The Meaning of Luke 23:27 Explained

Luke 23:27

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

YLT: And there was following him a great multitude of the people, and of women, who also were beating themselves and lamenting him,

Darby: And a great multitude of the people, and of women who wailed and lamented him, followed him.

ASV: And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Luke 23:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 23:26-34 - "they Crucified The Lord Of Glory"
Simon's two sons are believed to have become Christians. See Mark 15:21, Romans 16:13. Perhaps this strange interruption in his ordinary experiences led to the whole household becoming Christian. Jesus and he bore the cross together. So later, Symeon of Cambridge, who was much reviled for his evangelical principles, loved to think that he and Christ were suffering together.
Ever more thoughtful for others than for Himself, the Lord seemed to forget His griefs that He might address warnings and entreaties to these poor women, Luke 23:28. He was the young green tree in the forest glade, consumed in the awful heat of divine burnings, while they and theirs were the dry wood, which would soon crackle in the overthrow of their city.
On the cross our Lord became immediately the high priest, pleading for the great world and for His own; and He has never ceased since. See Hebrews 7:25. Sins of ignorance are placed in a different category from those of presumption; See 1 Timothy 1:13, 1 John 5:16. The answer to that prayer, Luke 23:34, was given on the day of Pentecost. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 23

1  Jesus is accused before Pilate, and sent to Herod
8  Herod mocks him
12  Herod and Pilate become friends
13  Barabbas is desired of the people,
24  and is released by Pilate, and Jesus is given to be crucified
26  He tells the women, that lament him, the destruction of Jerusalem;
34  prays for his enemies
39  Two criminals are crucified with him
46  His death
50  His burial

Greek Commentary for Luke 23:27

Followed [ηκολουτει]
Imperfect active, was following. Luke 23:27-32 are peculiar to Luke. [source]
Bewailed [εκοπτοντο]
Imperfect middle of κοπτω — koptō to cut, smite, old and common verb. Direct middle, they were smiting themselves on the breast. “In the Gospels there is no instance of a woman being hostile to Christ” (Plummer). Luke‘s Gospel is appropriately called the Gospel of Womanhood (1:39-56; Luke 2:36-38; Luke 7:11-15, Luke 7:37-50; Luke 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; Luke 11:27; Luke 13:11-16).Lamented (ετρηνουν — ethrēnoun). Imperfect active of τρηνεω — thrēneō old verb from τρεομαι — threomai to cry aloud, lament. [source]
Lamented [ετρηνουν]
Imperfect active of τρηνεω — thrēneō old verb from τρεομαι — threomai to cry aloud, lament. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 23:27

Luke 23:27 Followed [ηκολουτει]
Imperfect active, was following. Luke 23:27-32 are peculiar to Luke. [source]
John 16:20 Weep - lament - be sorrowful [κλαύσετε - θρηνήσετε - λυπηθήσεσθε]
Of these three words, the last is the most general in meaning, expressing every species of pain, of body or of soul, and not necessarily the outward manifestation of sorrow. Both the other words denote audible expressions of grief. Θρηνέω marks the more formal expression. It means to utter a dirge over the dead. Thus Homer, of the mourning over Hector in Troy:“On a fair couch they laid the corse, and placedSingers beside it leaders of the dirge ( θρηνων ), Who sang ( ἐθρήνεον ) a sorrowful, lamenting strain,-DIVIDER-
And all the women answered it with sobs.”“Iliad,” xxiv. 720-722. The verb occurs Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32; Luke 23:27. Κλαίω means audible weeping, the crying of children, as distinguished from δακρύω , to shed tears, to weep silently, which occurs but once in the New Testament, of Jesus' weeping (John 11:35). See on Luke 7:32. [source]

John 16:20 Ye shall weep and lament [κλαυσετε και τρηνησετε]
Future active of κλαιω — klaiō and τρηνεω — thrēneō both old words (for κλαιω — klaiō see John 11:31, for τρηνεω — thrēneō see Matthew 11:17), both words used of the loud lamentations so common in the east. Shall rejoice Second future passive of χαιρω — chairō in violent contrast. Picture the women on the way to the Cross (Luke 23:27, εκοπτοντο και ετρηνουν — ekoptonto kai ethrēnoun two descriptive imperfects) and Mary Magdalene by the tomb (John 20:11, κλαιουσα — klaiousa). Ye shall be sorrowful First future passive of λυπεω — lupeō word for inward grief. See the change from sorrow to joy in John 20:14-16 when “they disbelieved for joy” (Luke 24:41). So violent was the reaction on the sudden appearance of Jesus. [source]
Revelation 1:7 Shall see [οπσεται]
Future middle of οραω — horaō a reminiscence of Zechariah 12:10 according to the text of Theodotion (Aquila and Symmachus) rather than the lxx and like that of Matthew 24:30 (similar combination of Daniel and Zechariah) and Matthew 26:64. This picture of the victorious Christ in his return occurs also in Revelation 14:14, Revelation 14:18-20; Revelation 19:11-21; Revelation 20:7-10.And they which (και οιτινες — kai hoitines). “And the very ones who,” Romans and Jews, all who shared in this act.Pierced First aorist active indicative of εκκεντεω — ekkenteō late compound (Aristotle, Polybius, lxx), from εκ — ek and κεντεω — kenteō (to stab, to pierce), in N.T., only here and John 19:37, in both cases from Zechariah 12:10, but not the lxx text (apparently proof that John used the original Hebrew or the translation of Theodotion and Aquila).Shall mourn (κοπσονται — kopsontai). Future middle (direct) of κοπτω — koptō old verb, to cut, “they shall cut themselves,” as was common for mourners (Matthew 11:17; Luke 8:52; Luke 23:27). From Zechariah 12:12. See also Revelation 18:9.Tribes Not just the Jewish tribes, but the spiritual Israel of Jews and Gentiles as in Revelation 7:4-8. No nation had then accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, nor has any yet done so. [source]
Revelation 1:7 Pierced [εχεκεντησαν]
First aorist active indicative of εκκεντεω — ekkenteō late compound (Aristotle, Polybius, lxx), from εκ — ek and κεντεω — kenteō (to stab, to pierce), in N.T., only here and John 19:37, in both cases from Zechariah 12:10, but not the lxx text (apparently proof that John used the original Hebrew or the translation of Theodotion and Aquila).Shall mourn (κοπσονται — kopsontai). Future middle (direct) of κοπτω — koptō old verb, to cut, “they shall cut themselves,” as was common for mourners (Matthew 11:17; Luke 8:52; Luke 23:27). From Zechariah 12:12. See also Revelation 18:9.Tribes Not just the Jewish tribes, but the spiritual Israel of Jews and Gentiles as in Revelation 7:4-8. No nation had then accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, nor has any yet done so. [source]
Revelation 1:7 Shall mourn [κοπσονται]
Future middle (direct) of κοπτω — koptō old verb, to cut, “they shall cut themselves,” as was common for mourners (Matthew 11:17; Luke 8:52; Luke 23:27). From Zechariah 12:12. See also Revelation 18:9. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 23:27 mean?

Were following now Him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning lamenting for Him
Ἠκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ πολὺ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γυναικῶν αἳ ἐκόπτοντο ἐθρήνουν αὐτόν

Ἠκολούθει  Were  following 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
πολὺ  a  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
πλῆθος  multitude 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πλῆθος  
Sense: a multitude.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λαοῦ  people 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: λαός  
Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language.
γυναικῶν  of  women 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
ἐκόπτοντο  were  mourning 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κόπτω  
Sense: to cut, strike, smite.
ἐθρήνουν  lamenting  for 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: θρηνέω  
Sense: to mourn, to lament.

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