They followed Jesus with tears, sensing the gravity of this sorrowful moment.
In this passage, we read, “And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him.” (v.27) The scene unfolds just outside of Jerusalem, the historic city in Judea under Roman rule in the early first century AD. Jesus, who had been ministering throughout Galilee and Judea for approximately three years (c. AD 27-30), is now on the way to His crucifixion. The “large crowd” suggests that many people recognized His importance, or at least were greatly curious about this extraordinary event. The presence of weeping women vividly underscores how deeply Jesus’ suffering affected some of the local population. Their lament also hints at the sorrow that would soon envelop Jesus’ closest followers, as they witnessed events that would temporarily devastate their hope (Luke 24:17).
When Luke notes, “of women who were mourning and lamenting Him,” (v.27) he emphasizes the shared grief of those nearest to Him. Historically, public mourning was common in Near Eastern cultures, especially for revered figures or innocent victims. These women likely belonged to the broader group of Jesus’ disciples, many of whom had followed Him since He traversed regions like Galilee and Samaria to proclaim the message of the kingdom (Luke 8:1-3). In a broader biblical context, the heartbreak of Jesus’ impending crucifixion also ties back to prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering (Isaiah 53:3-5). Their wailing thus reflects both love for Him and shock at the tragic events unfolding.
This verse also prepares the reader for what is to come: Jesus would endure crucifixion at a site outside Jerusalem's city walls, historically identified as Golgotha or Calvary. In AD 30 (or thereabouts), Jerusalem was under the governance of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, who ultimately handed Jesus over for death. Yet, as sorrowful as the lament is, we know from the rest of Scripture that God’s plan extends beyond the cross. Jesus’ resurrection, which follows in the gospel narrative, transforms sorrow into hope for believers (Luke 24:6-7).
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Luke 23:27 meaning
In this passage, we read, “And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him.” (v.27) The scene unfolds just outside of Jerusalem, the historic city in Judea under Roman rule in the early first century AD. Jesus, who had been ministering throughout Galilee and Judea for approximately three years (c. AD 27-30), is now on the way to His crucifixion. The “large crowd” suggests that many people recognized His importance, or at least were greatly curious about this extraordinary event. The presence of weeping women vividly underscores how deeply Jesus’ suffering affected some of the local population. Their lament also hints at the sorrow that would soon envelop Jesus’ closest followers, as they witnessed events that would temporarily devastate their hope (Luke 24:17).
When Luke notes, “of women who were mourning and lamenting Him,” (v.27) he emphasizes the shared grief of those nearest to Him. Historically, public mourning was common in Near Eastern cultures, especially for revered figures or innocent victims. These women likely belonged to the broader group of Jesus’ disciples, many of whom had followed Him since He traversed regions like Galilee and Samaria to proclaim the message of the kingdom (Luke 8:1-3). In a broader biblical context, the heartbreak of Jesus’ impending crucifixion also ties back to prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering (Isaiah 53:3-5). Their wailing thus reflects both love for Him and shock at the tragic events unfolding.
This verse also prepares the reader for what is to come: Jesus would endure crucifixion at a site outside Jerusalem's city walls, historically identified as Golgotha or Calvary. In AD 30 (or thereabouts), Jerusalem was under the governance of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, who ultimately handed Jesus over for death. Yet, as sorrowful as the lament is, we know from the rest of Scripture that God’s plan extends beyond the cross. Jesus’ resurrection, which follows in the gospel narrative, transforms sorrow into hope for believers (Luke 24:6-7).