As Barnabas is released, Roman soldiers flogged Jesus, mocked Him, and led Him out to be crucified, Matthew 27:26 / Mark 15:15 / John 19:1. Flogging was the governor’s attempt to convince the Jews that Jesus had suffered enough and should be released, Luke 23:16.
The soldiers then led Jesus out to be crucified outside of the city, Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20 / Luke 23:26 / Numbers 15:35 / 1 Kings 21:13 / Acts 7:58 / Hebrews 13:11-12, while a mournful multitude of faithful disciples followed, Luke 23:27-31.
The mob rejected Jesus in favour of Barabbas, a criminal, and so, Pilate decides he’ll have Jesus flogged within an inch of His life, and that’ll come close to the real thing and satisfy the mob, Mark 15:15.
Pilate had Jesus flogged, John 19:1. Jesus suffered intensely in His last few hours. After being up all night, subjected to the stress of six different trials, if we compare the accounts in Matthew, Luke, and John, He was scourged, Mark 15:15.
Flogging was usually administered to one who was about to be crucified. Antiochus Epiphanies used it to force Jews to eat swine’s flesh, 2 Maccabees 6:30 / 2 Maccabees 7:1. The flagellum was similar to the ‘cat o’ nine tails’, a handle with leather thongs, tipped with bone or metal.
The prisoner was stripped to the waist and then bound in a stooping position to the post. The blows were applied to the back and loins, sometimes even to the face and the bowels. So hideous was the punishment that the victim usually fainted and, not rarely, died under it.
Eusebius describes the death of Christian martyrs at Smyrna about 155 A.D., ‘so torn with scourges that their veins were laid bare, and the inner muscles and sinews, and even the bowels, were exposed’. Josephus tells of a man who was ‘flogged to the bone’ before a Roman governor.
Flogging was accomplished by tying bits of bone, metal and glass to a whip and then striking the victim’s back. This procedure produced excruciating pain, much loss of blood and sometimes even death. The victim’s back became a bloody mass.
Remember the Jews practised flogging, which consisted of thirty-nine lashes, but here The Romans had no restrictions on how many lashes they delivered on the victim; they would carry on until the one doing the lashing would tire.
Once again, all four Gospels mention the flogging but say absolutely nothing about it; there is no attempt to play upon the reader’s emotions. Also, at that age, people were perfectly familiar with it and needed no explanations.
After flogging Him, they took thorns, wove them into a crown, put it on Jesus’ head, and began to beat on it, causing intense pain. They put a scarlet robe on Him, Matthew 27:28.
Mark’s account calls it purple, only to later rip it off, undoubtedly tearing open the blood-dried wounds on His back in the process. Then came the crucifixion.
Imagine striking the very One who created the universe! Imagine striking the very One who created them! Colossians 1:16. ‘The whole battalion’ was involved in everything which is about to happen, Matthew 27:27 / Mark 15:16.
John records ‘a purple robe’, John 19:2, whilst Matthew records a ‘scarlet’ robe, Matthew 27:28. Purple, with the ancients, was a vague term for bright, rich colour, and would be used of crimson as well as violet.
It was probably the cloak of a Roman soldier, i.e., an officer. The ‘robe’, ‘himatismos’, is used generally of costly or stately raiment, the apparel of kings, of officials, etc., Luke 7:25.
It was often a prelude to crucifixion, but in this case, it wasn’t, as Pilate later tried to have Jesus released, and this flogging was an attempt to satisfy the Jews without killing Jesus. The soldiers went further than just flogging and placed a crown of thorns upon His head, Matthew 27:29.
This was a mock coronation for the one claiming to be the king of the Jews, and it was followed by mock worship of Him. There are two thoughts concerning ‘a crown of thorns.’
1. That it was an instrument of torture, long, sharp spikes turned inward, or
2. That it was a radiant crown, with the spikes turned outward, similar in appearance to a crown worn by an emperor.
There is a shrub in Palestine called ‘spina Christi’ or ‘palimus shrub’ which has long, sharp spikes, and leaves similar to the ivy used for emperors’ or generals’ crowns; this is the traditional source of the crown of thorns.
Matthew says that they ‘put a staff in his hand’, Matthew 27:29. Notice they spit on Jesus, Matthew 27:30, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again, Matthew 27:30 / Mark 15:19.
Note the tense, ‘they kept coming up to Him, kept striking Him,’ John 19:3, it was repeated action. The picture is of a soldier after soldier coming up to Jesus, kneeling before Him, slapping Him, spitting on Him and shouting.
The soldiers then bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ John 19:3 / Matthew 27:29 / Mark 15:18. They worshipped Him, Mark 15:19. In John 19:4, we see Pilate for the second time telling the people that he can find no charge with which to charge Jesus.
He ought to have released Jesus at this point; if the prisoner’s guilt or innocence had been the sole consideration, Jesus would have been set free before this, but he is afraid of possible political repercussions.
When Jesus comes out, Pilate shows Him to the crowd, ‘here is your man!’, John 19:5. This was an attempt to gain sympathy for Jesus as if to say, ‘look at this poor fellow!’
How could they accuse such a pitiable object of treason? It’s a weak attempt to free Jesus. The governor is almost begging the Jews to show pity for the prisoner.
When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, ‘Crucify, crucify!’ and once more Pilate tells them to take Jesus themselves and crucify Him, for he find no guilt in Jesus, John 19:6.
They have tried to have Jesus condemned for sedition, Luke 23:2, now in John 19:7, they are forced to reveal the real charge against him, ‘He ought to die because he made himself the Son of God’.
The charge was blasphemy, and their ‘Law’ of Moses called for the death penalty, Leviticus 24:16. It was on this charge that the Sanhedrin had condemned Jesus to death, Mark 14:61-64 / Matthew 27:23-66, but they don’t reveal this until they are forced to do so. If Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God was false, then the Sanhedrin was right in condemning Him to death for blasphemy.
Pilate knows that the Jews aren’t allowed to crucify someone, and the offer to them here isn’t genuine but an attempt to get the crowd to move away. He is afraid of them, John 19:8, and wants this problem to go away as soon as possible. The governor was already a frightened man, John 19:8; two things would have made him afraid.
1. His wife’s message, Matthew 27:19.
2. The words and demeanour of Jesus.
Pilate knows that it’s the policy of Rome to allow the natives religious freedom, as long as they worship the Caesar claiming deity as well. The Jews are aware of this policy and hope to use it to persuade the reluctant Pilate.
And so, Pilate takes Jesus into the Praetorium and asks, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘To what world do you belong?’ John 19:9. Notice that Jesus didn’t answer, John 19:9, perhaps because worldly Pilate had already been told, and could not grasp the answer, John 18:37-38.
Perhaps also because a man who would scourge a prisoner, he had declared innocent, did not deserve a reply. To the governor, a kingdom based entirely on ‘truth’ was incomprehensible, for Jesus to have said that He was the Son of God who had come from heaven would have been more so.
He seems to get into a rage, and he can’t fathom what Jesus is all about. He arrogantly brags about his power, trying to get a response out of Jesus, even offering his freedom for the correct answers.
Refusing to answer could be regarded as ‘contempt of court’. Pilate, as Tiberius’ representative, had the power of life and death over a prisoner, John 19:10. He says, ‘Do you not know that I have power ‘exousia’ to release you, and power ‘exousia’ to crucify you?’ The governor’s ‘exousia’ was delegated authority, derived from Caesar.
Calmly, Jesus tells Pilate of the origin of His power, His authority is ‘given from above’, from God, John 19:11 / Romans 13:1. God had entrusted Him with the power He has, and He is answerable to God for the way He uses that power. Jesus reassures Pilate that he is not totally to blame for putting the Son of God to death, as he does so out of ignorance of the truth.
Caiaphas, acting officially for the Sanhedrin, had delivered Jesus to Pilate; he had ‘the greater sin,’ John 19:11. The deeper guilt lies with the man who ‘handed me over to you’.
This is Jesus’ final statement to Pilate, and in it, He affirms God’s supremacy, He is in control of human affairs, and also man’s accountability; the Jewish rulers and the Roman governors are answerable to God.
John tells us that Pilate knew that Jesus was no leader of the sedition against Rome, he was also frightened, so he ‘sought’, notice again the tense, ‘kept on seeking’, to free Him, John 19:12.
John doesn’t say how he did so, but he records that the governor finally gave up the efforts because of fear, John 19:12. The chief priests however had the Law, they ought to have recognised the Messiah but instead, they are about to force His execution.
This short speech of Jesus impresses Pilate, who recognises some characteristics that he doesn’t quite understand, and he tries again to persuade the Jews to allow him to allow Jesus to go free.
The Jews shouted, ‘If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friends,’ John 19:12. This was political blackmail, and it ended the efforts to release Jesus. The Jews were saying, ‘Free this man and we will accuse you to the Emperor. The charge against you will be high treason, that you released a man who claimed to be King of the Jews.
Tiberius was a very suspicious ruler; even a hint of disloyalty would be disastrous for a Roman official. Pilate knew that a charge of high treason could cost him position, liberty, and life, and so, this frightened him, and then he decided to put personal safety before justice, to condemn an innocent man to death.
The Jew’s new weapon against Jesus is all-powerful against Pilate. Jesus claims to be the king; thus, He opposes Caesar, who is the king of all the vast Roman domains.
This was the ultimate hypocrisy, as all present knew that the Jews didn’t consider Caesar their king and held no allegiance to him. This very good argument must have again caused a troubled Pilate to slip into a rage, but they now had him in a corner.
Pilate makes one last attempt to change the mob’s mind, but they will not hear of it; they want Jesus dead, John 19:12. John 19:13 could imply that Pilate had Jesus sit on the judgement seat; the Greek could have either meaning.
The Jew’s threat has decided Pilate and at once he prepares to pass sentence, he ‘brought Jesus out’, that is out of the Praetorium and ‘sat down on the judgment seat’, Acts 18:12 / Acts 18:16-17, this was a raised platform on which roman judge sat to pronounce sentence.
‘The pavement’, John 19:13, ‘luthostratos’, was stone-paved; Josephus states that Temple Mount was covered with a mosaic pavement. Hebrew ‘Gabbatha’ means raised place, elevation.
John 19:14 seems to make this quite possible, Pilate showing the Jews a weak, blood-covered man not able even to stand and needing the seat more than Pilate.
The Day of Preparation was the day before Passover, John 19:14, which began at the next sunset. John mentions it was ‘about the sixth hour’; scholars and commentators are divided about whether John uses Jewish or Roman time. Jewish time is twelve noon, but Roman time is six a.m.
John is in Asia Minor, writing toward the end of the first century, when Jerusalem had been destroyed, and the Jewish state ceased to exist. It would be natural for him to give the time according to Roman reckoning. In Mark 15:25, Mark would use Jewish reckoning; at 6 a.m., the trial was in progress, and at nine a.m. Jesus was crucified.
When Pilate says, ‘Behold your King!’, John 19:14, this was a joke in bad taste at the expense of the Jews. ‘They yelled, ‘off with him! Off with him! Crucify Him!’ John 19:15. Pilate replied, ‘The King of you shall I crucify?’ John 19:15.
The chief priests, who were the religious leaders and teachers of the nation, replied, ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ John 19:15. In fact, they claimed that as Israel was God’s special nation, God was their only King, and they hated Caesar and bitterly resented the Roman occupation.
With the use of the argument by the mob, in favour of Caesar, Pilate knows that he has lost to satisfy them, and so, he hands Jesus over to be crucified, John 19:16. This declaration was ‘the crowning apostasy of Judaism’ and ‘the utterance of a nation turned traitor to its noblest traditions’.
After they had mocked Jesus, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him, Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20. Then they led Jesus away to crucify Him, John 19:16 / Matthew 27:31 / Mark 15:20.
No doubt he shows them the wounds that have been inflicted in the hope that they would now be satisfied, but alas the appearance of Jesus only makes the mob rowdier and bloodthirsty. You never get rid of a pack of wolves by showing them blood!
The trials before the Roman authorities started with Pilate, John 18:23, after Jesus was beaten. The charges brought against Him were very different from the charges in His religious trials. He was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King.
Pilate found no reason to kill Jesus, so he sent Him to Herod, Luke 23:7. Herod had Jesus ridiculed, but wanting to avoid the political liability, he sent Jesus back to Pilate, Luke 23:11-12.
This was the last trial as Pilate tried to appease the animosity of the Jews by having Jesus scourged. The Roman scourge is a terrible whipping of thirty-nine lashes.
In a final effort to have Jesus released, Pilate offered the prisoner Barabbas to be crucified, and Jesus released, but to no avail. The crowds called for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified.
Pilate granted their demand and surrendered Jesus to their will, Luke 23:25. The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice. Jesus, the most innocent man in the history of the world, was found guilty of crimes and sentenced to death by crucifixion.
Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, in which the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang there until death. It was never performed for ritual or symbolic reasons; usually, its purpose was only to provide a particularly painful, gruesome, and public death, using whatever means were most expedient for that goal.
The history of crucifixion can be traced back to the ancient Persians, and there’s evidence to support the Greeks practising this form of torture. As always, the Romans adopted the custom from Carthage and used it for slaves, rebels, and anyone who was their enemy, along with criminals.
While most Roman citizens were exempt from crucifixion, if you were a Roman and found guilty of treason, then you could face crucifixion. Crucifixion was considered a humiliating way to die. The prisoner usually had to carry the horizontal beam, patibulum, to the place of execution, not necessarily the whole cross.
Crucifixion was an art form for the Romans, who had specially trained men to carry out the sentence. There would usually be a commanding centurion and four soldiers. When it was done in an established place of execution, the vertical beam, stipes. was sometimes permanently embedded in the ground.
The horizontal beam of the cross, the transom, could be fixed at the very top of the vertical piece, the upright, to form a ‘T’ called a tau cross. The horizontal beam could also be affixed at some distance below the top, often in a mortise, to form a ‘T-shape’ called a Latin cross.
Alternatively, the cross could consist of two diagonal beams to form an ‘X’. A single, vertical wooden stake with no transom at all has also been cited by some.
The ‘nails’ were tapered iron spikes approximately five to seven inches long with a square shaft 3/8 inch across. The victim was probably affixed to the cross by ropes, nails, or some combination of the two.
In popular depictions of the crucifixion, possibly derived from a literal reading of the description in the Gospel of John, of Jesus’ wounds being ‘in the hands’, the victim is shown supported only by nails driven straight through the feet and the palms of the hands.
However, the flesh of the hands can’t support a person’s body weight, so some other means must have been used to support most of the weight, such as tying the wrists to the cross beam.
Another possibility, that doesn’t require tying, is that the nails were inserted just above the wrist, between the two bones of the forearm. the radius and the ulna.
The nails could also be driven through the wrist, in a space between four carpal bones, which is the location shown in the Shroud of Turin. As some historians have suggested, the Gospel words that are translated as ‘hands’ may have in fact included everything below the mid-forearm.
Another possibility is that the nails may have been driven in on an angle, entering in the palm in the crease that delineates the bulky region at the base of the thumb, and exiting in the wrist, passing through the carpal tunnel.
The Romans would often display the victims, still on the cross, in rows. There would be row after row of condemned criminals lining the streets of the main entrance to the city, so that everyone entering a new city would know what would happen to them if they didn’t adhere to Roman laws and regulations. It also sent a powerful message to any oncoming enemies of the fate which awaits them.
Crucifixion was a very public affair; criminals, rebels, etc., needed to be reminded of the terrible consequences of breaking Roman law. Fear ruled the day. Unlike what we see in many artists’ impressions of the crucifixion, the victim was usually stripped naked and hung naked.
Historian art has most people who were crucified covered in a loincloth, but this simply isn’t true. Nakedness was often a symbol of spiritual shame and ignominy.
Death could come in hours or days, depending on the exact methods, the health of those crucified, and environmental circumstances. It’s widely accepted that the typical cause of death was asphyxiation.
When the whole-body weight was supported by the stretched arms, the victim would have severe difficulty exhaling due to hyper-expansion of the lungs. The victim would therefore have to draw himself up by his arms or have his feet supported by tying or by a woodblock.
Indeed, Roman executioners were said to break the victim’s legs after he had hung for some time, in order to hasten his death. Once deprived of support and unable to lift himself, the victim would die within a few minutes.
The Romans often broke the prisoners’ legs to hasten the death process. Please note that the Roman soldiers responsible for carrying out the sentence were responsible for the victim until they died.
In other words, the Romans weren’t being kind by breaking the victim’s legs; they broke the victim’s legs so that they could get on with their other duties. Burial afterwards wasn’t usually permitted. According to history, Emperor Constantine abolished crucifixion in the Roman Empire when Christianity became the state religion.
Notice that the mere fact of the crucifixion is recorded, in John 19:18, as with flogging, John 19:1, it isn’t described. First-century readers knew well what was involved in these acts.
Roman law didn’t permit a Roman citizen to be crucified; it was regarded as the death of a slave. The punishment was handed out for such crimes as treason, desertion in the face of the enemy, robbery, piracy, assassination, sedition, etc. Cicero said, ‘Let every name of the cross be far away not only from the body of a Roman citizen but even from his thought, his eyes, his ears.’
After Jesus was flogged, we know that He carried His own crossbar, weighing in at seventy-five to one hundred and twenty-five pounds, and He carried it outside the main city walls. The upright part of the cross was probably permanently mounted in the crucifixion area.
The crossbar would be balanced on the shoulders, and His arms were tied to the crossbar. We can only imagine what this would have been like if he had tripped or fallen. He couldn’t use His arms to break their fall; he would likely fall face-first into the ground.
Jesus went out, bearing His own cross, John 19:17. As they went out of the city gates, Simon from Cyrene, Matthew 27:32 / Mark 15:21 / Luke 23:26, which is in north Africa, Acts 2:10 / Acts 6:9 / Acts 11:20 / Acts 13:1, was forced to carry the cross of Jesus, Matthew 27:32 / Mark 15:21 / Luke 23:26. This must mean that Jesus was unable to carry it, an execution party would show no mercy to a condemned man.
Once Jesus reached the place for crucifixion, Golgotha, or Calvary, Matthew 27:33 / Mark 15:22, in English, it means ‘skull,’ John 19:17. He was offered a drink of wine mixed with myrrh to act as a mild painkiller.
Although this was a kind gesture, usually done by the women, Jesus refused to drink, Psalm 69:21 / Matthew 27:34 / Mark 15:23. We need to read Luke 23:37-41 for details of the procession to Golgotha. It’s called ‘the place of a skull,’ John 19:17, but what and where was this? Here are three proposals.
1. It was a hill resembling a skull, but the Bible nowhere describes it as a hill.
2. It was a place of execution, littered with skulls.
However, the Jews wouldn’t allow bones of dead men to litter the ground close to the city. Joseph of Arimathea wouldn’t have a tomb near such a place, John 19:41.
3. That according to legend, it was the place where Adam’s skull had been buried.
The truth of the matter is that we simply don’t know why this place was simply named ‘Skull’, Luke 23:33. Whatever the speculation, the fact remains. Jesus is taken by Roman soldiers to the place of execution, called Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, which was probably the hill on the Northern side of Jerusalem. Golgotha was close to the city, and the inscription was read by many, John 19:20.
The Gospels suggest it was close to the road as Jesus was insulted by ‘those who passed by’, Matthew 27:39 / Mark 15:29. It’s outside the city walls, a wall was present at the time, and the hill has a strange appearance, almost like the face of a skull.
This may well be why it is called the place of the skull and why it was designated the place of execution. Some even say that the crucifixion occurred at the present-day site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but this place is now generally accepted to be inside the city walls during Jesus’ time.
There was a large number of women who mourned and wailed for Jesus. Jesus turns to speak to them and tells them that they should mourn for themselves, Luke 23:27. Jesus knows the calamities that were about to come upon them in the desolation of their city by the Romans, Luke 23:28-31.
It was at this point that Jesus says, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do, Luke 23:34. Note the numerous prophecies that were being fulfilled at this time.
They divided His garments, Psalms 22:18 / John 19:24 / Matthew 27:35 / Mark 15:24 / Luke 23:34. With Him, they crucified two thieves, Isaiah 53:9 / Isaiah 53:12 / Matthew 27:38 / Mark 15:27 / Luke 22:32-33.
He was numbered with the transgressors, Isaiah 53:12. They blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, Psalm 22:6-7 / Psalm 69:7 / Matthew 17:39-40 / Matthew 27:39 / Mark 15:28.
Jesus’ clothes were then divided up, which was also a fulfilment of prophecy, Psalm 22:17-18 / John 19:23-24 / Matthew 27:35 / Mark 15:24 / Luke 23:34, and the soldiers kept watch at the foot of the cross, Psalm 22:17 / Matthew 27:36.
The ‘four parts’ would consist of a head-dress, turban, sandals, outer robe and girdle, the soldiers cast lots for these. Because His tunic was seamless, they then diced for this as a separate item, John 19:23-24.
Josephus, in his writings, says the following.
‘The linen tunic of the Jewish high priest was a seamless garment; this fulfilled Psalm 22:18.’
John’s statement in this verse sums up his abhorrence of the whole incident, ‘so this is what the soldiers did.’ John 19:24. We are reminded again that this was to fulfil prophecy, John 19:23-24 / Psalm 22:18.
The clothes Jesus had been wearing were split up among the Romans present, and His only possession, His cloth, was gambled for. Jesus was thus left with nothing to give to those He had left behind. He had given His all, even Himself.
The actual physical pain endured by Jesus is too horrific to contemplate, John 19:19-22. Over His head on the cross was the inscription, ‘THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS’.
It was the custom of those days that the accusation under which men were condemned should, in every case, be posted above their heads and under the circumstances, the inscription posted by Pilate amounted to a sadistic jest. The people passing along the road North all saw Jesus on the cross and read the sign as it was in all three main languages of the time, John 19:20.
Aramaic, used by the common people, Latin, used by the elite and legal rulers of the empire, and Greek, used by the forces in the region, John 19:20 / Luke 23:38, it was the language that was universal at the time. Hebrew was being used only by the Jews in their religious dealings.
Regarding the ‘notice’, ‘title’, ‘titlon,’ John 19:19, this was a board stating the victim’s name and crime for which they were condemned. He was adamant, and he refused to change what he had written, John 19:21-22. Notice the four different accounts of what was written above Jesus’ head.
When we put the words together, we see that it would read as follows.
Pilate wouldn’t remove it, John 19:20, probably because he wanted to do something to impose his will on the people in response to them imposing their will on him by having Jesus put there. This was, of course, an entirely honest and true statement to make. Jesus was indeed the King of the Jews and the King of all nations.
Pilate had been willing to yield to the ruler’s demand for the death of an innocent man because His own safety was threatened, John 19:12-13, and the Jews protested to Pilate about the sign.
The chief priests of the Jews come to Pilate and ask him not to write the words The King of the Jews but that he said, I am King of the Jews, John 19:21. Pilate tells them what he has written, I have written, John 19:22.
In John 19:25-27, we see Jesus commit His mother to John’s care. Matthew 27:55 says, ‘many women there, looking on from afar’. John names four, ‘His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene’, the first time she is named in the Gospel. They were ‘standing by the cross’; they at first stood afar off with others, then later drew near to the cross.
It is interesting to see the love these women had for Jesus. His own disciples had all, except John, deserted Him, but the women, those courageous and loving women, were there, John 19:25.
Jesus cares to the last moment, and He sees both His mother and the disciple He loved together and commends her to his care. He ignores His own suffering. Jesus is concerned for her and commits her to John’s care, John 19:26-27.
Matthew only records one of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
Why did Jesus commit his mother to John, not to His brothers? John 19:26. They didn’t believe in Him, John 7:5, but Mary did, Mark 3:31-35. His brothers became believers after the resurrection, Acts 1:14.
If His ‘Jesus’ mother’s sister’ is the mother of James and John, then John was her nephew. He doesn’t call His mother ‘mother’ as she must now stop looking at Jesus as her son and consider Him as her Lord.
If His ‘Jesus’ mother’s sister’ is the mother of James and John, then John was her nephew. He doesn’t call His mother, ‘mother’, as she must now stop looking at Jesus as her son and consider Him as her Lord.
When we think about life today, there are many reasons to buy a life insurance policy. The most common reason is to provide for the family if the husband or wife dies.
This signifies that their human relationship has ended. He is to be her son no more; he is now her Lord and her God. She will be honoured in heaven for her godly life and remembered as the mother of Jesus. We have a duty to provide for our families, 1 Timothy 5:8.
The words, ‘He took her to his own home’ John 19:25, mean either he took her home immediately, then returned, John 19:35. This seems probable, as Matthew and Mark don’t mention that Mary was present when Jesus died; alternatively, he took her home after the crucifixion.
It’s near the end of Jesus’ human life. He senses it. He has hung on the cross for six hours now. It has become hard for Jesus to even get a breath. Hung from His arms, He must pull Himself up each time He wants to breathe.
His shoulders ache, His mouth is parched, and He is exhausted. And yet He doesn’t want to die without a final word, He asks for something to drink to wet His lips for this final effort, John 19:28.
What Scripture was fulfilled here? John 19:28. A Psalm of lamentation, written by David, seems to have been fulfilled literally in Jesus, Psalm 69:21 / Psalm 42:2. Apparently, Jesus asked for something to quench His thirst in order to fulfil Psalm 69:21.
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,’ John 19:29 / Psalm 42:2 / Psalm 22:15. A bowl full of vinegar was a jar of cheap wine, a very bitter wine called posca or sour wine commonly drunk by the Roman soldiers.
This wasn’t the first time Jesus had been offered wine; both Mark and Matthew observe that He was offered bitter wine just prior to being crucified, Matthew 27:34 / Mark 15:23. Perhaps this was intended as an intoxicant for those about to suffer pain.
A group of Jerusalem women, as an act of devotion, provided for a condemned man a vessel of wine containing a grain of frankincense to numb Him, Matthew 27:34. Jesus refused to drink this.
Victims often lived for many hours on the cross, and so, giving Jesus a drink was an act of kindness. However, as one man showed compassion toward Jesus, the others told him to leave Jesus alone, to see if Elijah would come and save Him, Matthew 27:49.
He has committed Himself to the Father to offer Himself as a sacrifice. To attempt to lessen the pain of this sacrifice would have somehow been going back on this commitment.
The offering of something to quench His thirst after hanging on the cross for some time is a separate incident. Wine vinegar, ‘oxos’ John 19:29, didn’t have any alcohol left in it, but was a sour wine that had turned to vinegar.
Wine is made from grape juice. Yeast fermentation causes sugar to be transformed into alcohol, which continues until the alcohol content reaches about 11% to 12%.
Wine vinegar, on the other hand, is made by the action of acetic acid bacteria on alcohol to produce acetic acid. Since the bacteria that cause this reaction are ‘aerobic’, they require that the wine be exposed to oxygen in order to form vinegar.
What is a container of wine vinegar doing on Golgotha that day? It’s ‘posca’, a drink popular with soldiers of the Roman army, made by diluting sour wine vinegar with water.
It was inexpensive, considered more thirst-quenching than water alone, it prevented scurvy, killed harmful bacteria in the water, and the vinegary taste made bad-smelling water more palatable.
All over the empire, ‘posca’ was the soldier’s drink of choice; the soldiers had brought ‘posca’ to sustain them during their crucifixion duty. They weren’t getting drunk on it, just using it to quench their own thirst.
While a condemned criminal might be able to drink wine prior to being crucified, drinking from a cup while hanging on the cross wasn’t practical. So, when Jesus indicated His thirst, the soldiers used a sponge to give Him ‘posca’ to slake His thirst.
What was a sponge, ‘Greek sponges’, doing on Golgotha that day? It seems scarcely the thing you’d expect to find. Again, sponges were part of a Roman soldier’s kit.
Sponges were found along the Mediterranean coast and were widely used in ancient times to line and pad a soldier’s helmet, and soldiers also used sponges as drinking vessels.
No doubt one of the soldiers offered Jesus a drink of ‘posca’ from his own supply, using his own sponge. A soldier wasn’t required to share his drink with the criminals under his care, but he had seen that Jesus was dying, unlike any other criminal he had ever seen. No cursing, no blaming, no anger.
What was it like to watch Jesus’ slow death? Perhaps it had impressed the soldier with something like Peter’s words, 1 Peter 2:22-23. Peter concludes this passage with something, however, that the soldier didn’t yet know, echoing the words of the ‘Suffering Servant’ passage of Isaiah 53 / 1 Peter 2:24. The ‘posca’ offered by a soldier on his sponge that day was an act of mercy to the One who was bringing God’s mercy to all humankind.
John makes a point of specifying the ‘hyssop plant’, John 19:29, a small bush with blue flowers and highly aromatic leaves, whereas the other Gospels refer to it as ‘stick’ or ‘reed’.
What is the significance of hyssop? Hyssop was used to sprinkle blood on the doorposts and lintels on the first Passover, Exodus 12:22. It was associated with purification and sacrifices in the tabernacle, Leviticus 14:4 / Leviticus 14:6 / Numbers 19:6 / Numbers 19:18. No doubt John had this in mind when he wrote his Gospel.
John tells us that Jesus actually drank some of the vinegary ‘posca’ from the sponge. For a few seconds, at least, Jesus sucked the ‘posca’ from the sponge. He didn’t drink long enough to satisfy what must have been moderate to severe dehydration from loss of blood, exposure to the elements, and the necessity of gasping for breath through his mouth.
The end was near, so He drank only enough to moisten His parched throat so that His last words of triumph might be heard across the hilltop of Golgotha, John 19:30. What can we learn from Jesus’ words, ‘I thirst’?
1. Jesus’ physical humanity.
First and probably of greatest importance, Jesus’ word ‘I thirst,’ reminds us of Jesus’ physical nature, His humanity. This was no play-acting on the cross, a divine being pretending to undergo a physical act of torture that couldn’t touch Him. This was tangible physical suffering, of which extreme thirst is the one element most of us can readily identify with from our own personal experience.
There was a heresy afoot in the Hellenistic world that Jesus didn’t really come in flesh and blood, much less die a gruesome physical death on the cross. The flesh was of the evil realm, they believed, and could never be holy. Only the spirit was capable of the divine.
So, Jesus didn’t really die; He only appeared to, He was only pretending, this is what Docetism and Gnosticism believe. The apostle John was combating an early form of this heresy in his letters, 1 John 4:2-3 / 2 John 7. Jesus’ fifth word, ‘I thirst,’ reminds us that Jesus died in the flesh for us and our sins.
2. Jesus’ awareness of Scripture.
‘I thirst’ reminds us of Jesus’ extensive knowledge of the prophetic scriptures concerning His suffering and death and His willingness to fulfil each of them to the letter. The best-known passage, of course, is the ‘Servant Song’ from Isaiah 53:12.
He knew it well and referred to it again and again. Jesus’ action to ask for a drink is deliberately prompted by His knowledge of Scripture and determination to fulfil it, John 19:28.
3. Jesus’ determination to complete His task, Matthew 27:50.
He was summoning Himself to bring it all to completion.
We can only be in awe of Jesus and His awareness of not only those around Him, but His Father in heaven and His desire to please His Father even moments before His death. We’re reminded of His humanity whilst suffering for each of us today.
May we never take the events of the cross too lightly, and may we always learn from Him who hung upon it. Even upon the cross, just moments before He dies, Jesus considers His task here during His visit to earth. Jesus knew ‘that all was now finished’, ‘telso’.
This frequently signifies, not merely to terminate a thing, but to carry out a thing to the full; the same word is used in John 19:30. The single Greek word has been found in the papyri being placed on receipts for taxes, meaning ‘paid in full.’ This may have been a moment of great joy to the heart of our Saviour.
The single Greek word has been found in the papyri, being placed on receipts for taxes, meaning ‘paid in full,’ John 19:30. This may have been a moment of great joy to the heart of our Saviour.
Even upon the cross, just moments before He dies, Jesus considers His task here during His visit to earth. Jesus knew ‘that all was now finished’, ‘teleo’, this frequently signifies, not merely to terminate a thing, but to carry out a thing to the full; the same word is used in John 19:30.
His death isn’t that of a defeated or beaten man; it’s the death of a victor who triumphs. The ‘loud cry’ of Matthew 27:50 and Mark 15:37 tells us that Jesus died as a victor; He had completed what He came to do.
Every sin has been paid for, every evil deed judged, and the full and total price of our redemption purchased at the cross. That is the power of the blood of Jesus. That is the glory of the Son of God. It is finished means it is accomplished, the task is done, it’s all over. The Gospels state that Jesus uttered a loud cry immediately before He died.
‘It is finished!’ was shouted, a cry of triumph. His commission is fulfilled, John 17:4. It is a cry of accomplishment, but it is also an announcement of obedience fulfilled. This shout began in the painful will of the Father, the cup, the baptism, the suffering, the cross.
‘It is finished’ announces the full obedience of the One who, though equal with God, Philippians 2:7-11. Make no mistake. The ability to say, ‘It is finished’ to the Father’s commission was not the beginning of some kind of ‘glory road,’ but the end. It was the final culmination of a life of obedience, humility, and suffering that now ushers in a new era.
Can you imagine the expression on the Jews’ faces as they remembered the whole of the messianic prophecy as we find in Psalm 22 being fulfilled in front of their eyes? And the climax would be Jesus’ final words, ‘It is finished,’ John 19:30.
Look at the last line of Psalms 22. ‘He has done it!’ Psalm 22:31. Jesus isn’t saying that His father ‘has forsaken Him’ or His Father has ‘turned away from Him’, He’s saying that He is the Messiah.
Now I don’t know about you, but a lot of people I know can recite the whole of Psalm 23, but they couldn’t tell you one verse from Psalm 68, Psalm 52 or Psalm 117.
Well, simply because we don’t know our Scriptures as the Jews did, we know Psalm 23 very well because we’ve heard it over and over again, but we don’t hear the other Psalms as often.
The Jews would have known all of the Psalms and memorised them because they had been taught them over and over again from a very young age. The more you hear them, the more you’ll remember them.
Old Testament prophecy often had both a current and future application, and here we’re concerned with the future application of what is written in Psalm 22. As we read it, we will see why Jesus said, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
Later, in John 19:30, He said, ‘It is finished.’ What we see is that Jesus quoted the very first verse in Psalm 22 and the very last verse, which, properly translated, should read, ‘it is finished.’
Jesus quoted the beginning and the ending of one of the most famous, most well-known, and most memorised sections of all of the Old Testament, one that vividly set forth what was taking place right in front of their eyes. No doubt for many of them who had ears to hear, the verses we are about to read flashed through their minds.
Psalms 22-24 are Messianic Psalms. Psalm 22 focuses on the coming Saviour. Psalm 23 pictures the Saviour as a shepherd of the people. Psalm 24 proclaims the sovereignty of the Saviour.
The Psalm can be divided into two sections, the first dealing with trials, Psalm 22:1-21 and the second with triumph over trials, Psalm 22:22-31. As we read on, we’ll see that these are basically rhetorical questions, because after Psalm 22:18, the theme of the Psalm changes radically from death to life.
But to many standing around at the scene, especially those who weren’t familiar with this Psalm, and their attention captivated by the horror of it all, it would certainly ‘appear’ as if God had forsaken this man who had claimed to be His Son, Psalm 22:1.
To whom was this Psalm written? Israel. Look how he’s reminding them of their spiritual heritage, which included the Messiah, Psalm 22:2-5. The word ‘worm’ used in Psalm 22:6 is very interesting; it is the Hebrew word ‘tola’, which isn’t the ordinary word for worm.
Rather, this was a worm from which crimson or scarlet dye was obtained. Why is this word used? Because Jesus was covered with blood and was the colour of scarlet dye.
Psalm 22:7-8 sounds familiar, don’t they? Matthew 27:41-43. This very prophecy was unfolding right in front of their eyes, and Jesus was trying to call their attention to it, Psalm 22:9-11.
The agony of death itself was approaching, the disciples ‘deserted him and fled,’ Mark 14:10, with the exception of John, and in the excruciating agony of that situation, Jesus again cried out for help.
The torture described here is clearly that of a crucifixion, a form of execution, which, as far as we can determine, had never at that time been used by any government.
Although it resembles the impaling of enemies upon stakes, as practised by the Assyrians, the practise of crucifixion was never developed until a later time by the Romans.
And what does that mean? Psalm 22:12. Bashan was the chief cattle-raising area of Israel, where the biggest, best, and strongest bulls came from. Figuratively, this is referring to the religious ‘top notches’ of Israel.
It was the Pharisees who had inspired, persuaded, and manipulated the Romans to pound the nails. As such, they were the ones responsible for Jesus’ death, John 19:12-16.
Using metaphorical language, Psalm 22:13-15 clearly describe a person dying. ‘All my bones’, we say things like that today, don’t we? ‘Every bone in my body is tired.’ That doesn’t mean all two hundred and sixteen or however many there are; it’s a figure of speech.
In regard to Jesus, crucifixion dislocated a number of his bones, and no doubt it felt like all of them. His heart, the most critical organ in his body, ‘turned to wax.’ A ‘potsherd’ was an old piece of pottery dried by the sun; Jesus’ strength had ebbed away. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. From the cross, he said, ‘I thirst,’ John 19:28
When the Romans crucified someone, they formed a cordon of soldiers around the cross to keep the people away. And the Jews referred to uncircumcised people like the Romans as ‘dogs,’ Psalm 22:16-18.
‘I can count all my bones’, that’s another figure of speech meaning that in His many beatings and floggings, Jesus’ skin had been thrashed to the bone. People spat on Him, taunted Him, and gloated over Him.
Psalm 22:18 couldn’t more clearly describe what later happened at Golgotha in fulfilment of this prophecy, Matthew 37:35. And it’s at this point that the thrust of Psalm 22 begins to shift from death to life. The Messiah calls upon His God, Yahweh, to save him, Psalm 22:19-21.
Not by taking Him off the cross, but by raising Him from the dead in accordance with other Old Testament prophecies, Psalm 16:10. On the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the first Gospel sermon, he boldly asserted that God had raised Jesus from the dead, Acts 2:24.
He then explained that God had performed this miraculous deed in fulfilment of David’s prophecy in Psalm 16. In fact, he quoted the words of David in detail as contained in Psalm 16:8-11.
Years later, Paul did the same thing when he spoke to the Jews of Antioch in Pisidia. Acts 13:33-35. Like Peter, he declared that God had raised Jesus from the dead in fulfilment of Psalm 16:10.
How is the Messiah going to praise God in the future when it’s clear that He was to die? Psalm 22:22-23. Only if God keeps His Word and raises him from the dead. And the next verse indicates that God hadn’t forsaken him and would do just that! Psalm 22:24.
In this magnificent psalm, we see a vivid portrait of the death and resurrection of the man we now know as Jesus, the Messiah. This Psalm ends in triumph, and God will bless the world through Him. Again, if God turned His back on His Son, why does the Psalm say otherwise?
Does ‘the Father turn His face away’ according to this verse? Not at all. The proclamation of the prayer was to all the people. The proclamation was an exhortation to fear, praise and glorify God, Psalm 22:25-31.
In times of trouble, vows were made to God, and when the day of deliverance came, the one delivered remembered what he had promised the Lord, and thus gave his thank offerings to the Lord.
After the victory over an enemy, Israel ate of the sacrifices that were made to the Lord, Leviticus 3:17 / Leviticus 7:16 / Numbers 15:3. Not only would Israel worship the Lord, but this Psalm speaks of all the nations giving praise to God. This is certainly a Messianic prophecy of what would eventually come and did come in reference to Jesus, Revelation 11:15.
The last verse of Psalm 22:31 should be translated a bit differently. In the KJV, you can see that the word ‘it’ is in italics, indicating that the translators added it. The pronoun ‘he’ should be ‘it,’ so that the Psalm closes with the words, ‘for it is finished.’
When we meditate on this sixth word from the cross, what should we learn for our lives?
1. We Are to Live Lives of Purpose.
First, we are to live lives of purpose. Unless Jesus had a purpose, a mission to complete, the words, ‘It is finished,’ would have had little meaning. He wasn’t speaking of his earthly life that was finished; in fact, his life has no beginning and has no end. Rather, he is speaking of that which the Father had instructed him to do. Our lives may not be so clear, so purpose-driven as Jesus’ life.
However, I believe that one of the signs of maturity in our lives is to discern our abilities, and then order our lives so as to maximise what God has given us. Jesus told the Parables of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30 and the Pounds, Luke 19:11-27.
In each case, success for the servant was to ‘trade with’ what the master had given him in order to produce the largest possible outcome for the master, given each servant’s unique talents, time, and circumstances. The reward was to hear the master say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master’. Matthew 25:21.
2. We Are to Live Lives of Focus.
Second, living lives of purpose requires us to focus on our priorities. Instead of living scatter-shot lives, we are to be marksmen who aim carefully at the target and make our shots count. This requires focus and discipline. It means saying ‘No’ to some choices so that we can say ‘Yes’ to opportunities that are even better.
3. We Are to Live Lives of Obedience.
Third, to be able to say, ‘It is finished,’ as Jesus did, our lives must be marked by obedience. Jesus is God, but in His earthly life, He willingly obeyed, Philippians 2:8.
Paul put it this way, ‘I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,’ Galatians 2:20. Obedience is the opposite of independent action. It means living in obedience to God, not to ourselves.
4. We Must Be Willing to Suffer to Achieve God’s Purpose
Finally, to say ‘It is finished,’ we must be willing to suffer to achieve God’s purpose for our lives. We continue in the sunny summer days as well as the stormy winters of our lives.
We don’t give up just because things are difficult. We are willing to suffer whatever is necessary to complete the Father’s plan for our lives. When our lives are over, we want to be able to say with Paul, ‘The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing,’ 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
These words teach us to be faithful unto death. This is an example of endurance to the end. We should not forget to ask for the grace of perseverance, that we too may be faithful to death, that we may finish the work which He has given us to do. And with Jesus to say, ‘It is finished!’
Jesus ‘gave up his spirit’ is an unusual way of describing death, John 19:30 / Matthew 27:50 / Mark 15:39 / Luke 23:46. He ‘gave up’, John 19:30. His spirit was a voluntary act, John 10:17-18 / Matthew 20:28.
At death our spirit goes back to God who gave it, Ecclesiastes 12:7, but Jesus chose to give up His spirit and submit to death. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2.
A centurion and those with him were responsible for guarding Jesus; they had witnessed everything which just happened and became terrified. They said, surely, he was the Son of God! Matthew 27:54 / Luke 23:47. Here are more Gentiles confessing who Christ is, something which the religious leaders refused to accept.
We see the faith of the women who faithfully followed Jesus and took care of His needs. Some of these women were relatives of the disciples who lingered at the cross with John, Matthew 37:55-56 / Luke 8:2-3 / Luke 23:49 / John 19:25.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons, were all present. Mark records the name of the mother of Zebedee’s sons as Salome, Mark 15:41. The women were the last to wait upon Jesus at the cross and the first to whom He revealed Himself after the resurrection.
It was these people who stood at a distance watching the events happen, Psalm 38:11. These were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, Luke 24:10. To these three, Mark, in Mark 16:1, adds Salome, but some think that this was only a surname of one of these Marys.
In John 19:31-37, after Jesus was dead, we see the other men with Him had not suffered as Jesus before being put on the cross, so they languished longer than the Lord. The Jews wanted the bodies removed before the Sabbath, which was due to start at 6 a.m. that day, John 19:31.
This wasn’t the normal Sabbath, but a special one, the Passover. There was an urgency to get the bodies taken care of quickly so that those who dealt with the bodies would not be unclean for too long.
It was now Thursday afternoon, and in order to ensure the two of them on the cross would die soon, their legs were broken, preventing them from picking themselves up to breathe and causing them to suffocate.
Roman practice was to leave corpses on the cross to putrefy, a warning to others. Among the Jews, to leave a body on the cross all night was the worst kind of religious defilement, Deuteronomy 21:23.
Additionally, the coming day was the Sabbath, also ‘a high day’, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, Exodus 12:16 / Leviticus 23:7. It was a double holy day, and the Jews, religious leaders, were anxious to avoid defilement and so, they asked Pilate to have the legs of the three broken, John 19:31. This was called the ‘crurifragium,’ legs broken by blows from the heavy mallet, resulting in constriction of the chest hastened death.
I’m sure we’ve all sat around the table to partake of the Lord’s Supper, and we’ve heard someone make some kind of comment or reference to Jesus’ ‘broken body’ on the cross, either in their talk or in their prayer.
Maybe you are reading this and wondering what the big deal is, concerning the bread representing Jesus’ ‘broken body’! Maybe you’re thinking, well, that’s what the Scripture actually says, isn’t it!
Let’s go ahead and carefully read the four accounts concerning the bread and Jesus’ body.
Now, notice that in each of these four accounts, the word ‘broke’ is used; however, you will also notice that it is used in reference to the bread which was ‘broken’, not Jesus’ body.
When we carefully read these four accounts again, we find that Matthew and Mark record Jesus saying, ‘This is my body’, in Luke’s account, he writes that Jesus says, His body ‘is given’ for you and finally, Paul writes and quotes Jesus as saying, His body is ‘for you’. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we read that Jesus’ body is ‘broken for you’. So, where do people get the idea that Jesus’ body was broken?
Notice that the KJV says, ‘this is my body, which is BROKEN for you’. This is where people get the idea that Jesus’ body was indeed broken. It’s not surprising that many people quote this passage of Scripture during the Lord’s Supper because it’s a popular version of the Bible, and people have heard this being quoted time and time again over the years. Part of the problem is that the word ‘broken’ isn’t in the original text, and it isn’t in a vast majority of manuscripts. My Greek Lexicon has it written as follows:
The word ‘broken’ isn’t in the actual text; in fact, when we read through the three Gospel accounts again, we find that none of them actually say, ‘this is my body which is BROKEN for you’. When we read 1 Corinthians 11:24 in most translations, we find it’s very similar to what Luke records, except Luke adds the word ‘given’.
We also know from Scripture that they clearly teach that Jesus’ body wasn’t broken, even after His death, in order to fulfil Scripture.
Notice John says that Jesus’ bones were not broken. What John does here in his account is quote from Psalm 34 to let us understand that this prophecy concerning the Christ was fulfilled in Christ at the cross of Christ, John 19:36.
Psalm 34 is a psalm of the deliverance of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelek in order to spare his own life, 1 Samuel 21:10-15. We know that bones are the structural framework of the body, and so, God metaphorically provides structure to the life of the righteous. Though the wicked will reap the reward of their evil, God will preserve those who are His.
Psalm 34:20 points us to the Christ, who is the only truly righteous One, and saw the complete fulfilment of this on the cross, John 19:36. Jesus is ‘our Passover lamb’ who was sacrificed for our sins, John 1:29 / 1 Corinthians 5:7 / Hebrews 4:15 / 1 Peter 1:19 and the Passover lamb wasn’t to have any of its bones broken.
Over the years, I’ve heard countless arguments suggesting that the body can be broken without the bones being broken. I’ve heard people say, ‘Ah, well, His bones weren’t actually broken, but His body was!’
I hear people say that ‘when they flogged Jesus’ back when they placed a crown of thorns on His head, when they nailed Him to the cross, when they did all these things, they actually broke His skin, which is a part of the body.’
As thought-provoking as that sounds, it appears to me they’re just trying to make sense of the word ‘broken’ in the KJV of 1 Corinthians 11:24. Yes, the Scriptures teach that His body was ‘wounded’ and ‘pierced’, Isaiah 53:5 / John 19:34, but it doesn’t say His body was ‘broken’ for us.
Another popular idea is that it was Jesus’ spirit, His human spirit, which was broken. I guess when we look at what Christ went through, we could easily conclude that this was true from a human perspective, but we must remember Jesus didn’t crawl to the cross like some defeated victim, He marched to the cross as a man who totally embraced the will of the Father, Hebrews 10:5-10, and said triumphantly: ‘it is finished.’ John 19:30.
It appears that some Christians are a little confused about the word ‘broken’, and so they end up being confused over the ‘breaking’ of the bread with Jesus’ body. I think we’ve seen that the Scripture clearly teaches us that it was the bread which was ‘broken’ and not Jesus’ body.
The next time someone asks you to thank God for the bread at the Lord’s Supper, or the next time you hear someone saying or praying about Jesus’ ‘broken body’, remember the Scriptures teach that Jesus wasn’t broken in any shape or form, His bones weren’t broken, His human spirit wasn’t broken. It was the bread which was broken, but our Lord’s body was given for us.
The breaking of legs was done to the two robbers, but not to Jesus; He was already dead, John 19:32-33. A Roman soldier made absolutely sure, John 19:34. The piercing of Jesus’ side, John 19:34, is seen as a fulfilment of prophecy, John 19:36-37, the fulfilment of Zechariah 12:10 / Revelation 1:7.
Jesus was dead so there was no need to break His legs, but to ensure that Jesus was dead, the soldier thrust his spear into the side of Jesus, John 19:34, also perhaps just a simple act of brutality.
John goes to great lengths to assure us that this did occur and that a mixture of blood and water flooded forth. John was the man who saw it occur, John 19:35. There is much debate about the source of this blood; some say Jesus was bleeding and thus He wasn’t yet dead, He bled to death. However, John 19:30 puts that to rest immediately.
Some have proposed that the pericardium, which would separate into congealed blood and serum, water. This is very difficult to prove, and many say that it isn’t possible, so no conclusion shall be drawn.
Let it be sufficient to say that Jesus was dead before the spear ruptured His body and that the whole series of events fulfilled prophecy after prophecy as it unravelled.
Since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Mark 15:42, Joseph of Arimathea had to act quickly, John 19:38. He had to act quickly since according to Jewish law He couldn’t bury the body on the Sabbath day, which officially began at sundown, Mark 15:42. He wished to give the body a proper burial.
It’s also worth noting that the Romans didn’t take the criminals down from the cross, they left them there to rot, to act as a warning to anyone who walked by if they broke the Roman laws and the soldiers at the cross couldn’t leave to go home until the criminals were officially dead, hence why they drove a spear in Jesus’ side and didn’t need to break any of His bones, John 19:31-37.
He was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, Matthew 27:57 / Mark 15:43, and also didn’t consent to the execution, Luke 23:50-54. He was ‘rich’, Matthew 27:57, ‘a respected member of the council’, Mark 15:43, ‘a good and righteous man,’ John 19:38 / Luke 23:50, who had ‘not consented to their purpose and deed’, Luke 23:51.
He was ‘a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews’, John 19:38 / John 12:42-43. Evidently, he had kept his belief secret until now. He was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, Mark 15:43.
He ‘took courage and went to Pilate’, John 19:38 / Matthew 27:58 / Mark 15:43, asked Pilate for permission to bury Jesus’ body, John 19:38 / Matthew 27:58 / Mark 1543 / Luke 23:52.
He must have been a very important person because not just anyone could go and speak to Pilate. Pilate was surprised that Jesus died so quickly, Mark 15:44. Not one bone in His body was broken, Exodus 12:46 / Numbers 9:12 / Deuteronomy 21:22-23 / Psalm 34:20 / Zechariah 12:10.
Being able to remove Jesus from the cross was a huge privilege for Joseph, John 19:38 / Mark 15:45. He gathered the corpse up in a sheet, Matthew 27:59 / Mark 15:46 / Luke 23:53, and put it in a hole chiselled into the wall of a cave, Matthew 27:60 / Mark 15:46 / Luke 23:53 / which served as a typical grave in that era.
He closed off the cave by rolling a large rock over the entrance, and went away, Matthew 27:60 / Mark 15:46. The tomb was Joseph’s own and was new, unused, John 19:41 / Luke 23:54. It wasn’t a natural cave, but one dug out of the rock.
This was Joseph’s own tomb, in his own garden, which tells us he must have been wealthy, too. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away, and Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, Matthew 27:60-61. This was Joseph’s own tomb, in his own garden, which tells us he must have been wealthy, too.
Significantly, Matthew and Mark include the statement that the two Marys saw where Jesus was laid, Matthew 27:56 / Matthew 27:61 / Mark 15:47. These two women knew where the tomb was located, the women knew the exact location of the tomb, Luke 23:55, and so, because of that we can be sure that they were valid witnesses that when they returned three days later, the tomb was empty.
Nicodemus, John 3:1, joined Joseph in preparing the customary burial of the body of Jesus, John 19:39. Nicodemus joined him for His burial, John 19:38-42. He, too, was a member of the Sanhedrin and a believer, John 3:1-2 / John 7:50. John 12:3-5 indicates that Nicodemus was a rich man also. The amount brought suggests that they intended to completely cover the corpse with spices, John 19:39.
‘Myrrh’, John 19:39, was a gum resin used as a perfume and embalming fluid, ‘alces’, pounded wood of the aloe tree, also used for embalming, Psalm 45:8 / Proverbs 7:17 / Matthew 2:11. A hundred pounds weight, John 19:39, 100 litras, one letra being equal to twelve ounces.
The ‘lined cloths’, John 19:40 / Luke 23:53, were linen strips that were bandages. The wrapping of the body in linen and the use of spices were the custom of the Jews, John 19:40. The woman also brought spices, Luke 23:56.
One layer of bandages would have been applied, followed by another layer of the spices Nicodemus brought along, and His body would have been finally wrapped in a sheet-like piece of linen. Both men would have been unclean as a result of this action and wouldn’t have been able to participate in the Passover.
Joseph’s ‘new tomb’ had not been used and was in a garden close to Golgotha, John 19:41 / Matthew 27:60 / Luke 23:52. Joseph, the owner of the tomb, was a believer, so Jesus’ body was always in the hands of believers. It was now close to the Passover, and they hurried to arrange Jesus’ body in a nearby tomb, John 19:42.
In keeping with the law of Moses, they had rested on the Sabbath, Luke 23:56, but will return to complete the burial rites of the Saviour which they had begun on the day of His death, Matthew 28:5-6 / Luke 23:54.
Because this tomb was ‘close to hand’, and the Sabbath was imminent, John 19:42, it appears to be a temporary arrangement. This suggests that Jesus was to be buried elsewhere after the Sabbath. It was very convenient as it was so near the place of the skull and the Sabbath was fast approaching, John 19:42 / Luke 23:54.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following concerning Luke 23:55-56.
‘This reference to the women prepares for the account of Jesus’ resurrection. When they went to the tomb on Sunday morning, they did not go to the wrong one. They had previously been there and had seen Jesus’ corpse in it. They prepared spices for their return visit on Sunday to honour Jesus further. Luke’s reference to the passing of the Sabbath with no disciple activity confirms Jesus’ prediction that He would be in the grave three days, Luke 18:33 / Luke 24:7. It also shows that Jesus’ followers observed the Sabbath as obedient Israelites, Exodus 20:10.’
Matthew is the only writer who mentions Pilate giving permission for a guard to be sent to guard the tomb of Christ. The Preparation Day, Matthew 27:62, was the Friday before the Sabbath of the Passover, John 19:31 / Exodus 16:22 / Matthew 26:17, and it appears that the chief priests and Pharisees were becoming a little nervous.
They go to Pilate and tell Him that Jesus said, ‘after three days, He will rise again’, Matthew 27:63 / Matthew 16:21 / Matthew 17:23 / Matthew 20:19 / Matthew 26:61 / Mark 8:31 / Mark 10:34.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning the deception.
‘That is, the last ‘deception’, or the taking him from the tomb, pretending that he rose, will have a wider influence among the people than the first, or his pretending to be the Messiah.’
They are determined to stop any rumours that Jesus would rise and so they ask that His tomb be guarded, just in case one of Jesus’ disciples stole His body, Matthew 27:64.
And so, to stop anyone from stealing the body of Christ, a security guard was granted, along with a Roman seal, Matthew 27:64 / Daniel 6:17. And that is what they did, Matthew 27:65-66.
Before we answer this question, I think it would be useful to look at what the Bible says about heaven first. The Bible tells us there are three heavens. Note the plurality in Genesis 1:1. Speaking about himself, the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that he was caught up to the third heaven. So, we have here three ‘heavens’.
1. The heaven which is God’s spiritual, eternal home.
This isn’t physical and isn’t created.
2. The heaven where the stars and planets are.
This is physical and is created.
3. The heaven surrounding the earth where the atmosphere is, and the birds fly.
This is physical and is created. The word ‘heavens’ is used in different ways in the Bible.
1. It refers to the two heavens that God created.
2. It’s also used of the third heaven.
This is the uncreated heaven where God has always been from eternity.
God is everywhere, Acts 17:27-28. He is present in all ‘three heavens’, Psalm 115:2-3. We cannot get away from God, Psalm 139:1-16.
So He existed before the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:1. These aren’t the heavens He has always lived in; these are the heaven where the atmosphere is, and the birds fly and the heaven where the stars are.
The heaven where God has always lived isn’t physical; it hasn’t been created. Because God is Spirit, He doesn’t need a physical place to live in, John 4:24. He doesn’t need pictures or images or temples or mosques or churches or shrines to live in, Acts 17:24-25.
Where did Jesus’ spirit go when He died? Some suggest He went to preach to the souls in hell based on 1 Peter 3:19-20. A proper understanding of what Peter means will help clarify what Peter means, and that’s simply that Christ in His spirit didn’t go anywhere to save those who were righteous before the flood because there were none, just Noah and His family, Genesis 6:5-13.
Does Peter mean that the Gospel was preached to those who were already dead? No, what he means is that they were dead whilst Peter wrote this letter, but they were very much alive whilst the Gospel was being preached to them.
What he’s saying is that the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, spoke through Noah to the people when they were alive. He’s not talking about what happened when Jesus was in the grave, and we shouldn’t make a text mean something it doesn’t say.
Paradise is a Persian word meaning ‘an area enclosed by a wall’ or ‘garden.’ Nehemiah 2:8 / Ecclesiastes 2:5 / Song of Solomon 4:13. The Greek word ‘paradeisos’ is used for the garden in Eden in Genesis, Genesis 2:8-16 / Isaiah 51:3 / Ezekiel 28:13.
The New Testament understands paradise in terms of its Jewish heritage. In Luke 23:43, Jesus promises the penitent thief, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’ The intermediate state was transformed by Jesus’ emphasis on being with him ‘today.’ There’s no denying where Jesus was going; He was going to ‘paradise’.
Wait a minute, didn’t Jesus say to Mary, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father,’ John 20:17? Yes, He did, so if we’re saying He went to heaven when He died, how do we understand what He said to Mary?
Jesus is telling Mary not to cling to Him because there is work to be done; she needs to tell others what has happened, and so there’s a sense of urgency. She wanted to hold on and not let go, but Jesus wouldn’t allow her. Remember, later Thomas was invited to touch Jesus, John 20:27.
Could it be possible that when He’s speaking to Mary, He’s speaking in terms of His new glorified body? He hasn’t ascended to the Father in His new everlasting body. Isn’t that what the resurrection is about? 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 / 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 / Romans 8:23 / Philippians 3:20-21.
We know from these verses that we will be reconciled with our bodies at the resurrection, but they will be new, in terms of glorious. If we know this, then surely, it’s possible that this is what Jesus meant when He spoke to Mary.
If we read 1 Peter 4:6 and come to the conclusion that Jesus went to hell to preach the Gospel to those who have already died, we would soon run into trouble with other Scriptures, especially Hebrews 9:27.
In other words, Peter is saying that the Gospel was preached to them, the dead, when they were very much still alive, but by the time Peter writes this letter, they are now well and truly dead, 1 Peter 4:5. There is no ‘second chance Gospel’; everyone is destined to die once and then face judgment, Hebrews 9:27, no second chance to repent and become faithful.
Notice in Ephesians 4:7-10, when Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18, that he doesn’t even mention the word hell. In Psalm 68:18, David is looking forward into the future, it’s prophetic, David says, ‘received gifts’, but Paul says, ‘gave gifts’. This is David looking forward, and Paul looking at the fulfilment of this passage.
The words, ‘descended to the lower, earthly regions,’ aren’t a reference to hell, but to Jesus’ birth. Paul is referring to Christ’s coming to earth as a baby; he’s speaking about Christ coming into Mary’s womb.
Paul is saying that Jesus, who went up to heaven, that is, in His ascension, is the same Jesus who earlier came down from heaven. Paul isn’t speaking about Christ going to ‘hell’, he’s speaking about Christ’s birth as a human.
Notice in Romans 10:6-7 that Paul quotes from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 30:12. Again, there is no mention of the word ‘hell’ in these verses. In this context, Paul is simply asking these Christians not to ask these questions, why? Because Christ isn’t far away, in fact, He is very near, and faith in him is as near as confessing with our mouth and believing in our heart, Romans 10:9.
When we read Acts 2:26-27 / Acts 2:31, we find the phrase, ‘realm of the dead,’ which is the grave, the place where the ‘body’ ends up. Notice it was Jesus’ ‘body’ which went to the grave, not His soul.
It’s obvious that Peter is using David’s psalm, Psalm 16:9-10, to show that Christ’s ‘body’ did not decay. In other words, Jesus wasn’t like David, ‘who died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day along with his remains,’ Acts 2:29.
No longer is paradise just an anticipatory condition awaiting the messianic presence at the end of the age. Those who die in faith will ‘be with Christ,’ Philippians 1:23. The dead in Christ will not experience life diminished, but life enhanced, as Jesus’ words to Martha in John 11 imply, John 11:23-26.
Note the term, ‘Abraham’s side’, this is a Hebraism which the Jews understood to mean, ‘the paradise of God,’ Luke 16:19-22. So, clearly, once again, the Bible teaches us that Lazarus was in ‘paradise’.
It’s a figurative phrase that appears to have been drawn from a popular belief that the righteous would rest by Abraham’s side in the world to come, an opinion described in Jewish literature at the time of Christ.
The word ‘bosom’ or ‘side’ is ‘kolpos’ and literally refers to the side or lap of a person. Figuratively, as in this case, it refers to a place of honour reserved for a special guest, similar to its usage in John 13:23: ‘One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.’
In the case of Lazarus, the reserved place is special because it’s beside Abraham, the father of all the righteous. The phrase may be synonymous with the paradise promised to the thief on the cross, Luke 23:43. Together, these passages support the conviction that a believer enjoys immediate bliss at the moment of physical death.
When writing to the church in Ephesus, note what Jesus says, ‘I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God,’ Revelation 2:7. According to Revelation 2:7, the overcoming church will eat from the tree of life in the eschatological garden.
Sin and death through redemption are now cast out of the human experience. The way is open for the faithful to return to the garden of God. Paradise is the Christian’s final home.
Notice that Paul says he was caught up to the ‘third heaven’, whilst in the same setting says, caught up to ‘paradise,’ 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. Surely, the phrases ‘caught up to the third heaven’ and ‘caught up to paradise’ mean the same thing! Surely, the ‘third heaven’ and ‘paradise’ are one and the same place!
So where did Jesus’ spirit go when He died? The ‘third heaven’, or ‘paradise’, is God’s spiritual, eternal home, which isn’t physical and isn’t created. This is the place where not only Paul found himself, but the place where Lazarus found himself when he died, the place where Jesus and the thief on the cross went to that day, Luke 23:43. There is no Scriptural evidence which says Jesus went to or descended into hell in any shape or form, and there would be no purpose in doing so.