Soar Like Eagles (Part 42)
Crucifixion of Jesus...King of the Jews - John 19:17-42

Not one of the gospels deals at length with the crucifixion of Christ,
and no two of them coincide exactly in the narration of detail. The
greatest number of variants from the common tradition occur in this
gospel, but the distinctive element is not an accident.
The aspects which John contain were selected carefully for the purpose
of concluding the main theme: belief versus unbelief. What happened is
important, certainly, but also why it happened is vital, if we hope to go
to heaven.
The narrative of the crucifixion may be divided into six paragraphs,
each of which contains a unit of action taken from the scene as a whole:

* THE ACT OF THE CRUCIFIXION (19:17-18)
"Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which
in Aramaic is called Golgotha). {18} Here they crucified him, and with
him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle."
The crucifixion was mentioned in the fewest possible words. John, who
alone of all the disciples witnessed it, said the least about it. The
paragraph merely states the act, the place, and the fact that two others
shared the same fate as Jesus.
The reticence of the writer indicates that he did not lay great value
upon stressing the physical suffering. Besides, in a day when crucifixion
was still a current method of execution, it would have been too familiar
to need description and too horrible a thought to deserve elaboration.
Cicero said of crucifixion: "It was the most cruel and shameful of all
punishments. Let it never come near the body of a Roman citizen; nay, not
even near his thoughts or ears, and ears."
It was reserved for the lowest kind of criminals, particularly those
who promoted insurrection. It had its origin among the Persians and
Phoenicians, but it was the Romans who made special use of it.
It was the custom for the condemned man to carry at least part of the
cross, usually the crossbeam, and sometimes the whole cross. There's a
savage irony in making a man carry the implement on which he was to
suffer and die, but think of the example given to us today (Luke 9:23).
The walk was about a mile long.
Golgotha: a Hebrew or Aramaic word meaning "skull." Calvaria (Calvary)
was the Latin word, which also meant "skull." That He was crucified with
two notorious thieves only added to the shame, and it also fulfilled
Isaiah 53:12: "He was numbered with the transgressors." He was treated
like a common criminal.

* THE PLACING OF THE TITLE ON THE CROSS (19:19-22)
"Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. {20} Many of the
Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,
and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. {21} The chief priests
of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but
that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." {22} Pilate answered,
"What I have written, I have written.""
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully
related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by
allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret
power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character
and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were
fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament.
The title had a two-fold significance: First, an inscription was
usually hung over the crucified criminals in order to inform the public
of the reason for their execution. In this instance, it was used by
Pilate as the vehicle for a sarcastic thrust at the Jews. He was
exhibiting this man, condemned to a criminal's death at the demand of His
own national rulers, as their king.
Second, it was an ironic statement of truth. Though the concept of the
kingdom of God is much less prominent in John than in Matthew, the author
put himself on record concerning the nature of the kingdom by quoting
Jesus' own words.
The fact that it was written in three languages shows that our Lord
was crucified in a place where many people and nations met, a
cosmopolitan place.

It was in:
- Greek: read in all cultured circles in the world since it was the
language of literature and culture
- Latin: for the Roman soldiers, the language of law and power
- Hebrew: the language of the Jews, the language of rebellion

* THE DIVISION OF GARMENTS (19:23-24)
"When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing
them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment
remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to
bottom. {24} "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide
by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be
fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots
for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did."
This was not an exceptional deed of brutality. In any case of
crucifixion, the garments of the victim became the property of the
soldiers detailed for execution.
The usual dress of a Jew consisted of five parts: the head dress, the
shoes, the outer garment or toga, the girdle, and the chit on (or tunic
here called "coat"), a kind of shirt which fit somewhat closely to the
body, and reached from the neck to the ankles.
The importance of the incident was that the soldiers gambled for the
seamless tunic just as the prophetic psalm (Psalms 22:18: "They divide my
garments among them and cast lots for my clothing") had predicted. They
did this in the presence of the greatest event in history to their day!
Three times in this narrative the fulfillment of scripture was
mentioned, as if to make sure that the reader would understand that the
event was connected with the Old Testament (vs. 24, 28, 36).

* THE PROVISION FOR JESUS’ MOTHER (19:25-27)
"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary
the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. {26} When Jesus saw his mother
there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his
mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," {27} and to the disciple, "Here
is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his
home."
While we often overlook this group of women, and think only of Mary,
the mother of Jesus, we needed to be reminded that it took courage to
stand there in the midst of such hatred and ridicule...but their being
there must have encouraged our Lord.
The two paragraphs concerning Jesus' mother and the completion of His
task contain all of the words that Jesus spoke from the cross as John
reported them. They represent the thought and action of Jesus in the last
hour of His earthly life. Each was significant because it denoted a
different relation of Jesus to His work.
The utterance concerning His mother marked the discharge of His human
obligations. Even at the cross, with the destiny of His person and
calling at stake, He was not unmindful of His duty to His family.
All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly
provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one
comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it.
Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and
death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every
means in their power.

* THE FINAL CRIES FROM THE CROSS (19:28-30)
"Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture
would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." {29} A jar of wine
vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a
stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. {30} When he had
received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his
head and gave up his spirit."
Our Lord knew what was going on; He was fully in control as He obeyed
the Father's will. "I thirst" betokened Jesus' deep participation in
human suffering. He endured the terrible thirst that accompanied
crucifixion as a token of His voluntary sharing in all human woe.
The vinegar which was given to Him was the cheap sour wine which the
common soldiers drank, sharp in taste and astringent in quality.
Paradoxical enough, He who had offered to all men the water of life died
thirsting.
Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his
soul:
It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his
sufferings were now fulfilled.
It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament,
which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished.
It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now
come, and all the shadows are done away.
It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an
everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those
of his soul, and those of his body.
It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now
completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.


- We see the evidence of Christ’s humanity
Jesus was in every way God, but was also in every way man. He was not
a Divine man, nor a humanized God; He was both God and man.

- We see the intensity of Christ’s sufferings
We need to remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He was in
such prayerful agony that His sweat was like great drops of blood.
Myrrh was given at the time when one was nailed to the cross as a mild
analgesic, and it's felt that Jesus refused it (though, remember, it was
one of the three gifts at His birth!)

- We see our Lord’s deep reverence for the scriptures
Jesus knew His scripture, and He knew Psalm 69 had talked of His
thirst on the cross.

- We see the Savior’s submission to the Father’s will
Jesus had the power to do whatever He wanted on this earth ... He'd
turned water to wine; He'd healed the disease and demon possessed; He'd
even raised some from the dead! But He never once performed a miracle for
His own benefit, or comfort. When He was hungry, His disciples went and
found food for themselves.
He made seven statements while He was on the cross; they are known as
the "seven sayings from the cross."
First, He thought of others: those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34), the
believing thief (Luke 23:39-43), and His mother (here).
The central word had to do with His relationship with the Father
...Matthew 27:45-49.
The last three statements focused on Himself: His body (John 19:28-
29), His soul (John 19:30), and His spirit (Luke 23:46).

"It is finished" marked the achievement of perfection. Jesus died with
a consciousness that His work was done, and that there was nothing left
for Him to accomplish. The cry should not be interpreted as the last gasp
of a defeated martyr, but as a shout of triumphant victory!
The Greek word was "tetestai" and means "it is finished, it stands
finished, and it always will be finished!"
Jesus had spoken often of finishing the work God had sent Him to do:
John 4:34: "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me
and to finish his work."

What was finished?
- God’s will concerning atonement:
Hebrews 10:5-10: "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for
me...."First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin
offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although
the law required them to be made). {9} Then he said, "Here I am, I have
come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.
{10} And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

- God’s will concerning the scriptures
At the moment these words were uttered, anyone could have dug deeply
into the Old Testament scrolls, made an exhaustive search into all
prophecies, and all would have been found fulfilled!

- God’s will concerning the law
Those under the law could be "redeemed" only by another fulfilling
its requirements and suffering its curse. Our sins could be taken away
only by their being blotted out by the precious blood of Christ. The
demands of justice must be met.
The requirements of God's holiness must be satisfied. The awful debt
we incurred must be paid.
Galatians 4:4-5: "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under law, {5} to redeem those under law, that we
might receive the full rights of sons."
Romans 7:12 ("So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy,
righteous and good") tells us the law was holy, just, and good. The
problem did not rest with the law, but with man.

- God’s will concerning the devil
Christ defeated Satan at the cross. He destroyed "him that had the
power of death..." (Heb. 2:14).
1 Corinthians 2:8 ("None of the rulers of this age understood it, for
if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory") is a vital
verse here. The devil did not understand what he was doing in crucifying
Christ. Think of the effect the resurrection had on the apostles and
first century Christians!

* THE LEGS BROKEN AND THE PIERCING WITH THE SPEAR (19:31-37)
Two groups of people were involved in our Lord's burial: the Roman
soldiers and the Jewish believers.
"Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a
special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the
crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and
the bodies taken down. {32} The soldiers therefore came and broke the
legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those
of the other. {33} But when they came to Jesus and found that he was
already dead, they did not break his legs. {34} Instead, one of the
soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of
blood and water. {35} The man who saw it has given testimony, and his
testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so
that you also may believe. {36} These things happened so that the
scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," {37}
and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have
pierced.""
John is the only gospel who includes these two events. The removal of
the body from the cross was requested by the Jews, since leaving the
bodies publicly suspended would be a breach of the Mosaic Law and would
defile the Passover.
In accordance with the Roman custom, the executioners broke the legs
of the victims prior to their removal from the cross.
The purpose of this cruel deed was twofold: 1. The shock and the pain
would hasten death 2. If the victim survived, he would be crippled
permanently and would be unable to engage in any further activities
against the government

This episode was mentioned due to its importance as evidence for the
actuality of Jesus' death. These Roman soldiers were experts in this deed
and could tell the difference between death and a coma induced by pain
and exhaustion.
It is remarkable that they did not do what they were commanded to do:
break His legs --- and they did do what they were not supposed to do:
pierce His side. In both matters, they fulfilled the very Word of God!
Also, the piercing of His side with the resulting flow of blood
(crassamentum) and water (serum) is certain proof that death had already
taken place, since only blood would flow from a living body.
If Jesus had not really died, it could not be said that He had risen
from the dead; and if He were a phantom (as some by this time believed),
then death and resurrection would both be meaningless.
A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than
persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life
of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body
could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows
there was something peculiar in it.
The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great
benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and
sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both
flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe
merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification.

Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their
hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both
to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's
not allowing his legs to be broken, Psalms 34:20. There was a type of
this in the paschal lamb, Exodus 12:46.
May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have ignorantly and
heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against convictions and mercies; and
who shed from his wounded side both water and blood, that we might be
justified and sanctified in his name.
"Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now
Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.
With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. {39} He was
accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.
Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five
pounds. {40} Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the
spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial
customs. {41} At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden,
and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. {42}
Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was
nearby, they laid Jesus there."
Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciples
should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have been
fearful, in greater have been courageous.
When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it.
The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ, though
not his constant follower.
That grace which at first is like a bruised reed, may afterward
resemble a strong cedar. Hereby these two rich men showed the value they
had for Christ's person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the
reproach of the cross.
We must do our duty as the present day and opportunity are, and leave
it to God to fulfil his promises in his own way and his own time.
The grave of Jesus was appointed with the wicked, as was the case of
those who suffered as criminals; but he was with the rich in his death,
as prophesied, Isaiah 53:9; these two circumstances it was very unlikely
should ever be united in the same person.
He was buried in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that
it was not he, but some other that rose. We also are here taught not to
be particular as to the place of our burial. He was buried in the
sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousness set for a while,
to rise again in greater glory, and then to set no more.
The eagerness of these men to claim the body of Jesus is little short
of surprising since by so doing they openly declared themselves as
sympathizers with His cause.
The burial itself is important to the argument of John since it added
one more witness to the reality of Jesus' death.
The Jews did not embalm as the Egyptians did, by removing the soft
organs of the body, and by drying the muscular tissues with
preservatives.
The corpse was washed (Acts 9:37), and swathed in bandage-like
wrappings from armpits to feet, in the folds of which spices were placed
(Matt. 27:59, Luke 23:53), and a cloth was wound around the head.

* BELIEF VS. UNBELIEF
A careful consideration of the groups of people present at the
crucifixion shows that the cross became the dividing line between belief
and unbelief.

- Unbelief was at its height, since it had achieved its objective in
destroying Jesus
On this were the Jewish high priests and rulers, Pilate, and the
soldiers of the execution squad. Each represented some class of person:

- Chief priests and Jews
They possessed the bitter and implacable unbelief of organized
religionists who were actuated by jealousy, prejudice, and self-interest.
Their religion had lost its spontaneity and had become ritual which was
defended rather than lived.

- Pilate
Embodied the unbelief of political expediency which was accompanied by
no particular religious convictions, or by no convictions at all.
He might have listened to Jesus more carefully had not his standing
with Caesar been at stake, for he held no malicious grudge against Him.
He might even have released Him if it had been expedient for his own
interests.

- The soldiers
They were a picture of callousness and indifference of unbelief. Jesus
meant less to them than He did to Pilate; He was only an incident in a
day's work, and a rather unimportant one at that. His sufferings and
death evoked no interest from them.

* Belief was at its lowest ebb, for it had been unable to stem the
hostile tide that swept Jesus to His death
On this side were the women, including Jesus' mother, the beloved
disciple, and possibly Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, who appeared
later at the burial.

CONCLUSION
The story of Jesus is not told to provide entertainment. It is told to
create a living, life-chanigng faith in the hearts of those who hear it.
It requires a response.
John’s question is unescapable: will you step out in faith and be
identified with the One who died for you? Jesus died for you. What are
you going to do about it?




JOHN 19 IN REVIEW
I. Christ Mocked (19:1-22)
Pilate perhaps thought that scourging Jesus (which was illegal) would
move the hearts of the Jews and that they would want to see Him released.
But their hearts were hard (12:40), and they were determined to destroy
Him. Pilate wrongly permitted the soldiers to ridicule Christ, presenting
Him with a mock crown, robe, and scepter. Compare this scene with Rev.
19:1-21, when every knee will bow to Him.

The Jews accused Christ of breaking their law because He claimed to be
God (see 10:33). Yet in His messages and miracles, Jesus had proved
Himself to be God. But the hard-hearted sinners refused to consider the
evidence; they were bent on destroying Him.

Why did Christ not answer Pilate’s question in v. 9? For one thing,
Pilate had not obeyed the truth he had already received; and God does not
reveal more truth until we obey what He has already given. Pilate’s boast
in v. 10 was really his own sentence of condemnation! If he did have
authority to release Christ and knew that Jesus was innocent (19:4), then
Pilate should have set the prisoner free!

Christ rebuked Pilate by reminding him that all authority comes from God
(see Rom. 13:1ff and Prov. 8:15-16). Pilate was in the hands of God to
fulfill a special purpose, but Pilate was still responsible for his
decisions and guilty of sin. (See Luke 22:22.) "He that delivered Me to
you" (v. 11) refers to Caiaphas, not Judas.

"We have no king but Caesar!" (v. 15) was their cry. In 6:15, the Jews
wanted to make Christ king; and in 12:13 they hailed Him as king; and now
they rejected Him. This is the third crisis in John’s Gospel.

Pilate had "the last word," for he wrote the title for the cross: "This
is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." It was customary for a Roman
prisoner to wear the accusation on a placard around his neck, which then
was hung above his head upon his cross. Christ’s "crime" was that He made
Himself king!

The three languages of the title represented three great areas of human
life: religion (Hebrew), philosophy and culture (Greek), and law (Latin).
The title speaks of universal sin, for three great nations of the world
participated in His death. Religion, philosophy, and law will not save
lost sinners. The title also speaks of universal love—"God so loved the
world." The title also announces salvation for a whole world, for Christ
is the wisdom of God to the Greek, the power of God to the Jew, and the
justice of God that fulfills His holy law (1 Cor. 1:18ff). The repentant
thief read this title, trusted Christ, and was saved.

II. Christ Crucified (19:23-30)
John records but three of Christ’s seven statements from the cross. He is
careful to note the fulfillment of Scripture in the gambling for the
seamless robe (Ps. 22:18), the giving of the vinegar (Ps. 69:21), and the
piercing of His side without breaking any bones (Ps. 34:20 with Ex.
12:46; Zech. 12:10).
Note, however, that v. 37 does not say Zech. 12:10 was fulfilled; rather,
that Zech. 12:10 says He would be pierced. They will "look upon Him" at
that future day when He returns in glory (Rev. 1:7). Every detail about
the crucifixion was carefully worked out by the hand of God.

In giving John and Mary to each other, Christ was finally breaking the
earthly ties of family. It was Christ who controlled the situation, not
Mary. We admire Mary’s devotion in coming to the cross (Luke 2:34-35).
Her silence is proof that Jesus is God’s Son, for one word from her could
have saved Jesus. After all, who knows a son better than the mother who
bore him?

"I thirst" spoke both of physical and spiritual agony, for Christ
suffered the torment of hell for our sins. He thirsted that we might
never thirst. "It is finished!" is one word in the Greek text—tetelestai.
The word was a common one and was used by merchants to mean "The price is
all paid!" Shepherds and priests used it when they found a perfect sheep,
ready for sacrifice; and Christ died as the perfect lamb of God.
Servants, when their work was completed, would use this word when
reporting to their masters. Christ, the obedient Servant, had finished
the work the Father gave Him to do. Christ willingly and deliberately
gave up His life; He laid down His life for His friends.

III. Christ Buried (19:31-42)
The Jews were not interested in compassion or the awfulness of their
crime; they only wanted to keep from violating their Sabbath laws! The
fact that the soldiers did not break Christ’s legs to hasten death was
proof that He was already dead. The blood and water illustrate two
aspects of salvation: blood to atone for the guilt of sin, and water to
wash away the stain of sin. The blood speaks of justification and the
water of sanctification. The two must always go together, for those who
have trusted the blood of Christ to save them should live clean lives
before a watching world.

>From v. 35, we infer that John left Mary at his own house and came back
to the cross. Staying with Christ was more important than caring for
Mary. When we first find Mary in John’s Gospel, she is attending a joyful
wedding feast (2:1-11); her last mention is at Jesus’ painful execution.

God had prepared Nicodemus and Joseph, two members of the Sanhedrin, to
bury the body of Jesus. Otherwise, His body probably would have been
thrown on the garbage heap outside Jerusalem. Isaiah 53:9 promised that
His grave would be with the rich. This is the third and final mention of
Nicodemus in John, and at last we see him coming out boldly into the
sunlight of confession (see notes on John 3). Nicodemus and Joseph knew
from studying the Scriptures when Christ would die, how He would die, and
where He would die. They had the tomb all ready with the spices and were
probably hiding in the tomb while Christ was on the cross. Joseph did not
make this tomb for himself, for no rich man would want to be buried near
the place where criminals were executed. He secured property close to
Calvary that he might care for the body of Jesus quickly and easily.

We must not criticize Joseph for being a "hidden disciple," for we can
see how God used him and Nicodemus to accomplish His purposes. Had their
faith been known openly, they would have been prevented by the council
from caring for the body of Jesus. When Joseph and Nicodemus touched the
dead body of Christ, they defiled themselves for the Passover. But they
did not care, for they had come to trust in the Lamb of God Himself! The
Lamb of God had given His life for the sins of the world. His work on
earth was finished, and He rested on the Sabbath.

Last modified: April 18, 2006