What is the meaning of Luke 23:55? The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee Luke introduces these devoted followers to emphasize continuity: they had traveled the long road with Him and were still present when nearly everyone else had scattered. Their names are given elsewhere—“Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them” (Luke 24:10). • Their ongoing presence fulfills Luke 8:2-3, where these women first appear supporting Jesus’ ministry materially and spiritually. • Mark 15:40-41 and Matthew 27:55-56 confirm that the same group watched the crucifixion, underscoring eyewitness reliability. • By highlighting Galilee, Luke reminds readers that discipleship began long before the drama in Jerusalem and now bridges to the coming resurrection appearances in that very region (Matthew 28:7). followed “They followed” (Luke 23:55) paints a picture of steadfast loyalty. While Joseph of Arimathea carried Jesus’ body and Nicodemus assisted (John 19:38-42), the women kept close. • Their following mirrors the call of Luke 9:23—taking up the cross and following daily—even when hope seems lost. • Contrast the secrecy of Joseph and Nicodemus (John 19:38-39) with the women’s open devotion; it heightens their courage and prepares them to be first witnesses of the empty tomb (Luke 24:1-10). and they saw the tomb Observation is Luke’s theme; he wants us to know the tomb’s location was no mystery. • Matthew 27:61 and Mark 15:47 echo that two of the women “were sitting opposite the tomb” and “saw where He was laid.” • Their careful attention answers future skeptics: the resurrection cannot be dismissed as a mix-up over which tomb held Jesus. • The verb “saw” ties to Luke 1:2, where eyewitness testimony undergirds the Gospel. and how His body was placed The women noted not only the tomb but the precise manner of burial—linen cloths, spices, the stone at the entrance (Luke 23:53; John 19:40). • Their memory of the burial procedure explains why they returned “with spices and perfumes” after the Sabbath (Luke 24:1). • Knowing “how His body was placed” proves that Jesus truly died (Mark 15:44-45) and lays the groundwork for the physical, bodily resurrection proclaimed in Luke 24:39. • Isaiah 53:9 foretold the Messiah’s burial with the rich; Joseph’s new tomb fulfills that prophecy literally, witnessed by these women. summary Luke 23:55 showcases the unwavering commitment of the Galilean women: they followed Jesus to the cross, observed His burial location, and noted every detail of His interment. Their faithful presence provides reliable, firsthand testimony that Jesus died and was buried exactly as Scripture foretold, setting the stage for their joyous discovery of the empty tomb and the incontrovertible proof of His bodily resurrection. |
    |