After Jesus died on the cross, it’s interesting to notice the responses of those observing. Luke 23 gives us an opportunity to people watch, right after the most important deed in all of human history occurred.

Here are some of those responses ~

1)The Roman soldier who oversaw His death acknowledged His innocent

2)The crowd who saw Him left in deep sorrow

3)Jesus’ disciples and friends stood watching from a distance

4)a man named Joseph of Arimathea, who was also a member of the Jewish high council but disagreed with the decision to crucify Jesus, went to Pilate (the leader who allowed Him to be crucified) and asked for His body.

5)women who were Jesus’ friends followed the body of Jesus to the tomb in order to prepare it for burial with spices and ointment

Luke 23 ~

⁴⁷ When the Roman officer^[b]overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.^[c]” ⁴⁸ And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.^[d]49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

⁵⁰ Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, ⁵¹ but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. ⁵² He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. ⁵⁴ This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation,^[e] as the Sabbath was about to begin.

⁵⁵ As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.