Luke 23:27-28 -- On Choosing to be Good People

"And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children."
Luke 23:27-28


I am not sure why it lists people and women separately here... maybe to emphasize that there were women, because that paints a picture that is somehow more sorrowful/emotional?  Or perhaps just to explain Christ's reference to "daughters" in the next   I enjoyed reading this today, in contrast to earlier in the chapter where it says that "the chief priests and the rulers and the people" (verse 13) asked for Barabbas rather than Christ (verse 18), and consented to the crucifixion (verse 21).  This makes it clear that those "people" and the "people" (and women) referred to in this verse are different groups, and that there were very many who still cared about Christ, and who did *not* want him to die.

It was part of God's plan for Christ to die, and to be resurrected, and so I know we can't really wish that the political situation had been different in order to save him back then.  He could have saved himself at any time, and he chose instead to allow it, to finish the atonement and our salvation.  But it still makes me feel better that here it points out a lot of people who never wanted it to happen.  I also like that he told them not to worry about him, but to worry about their own lives. It sounds sort of "impending doom"ish, but I really think he was concerned for them, and didn't want them to cry for him.  He was choosing something... FOR them, and he wanted them to take care of themselves and their families, because he knew a lot of rough things were in store for them.

I guess the lesson here is that, as people, we need to be the sort of people who mourn for the bad things that happen in our society and do what we can to change them, and not be the sort of people that go along with the evil decisions of others, even if they have titles or authority.  Today, let's choose to be good, and to love and serve God, regardless of what anyone else chooses.