, often used to describe the handing over of Jesus to His fate, emphasizing the divine plan and human responsibility.

Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers…
Jhn 18:35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people”…
Luk 23:25 As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned…

to the sentence of death,

The sentence of death was a result of the trial before the Sanhedrin and later before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy, while the Roman authorities charged Him with claiming to be a king, a political threat. This dual accusation highlights the intersection of religious and political motives in Jesus' condemnation. The death sentence fulfills Old Testament prophecies, such as Isaiah 53:8, which speaks of the suffering servant being "cut off from the land of the living."

Luk 23:24 So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.
Act 13:28 And though they found no ground for a death sentence…
Mat 27:26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus…

and they crucified Him.

Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution reserved for the most serious offenders, particularly those guilty of treason or insurrection. It was a brutal and public form of punishment, intended to serve as a deterrent. The crucifixion of Jesus is central to Christian theology, symbolizing the atonement for sin and the fulfillment of prophecies like Psalm 22 and Zechariah 12:10. The act of crucifixion also typifies Jesus as the Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice brings salvation to humanity, as seen in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

Luk 23:33 When they came to the place called The Skull,…
Mat 27:35 When they had crucified Him, they divided up His…
Jhn 19:18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two others…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Chief Priests
Religious leaders in Jerusalem who played a significant role in the trial and condemnation of Jesus. They were responsible for maintaining the temple and upholding Jewish law.

2. Rulers
Likely refers to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the ruling council that had authority over religious and some civil matters in Judea. They collaborated with Roman authorities to sentence Jesus.

3. Jesus
The central figure of Christianity, believed to be the Messiah and Son of God. His crucifixion is a pivotal event in Christian theology, symbolizing the atonement for sin.

4. Crucifixion
A Roman method of execution reserved for the most serious offenders. It was a public, humiliating, and painful death, which Jesus endured as part of God's redemptive plan.

5. Jerusalem
The city where these events took place, significant in Jewish history and prophecy, and the location of the temple.
Teaching Points
Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
While human agents (chief priests and rulers) were responsible for Jesus' death, it was ultimately part of God's sovereign plan for redemption.

Fulfillment of Prophecy
Jesus' crucifixion fulfills Old Testament prophecies, affirming the reliability and divine inspiration of Scripture.

The Cost of Redemption
Jesus' death was necessary for the atonement of sin, highlighting the gravity of sin and the depth of God's love.

Responding to Injustice
Jesus' unjust trial and crucifixion remind believers to trust in God's justice and timing, even when facing personal injustice.

Witnessing with Boldness
Understanding the events of Jesus' death should embolden Christians to share the gospel, knowing it is the power of God for salvation.
Bible Study Questions
1. How do the actions of the chief priests and rulers reflect the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, and what does this teach us about God's sovereignty?

2. In what ways does the crucifixion of Jesus fulfill Old Testament prophecies, and how can this strengthen our faith in the reliability of Scripture?

3. How does understanding the cost of our redemption through Jesus' crucifixion impact our daily walk with Christ?

4. What can we learn from Jesus' response to injustice that can help us deal with unfair situations in our own lives?

5. How can the knowledge of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection empower us to share the gospel with others, even in the face of opposition?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 53
This passage prophesies the suffering servant, which Christians interpret as a foretelling of Jesus' suffering and death.

Acts 2:23
Peter's sermon at Pentecost, where he explains that Jesus was delivered up by God's set plan and foreknowledge, yet crucified by the hands of lawless men.

John 19:11
Jesus tells Pilate that he would have no power over Him if it were not given from above, indicating divine sovereignty over the events of the crucifixion.
Sermons
Further Lessons by the WayVarious Authors Luke 24:13-32
Privilege; Unconscious Companionship; IncredulityVarious Authors Luke 24:13-32
A Mistaken HereF. Fitch, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
A Suggestive QuestionCanon Liddon.Luke 24:13-35
A Wise Method of Dealing with MournersC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 24:13-35
Christ Constrained to AbideB. Beddome, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Christ Opening ScriptureD. Wilcox.Luke 24:13-35
Christ Opening the ScripturesCanon Fleming.Luke 24:13-35
Christ Talking -- Hearts BurningA. Raleigh, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Christ Warms the HeartJ. H. Hambleton, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Christ's First Sermon After His ResurrectionE. Hedding, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Christ's Method of Imparting InstructionH. Melvill, B. D.Luke 24:13-35
Christ's ResurrectionT. Armitage, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Communion with ChristJ. T. Woodhouse.Luke 24:13-35
Disciples At EmmausW. Jackson.Luke 24:13-35
Divine Influence Needed to Understand the ScripturesH. W. Beecher.Luke 24:13-35
Easter ConsolationsCanon Liddon.Luke 24:13-35
Easter MondayJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
EmmausJ. R. Thomson.Luke 24:13-35
Ends Proposed in the Sufferings of ChristR. Hall, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Faith and FactJesse B. Thomas, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Gain from the Sufferings of ChristA. Dickinson, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Hallowed FeelingsJohn Rawlinson.Luke 24:13-35
Him They Saw NotW. Scott.Luke 24:13-35
How to Detain Jesus in the SoulE. B. Pusey, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Jesus Drawing NearClerical LibraryLuke 24:13-35
Jesus Near, But UnrecognizedC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 24:13-35
Jesus RisenBishop Home.Luke 24:13-35
Our Lord's QuestionB. Beddome, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Present, But UnknownA. A. Lipscomb, LL. D.Luke 24:13-35
Sad HeartsLuke 24:13-35
Scripture OpenedJ. Jowett, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
Sunset Sorrow and Lost HopesH. Elvet Lewis.Luke 24:13-35
The Absent Lord AppearsA. A. Ramsey.Luke 24:13-35
The Bible a Rich StorehouseH. W. Beecher.Luke 24:13-35
The Bible Gives Light and WarmthLuke 24:13-35
The Blessed Guest DetainedC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 24:13-35
The Disclosure At EmmausC. S. Robinson, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Evening Prayer of Christ's FriendsJ. Igor, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Folly of UnbeliefC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 24:13-35
The Hidden ChristH. W. Beecher.Luke 24:13-35
The Journey to EmmausA. Raleigh, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Journey to EmmausW. Landels.Luke 24:13-35
The Lord is Risen IndeedW. Landels.Luke 24:13-35
The Meal At EmmausA. Maclaren, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Means, Author, and Effects of Christian InstructionH. H. Beamish, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Necessity of Christ's ResurrectionM. H. Seymour, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Opening of the ScripturesH. C. Williams.Luke 24:13-35
The Resurrection of ChristA. C. Carr, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Right Point of ViewH. W. Beecher.Luke 24:13-35
The Risen Christ the Best Escort on the Pilgrim, Age of LifeR.M. Edgar Luke 24:13-35
The Spiritual EyeJ. Vaughan, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Sufferings and Glory of ChristW. L. Alexander, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Sufferings and the Glory of the ChristJ. Waite, B. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausJ. T. Higgins.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausT. S. Doolittle, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausD. C. Hughes, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausD. C. Hughes, M. A.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausJ. B. Clark.Luke 24:13-35
The Walk to EmmausR. Fuller, D. D.Luke 24:13-35
Understanding the ScripturesLuke 24:13-35
While He Talked with UsLuke 24:13-35
People
Cleopas, James, Jesus, Joanna, Mary, Peter, Simon
Places
Bethany, Emmaus, Galilee, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Road to Emmaus
Topics
Chief, Condemned, Cross, Crucified, Death, Deliver, Delivered, Handed, Judgment, Priests, Rulers, Sentence, Sentenced
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Luke 24:20

     5509   rulers
     5564   suffering, of Christ
     7330   chief priests

Luke 24:1-33

     7241   Jerusalem, significance

Luke 24:13-32

     5505   roads

Luke 24:15-32

     2555   Christ, resurrection appearances

Library
Good Friday
Eversley, 1856. St. Luke xxiv. 5, 6. "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." This is a very solemn day; for on this day the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. The question for us is, how ought we to keep it? that is, what sort of thoughts ought to be in our minds upon this day? Now, many most excellent and pious persons, and most pious books, seem to think that we ought to-day to think as much as possible of the sufferings of our Blessed Lord; and because we …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

February 11 Morning
They that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.--MAL. 3:16. It came to pass that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.--Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst ot them.--My fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. Let the word of Christ dwell in …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

March 23 Evening
They constrained him, saying, Abide with us.--LUKE 24:29. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.--Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?--I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 18 Morning
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.--PSA. 119:18. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.--It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.--I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.--We have received, not the spirit of …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

December 7. "Abide with Us; for it is Toward Evening" (Luke xxiv. 29).
"Abide with us; for it is toward evening" (Luke xxiv. 29). In His last messages to the disciples in the 14th and 15th chapters of John, the Lord Jesus clearly teaches us that the very essence of the highest holiness is, "Abide in Me, and I in you, for without Me ye can do nothing." The very purpose of the Holy Ghost whom He promised was to reveal Him, that at "that day, ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in Me, and I in you," and the closing echo of His intercessory prayer was embraced …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Peter Alone with Jesus
'The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.' --LUKE xxiv. 34. The other appearances of the risen Lord to individuals on the day of Resurrection are narrated with much particularity, and at considerable length. John gives us the lovely account of our Lord's conversation with Mary Magdalene, Luke gives us in full detail the story of the interview with the two travellers on the road to Emmaus. Here is another appearance, known to 'the eleven, and them that were with them' on the Resurrection …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The First Easter Sunrise
'Now, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came onto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Risen Lord's Self-Revelation to Wavering Disciples
'And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them. 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him. 17. And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18. And …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Meal at Emmaus
'And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight.'--LUKE xxiv. 30, 31. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of the Gospel accounts of our Lord's intercourse with His disciples, in the interval between the Resurrection and His Ascension, is the singular union of mystery and simplicity which they present. There is a certain air of remoteness and depth …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Triumphant End
'And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39. Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. 40. And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet. 41. And while …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

Christ's Witnesses
'Ye are witnesses of these things. 49. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.'--LUKE xxiv. 48, 49. Luke's account of the Resurrection and subsequent forty days is so constructed as to culminate in this appointment of the disciples to their high functions and equipment for it, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Evangelist has evidently in view his second 'treatise,' and is here preparing the link of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Living Dead
'Why seek ye the living among the dead! 6. He is not here, but is risen.'--LUKE xxiv. 5,6. We can never understand the utter desolation of the days that lay betwixt Christ's Death and His Resurrection. Our faith rests on centuries. We know that that grave was not even an interruption to the progress of His work, but was the straight road to His triumph and His glory. We know that it was the completion of the work of which the raising of the widow's son and of Lazarus were but the beginnings. But …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Ascension
'And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. 51. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.' --LUKE xxiv. 50, 51. 'And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.'--ACTS i. 9. Two of the four Evangelists, viz., Matthew and John, have no record of the Ascension. But the argument which infers ignorance from silence, which is always rash, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

"I Know!"
The man of God who has fixed his feet on the rock of salvation can say with certainty, "I know." If you have not got assurance and want it, just believe God's Word. If you go down South and ask those three million colored people how they think they are free, they won't talk about their feelings; they just believe that Abraham Lincoln made them free. They believe the proclamation, and so we must believe the proclamation God has made in the Bible. "One thing thou teachest," that is salvation. [Illustration: …
Dwight L. Moody—Moody's Anecdotes And Illustrations

Spiritual Power.
"And behold I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."--ST. LUKE xxiv. 49. "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."--ACTS i. 8. To-day we are celebrating the last of the series of historical festivals which mark the springtime of our Christian year. And without this one the rest would leave us with a sense of incompleteness; for we should be without its gift of the abiding and indwelling …
John Percival—Sermons at Rugby

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xxiv. 36, "He Himself Stood in the Midst of Them, and Saith unto Them, Peace be unto You," Etc.
1. The Lord appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, as ye have heard, and saluted them, saying, "Peace be unto you." [3554] This is peace indeed, and the salutation of salvation: for the very word salutation has received its name from salvation. [3555] And what can be better than that Salvation Itself should salute man? For Christ is our Salvation. He is our Salvation, who was wounded for us, and fixed by nails to the tree, and being taken down from the tree, was laid in the sepulchre. …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Beginning at Jerusalem
I. Ye that would faithfully serve Christ note carefully how he taught his disciples WHAT THEY WERE TO PREACH. We find different descriptions of the subject of our preaching, but on this occasion it is comprised in two things--repentance and remission of sins. I am glad to find in this verse that old- fashioned virtue called repentance. It used to be preached, but it has gone out of fashion now. Indeed, we are told that we always misunderstood the meaning of the word "repentance"; and that it simply …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 29: 1883

The Wounds of Jesus
First, what influence did the exhibition of the hands and feet have upon the disciples? Secondly, why is it that Jesus Christ, now in heaven, bears with him the scars in his flesh? And, then, thirdly, is there any lesson to us in the fact that Jesus Christ still wears his wounds? I think there is. I. First, then, OF WHAT USE WAS THE EXHIBITION OF THOSE WOUNDS TO THE DESCIPLES? I reply at once that they were infallible proofs that he was the same person. He said, "Behold my hands and feet, that it …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Twenty-Fourth Day for the Spirit on Your Own Congregation
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit on your own Congregation "Beginning at Jerusalem."--LUKE xxiv. 47. Each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of believers, who are to us the part of Christ's body with which we come into most direct contact. They have a special claim on our intercession. Let it be a settled matter between God and you that you are to labour in prayer on its behalf. Pray for the minister and all leaders or workers in it. Pray for the believers according to their needs. …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Savonarola -- the Ascension of Christ
Girolamo Savonarola was born at Ferrara in 1452, and was admitted in 1475 into the novitiate of the Dominican Order, where he soon made himself conspicuous for eloquence, and in Florence attracted many hearers by his diatribes against corruption. Florence, having lost its independence as a republic, was completely under the sway of the Medici, who became arrayed against Savonarola, who aimed at establishing an ideal Christian commonwealth. When he attacked the Pope Alexander VI. his doom was practically …
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I

Of the Fervent Desire of Certain Devout Persons to Receive the Body and Blood of Christ
The Voice of the Disciple O how great is the abundance of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee. When I call to mind some devout persons who draw nigh to Thy Sacrament, O Lord, with the deepest devotion and affection, then very often I am confounded in myself and blush for shame, that I approach Thine altar and table of Holy Communion so carelessly and coldly, that I remain so dry and without affection, that I am not wholly kindled with love before Thee, my God, …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Shadow of Disappointment.
But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. LUKE xxiv. 21. In the accounts of the disciples, contained in the New Testament, there is no attempt to glorify them, or to conceal any weakness. From the first to the last, they think and act precisely as men would think and act in their circumstances;--they are affected just as others of like culture would be affected by such events as those set forth in the record. And the genuineness of their conduct argues the genuineness …
E. H. Chapin—The Crown of Thorns

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