John 19:17-27 | Sunday December 15, 2024

Throughout the gospel of John Jesus has been presented as the Word who became flesh, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. He has shown His power, deity, and care through miracles. He has revealed His character and identity through the 7 I AM statements. Everything we have studied to this point would be undone if Jesus did not continue to be obedient to God the Father over the next verses. Through fake trials He has been condemned to death. Israel has fully rejected Him and declared they have no king but Caeser. The events have been perfectly put in place, with countless prophecies being fulfilled and yet Jesus still had to make the sacrifice. He had to pay for sins.

John 19:16-27 ESV

(16)  So he delivered Him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,(17)  and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.(18)  There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.(19)  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”(20)  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.(21)  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”(22)  Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”(23)  When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also His tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,(24)  so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,(25)  but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.(26)  When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”(27)  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Pilate has compromised at each step. The Jewish leaders have manipulated Him perfectly and the outcome they so desperately demanded was given. Once Jesus was sentenced to death He would have been flogged again. Each beating Jesus went through weakened Him, yet His death had to come on the cross. During a crucifixion the Romans would have the condemned criminal carry the horizontal beam of their own cross out to the site of the execution.

John 19:17 ESV

(17)  and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.

The site of the crucifixion was at The Place of a Skull. This was hillside that would have been easily seen, as these public executions were meant to serve as a warning. The hill itself looks like a skull thus its name. This term in Latin is where the word Calvary comes from. There are so many details in the crucifixion that point back to the Old Testament. These events were not random but the culmination of human history.

Genesis 22:6-8 ESV

(6)  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

(7)  And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

(8)  Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

Abraham had Isaac carry the wood for what was supposed to be used for Issac’s own death. Abraham trusted that God would provide the perfect lamb. Even in His weakened bloodied state Jesus carried His own cross for a time to His sacrifice. He was the perfect sacrifice that Abraham trusted God to provide. He is the lamb God provided for Himself. Then as Jesus reached the edge of the city He was too weak to continue.

Luke 23:26 ESV

(26)  And as they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Simon was forced to carry the cross as Jesus physically weakened. This happened at the edge of the city as Simon came in from the country. Jesus had to die outside the city.

Hebrews 13:11-12 ESV

(11)  For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. (12)  So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood.

On the day of atonement the blood of the sacrifice was brought into the Holy of Holies but the body of the sacrifice was taken outside of the city. The author of Hebrews points out that this is why Jesus had to suffer outside the city. He is the perfect sacrifice.

John 19:18 ESV

(18)  There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

When they reached Golgotha the soldiers would have nailed Jesus’s hands to the cross bar that had been caried out to the site. The upright beam would have already been in the ground. Jesus would have been hoisted up and the horizontal bar was fastened to the vertical. His feet then were nailed into place. Once someone was affixed to a cross the long process of suffocation started. The person would push up in great pain to relieve stress on the chest and take a breath, and then would slump back down. This would go on until the person was too weak to push up or the solders intervened. There were at least two criminals who were killed alongside Jesus.

John 19:19-20 ESV

(19)  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

(20)  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.

The crime for which the person was being crucified was written on a placard and carried by the person to their execution and often affixed atop there cross. These public executions were meant to be seen and there was to be no doubt what caused the person to warrant a death like this. Pilate inscribes the charge, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It was written in Aramaic which was the common language in Judea, Latin which was official language of Rome and its military, and Greek which was the common language of the Roman Empire.

John 19:21-22 ESV

(21)  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”

(22)  Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Pilate has been compromising with the Jewish leaders all day and has finally had enough. This charge infuriated the chief priests of the Jews. They did not want Jesus to be identified as their King. Notice the separation, that the Jews rejection has caused. The chief priests are identified as being of the Jews, this is the first time this has happened. This points out that Jesus is the true Chief priest, not Annas or Caiaphas, or any of the other priest. Jesus is the only one who is able to offer the perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 5:4-5 ESV

(4)  And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

(5)  So also Christ did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by Him who said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”;

It was the Chief Priest who offered up the sacrifice. Jesus has been appointed as the Chief Priest by God the Father. It is time for the perfect sacrifice to be offered. Jesus is the High Priest who is willing to offer Himself.

John 19:23-24 ESV

(23)  When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also His tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,

(24)  so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,

During an execution the Soldiers on duty were entitled to the clothing of the condemned. Clothing was handmade and costly and taking the clothes from the condemned was viewed as part of their wages. Even the Roman Soldiers were fulfilling prophy as they gambled for Jesus’ clothing.

Psalm 22:14-19 ESV

(14)  I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted within My breast;

(15)  My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue sticks to My jaws; you lay Me in the dust of death.

(16)  For dogs encompass Me; a company of evildoers encircles Me; they have pierced My hands and feet—

(17)  I can count all My bones— they stare and gloat over Me;

(18)  they divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.

(19)  But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you My help, come quickly to My aid!

David wrote Psalm 22 about 1,000 years before Jesus was born and 500 years before crucifixion was even invented. Yet God perfectly describes the details of what happened to Jesus’ body as He died on the cross. His hands and feet were pierced and His bones were on clear display as He hung there. It is detailed even to describe the Roman soldiers casting lots for His clothing. The soldiers had stripped Jesus naked as the placed Him on the cross. Even in this humiliation scripture was being fulfilled. It points back to Adam and Eve in the garden. They did not have shame and know they were naked until they sinned.

Genesis 3:6-7; 21 ESV

(6)  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

(7)  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

(21)  And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Once humanity had sinned and fallen from God nakedness showed our sin problem. Adam and Eve immediately tried to solve their own problem. The leaves were temporary and not sufficient. God had to make a way for their sin problem to be dealt with. Something had to die that day. God offered the first animal sacrifice when He made the skins for them. Now Jesus is the perfect sacrifice that the animal pointed to. His blood would take away our sins. So He was stripped naked as He was on the cross and took the sins of the entire world. All sins past present and future were laid on Him.

John 19:25-27 ESV

(25)  but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

(26)  When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

(27)  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Mary was most likely in her mid to late forties, and most likely a widow. She would have been dependent on her eldest son Jesus. Even in the moment of His greatest despair, as He suffered, He took the time to care for His mother. He entrusted Her to John. The Catholic church reads a lot more into this passage and says it was actually John who was entrusted to Mary. That she is the mother of the church. The passage itself disproves this, first by never naming Mary. John goes out of His way to keep fame from coming to her. Second notice that Mary came to John’s house and not the other way around. John help look after and care for Mary’s needs. It truly speaks to Jesus’s love and care that He takes time to care for His earthly mother in this moment. He tenderly entrusted her to the disciple He loved and not to his half-brothers. Not caring for their parents was one of the things Jesus had critiqued the Pharisees for.

Matthew 15:3-6 ESV

(3)  He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? (4)  For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ (5)  But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” (6)  he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

The Pharisees neglected the clear command in scripture to honor their parents and worse yet used giving to God as their excuse. They held their own traditions higher than the Word of God. Jesus stands as a stark contrast. He gives us an example that we are to honor our parents. This is a calling on our lives as believers that we should take seriously, because Jesus did. As Mary watched Her son on the cross she was grieving. This moment and her pain was foretold by Simeon when Jesus was presented as a baby in the temple just 40 days after His birth.

Luke 2:25-35 ESV

(25)  Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

(26)  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

(27)  And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law,

(28)  he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

(29)  “Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word;

(30)  for my eyes have seen Your salvation

(31)  that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

(32)  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

(33)  And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him.

(34)  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed

(35)  (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Simeon had the Holy Spirit and the moment he saw the baby Jesus He knew that this what the “Lord’s Christ.” Jesus was the long promised messiah, Jesus was God’s promised salvation. Through the cross He would be a light to the gentiles and glory for Israel. Mary and Jospeh marveled at this. Then Simeon specifically tells Mary about the pain that she will endure. Her own soul will be pierced. Her son had to die, to become the savior, even her savior. Jesus perfect payment is incredible divisive. It reveals hearts. For some it is their fall, their rejection of Jesus payment seals their fate. For others it is our rising, this word is resurrection. We have hope, and will be resurrected because Jesus paid for our sins!

Romans 8:31-32 ESV

(31)  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

(32)  He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?