CHAPTER 19

1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Pilate still didn't want to crucify Jesus.
Thinking a whipping with a "cat o' nine tails" would satisfy them, he had Jesus "scourged."
The whipping on the back was enough to kill most men. Thirty-nine lashes were allowed.
Each lash took large pieces of meat from His back!

Oh! How Jesus SUFFERED!

And, His suffering was for MY sin and yours!
(See Isaiah 53:4-7)

The scourging wasn't enough.
They also put a purple robe on Jesus' now battered body, and MOCKED Him!
And, as they were mocking Him, they hit him hard with the edge of their palms.
Then, they "platted a crown of thorns," and pulled it viciously down over Jesus' head!

After the beating and mocking, Pilate went out to announce he found "no fault" in Jesus.
And, he brought Jesus out for them to see that Jesus had been "examined."

5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

Pilate thought surely when they saw Jesus in such condition, they would relent.
But their cries were LOUD! "CRUCIFY Him!! CRUCIFY Him!"

Pilate asked, "WHY? I find 'no fault' in Him!"

Even under such vicious "examination," Jesus never cried out to His Father to be released.
He never cried for "help!"
And, most of all, He never exerted the authority that was His!
For, He could have, with ONE WORD, destroyed them all!!

Though He is LORD of all,
He came to SUFFER for all!

7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

To the Jewish theologians of that day, it was blasphemy for a man to call himself God, or even "the SON of God."
They did NOT believe God could come and be a man!
They WOULD not believe it, even though Moses had prophesied:
"The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;"
(Deut 18:15).
They WOULD not believe it even though David had said,
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Ps 110:1) ((Once, Jesus had REMINDED them of this prophecy: See Matthew 22:42-45))

When Pilate heard that Jesus called Himself "the SON of God," he was AFRAID!
So, he went into the judgment hall privately with Jesus to question Him again.
But Jesus wouldn't answer him at all.
Finally, Pilate said, "Look! I have the power to CRUCIFY You, OR the power to RELEASE You!"

At that point, Jesus told Pilate, "You wouldn't have any authority at all unless God GAVE it to you!"

When will we ever learn, ALL things are of God; and,
all WE are is of God!!
He is the Creator, Owner, Facilitator and Judge of ALL!
In His majestic plan, ALL your good and ALL your sin is perfectly accounted for and USED for His purpose!

12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priest answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

Pilate wanted nothing more to do with this!
He decided to give the Jews ONE more chance!
He brought Jesus out and wanted to RELEASE Him!

But the Jews played the "political" trump!
They cried out, "If you release Him, you are NOT Caesar's friend! Because, the Roman law says, if anyone would make himself to be a king, he is a TRAITOR!"

Pilate brought Jesus to the public judgment seat.
It was called "the Pavement," (Greek: lithostrotos) because it was out in the open, and placed upon different colored stones.
It was also called "Gabbatha" (Aramaic Hebrew meaning "knoll") because it was elevated.

Verse 14 tells us the TIME of Pilate's judgment.
It was at "the sixth hour", or NOON on Friday - the beginning of the Jewish Passover.
At that time, Pilate delivered his decision.
He allowed his soldiers to take Jesus away for crucifiction!

17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

There were two others scheduled to be crucified that day.
Jesus was hung between the two.
((See Isaiah 53:7-8)
Matthew said the two were thieves. (See Matthew 27:38)

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Pilate caused an inscripted title to be placed over Jesus' head.
The title, John says, was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin (vs 20).

Since, Golgotha (the hill on which Jesus was crucified) was near the city of Jerusalem, EVERYONE could see the sign.
This INFURIATED the Jews!
They wanted Pilate to ADD to the inscription and put "He SAID He was King of the Jews!"

But Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written!"
AMEN!
And, what Pilate wrote was TRUTH!
Jesus is "King of kings and LORD of lords!" (See Revelation 17:14).

And Paul wrote to Timothy that IN HIS OWN TIME, God will SHOW this truth (when Jesus comes again!).
(See 1Timothy 6:15)

Many would like to CHANGE the truth today!
But, one day soon, Jesus will come again!

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

When they crucified Jesus, they gambled for His clothes at the foot of the cross!!
This fulfilled prophecy of the disdain Jesus' tormentors had for Him (See Psalm 22:18).

One need go no further in Scripture than these two verses (Matthew 27:35 and Psalm 22:18) to show the immorality of gambling!
There are many OTHER Scriptures which show the ignominy of this sin.
But these two together show the depths to which man will sink when addicted to gambling.
He will sell his home, his family, even his GOD!!

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

According to Mark 6:3, Jesus had brothers and sisters.
Why couldn't THEY take care of Mary, Jesus' mother?

Jesus, being the "first-born," was the "head" of the family (because Joseph was probably dead).
AND, at this particular time, NONE of Jesus' family believed He was Messiah with the exception of Mary His mother.
Jesus entrusted Mary to John's keeping.

Later, James (Jesus' half-brother) became the "head" of the church family in Jerusalem. (See Acts 15:13-29).
Therefore, James had been "converted."

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Jesus could have done without the drink.
He had suffered all without it, and could even now physically die without it.
Yet, His desire was to fulfill the most minute Scripture (See Psalm 69:21)

This "vinegar" was different from the one mention in Matthew 27:34).
The drink of Matthew 27:34 was for alleviating pain.
This (John 19:29) was more likely a simple tart wine.

Jesus did not take this wine for alleviating pain, but, only for thirst.
And, as soon as He drank it, His body expired!

There is no pain as excruciating as the crucifiction!
From the position on the cross:
The muscles were stretched until they were unable to support the ligaments.
The ligaments were stretched until they were unable to support the bone joints.
The bones slipped out of joint.
All the while, the diaphram was compressed, and breathing was almost impossible.
Soon, the person would die of asphixiation.

However, Jesus did NOT die of asphixiation! (See verse 34 below)

Jesus cried, "It is FINISHED!"
His spirit left the body, and zoomed through the veil of the temple that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, ripping it from top to bottom!
This happened at 3pm. (See (See Matthew 27:46, and (See Mark 15:34)

This was Friday, at "the ninth hour," or 3PM.
This was precisely the time that the high priest was to offer a lamb for the sins of the people!
After he had offered that lamb, he was to enter the Holy Place of the tabernacle and place blood on the small altar in front of the veil.
Then he was to enter beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies, and place blood on the mercy seat of the ark.
The high priest was allowed to enter that Holy of Holies only ONCE per year!
The veil symbolized a separation of God from people and their sinful ways.
The once-per-year atonement symbolized that God must ALLOW one to come within to plead for the people.
To enter without permission would mean sure death!
The Bible plainly states that at this time, "..the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.."!!

Can you imagine the mind-boggling disturbance of the high priest as he entered the Holy Place and saw the veil RIPPED from top to bottom?!

When the Spirit of God left the body of Christ, His "Person" went directly through the veil!
He opened access to God permanently for all those who come to God by Him (See Hebrews 9:12).
He purchased eternal redemption for those who come to God by Him!
Because of His death, atonement has been made for ALL mankind!
Because of His righteous sacrifice, the avenue of personal contact with God is now OPEN through our blessed Lord Jesus!
We can now come "boldly" to the mercy seat of God through surrender to Jesus as Lord!

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

John was there for ALL of it - including the soldiers coming to break the legs of those crucified. (See vs 35)

It was after 3pm, and the Passover began at 6pm.
The Jews did not want Jesus hanging on that cross at Passover time.
The law demanded that criminals not hang overnight (See Deuteronomy 21:22-23).
They did not want the sabbath of the Passover defiled by their malice!

However, when the soldiers approached Jesus (to break His legs), they noted that he was ALREADY dead!
Just to be sure, they "pierced His side" with a spear.
John records that out of Jesus' side came "blood AND water."

That spear went through Jesus side, and pierced the pericardium which encompasses the heart and the vessels leading into and from the heart.
The blood and water perhaps represent the fact that Jesus died of a BROKEN HEART!
They also represent the fact that Christians are justified by the blood of God!
And, Christians are sanctified by the "washing of regeneration." (Titus 3:5)

John stayed by the cross, witnessing the events of which he later wrote.
This truth is written, John says, "...that ye might believe."

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Two important Scriptures were fulfilled by John's witness of the truth.

First, NO bones were broken!
In Psalm 34:20, David proclaimed that not ONE of Messiah's bones would be broken (See Psalm 34:20).
This complied with the sacrificial law (See Exodus 12:46, and Numbers 9:12).

Second, the Old Testament prophesied that they would "look upon ME whom they have pierced!" (See Zechariah 12:10).
According to Old Testament prophecy, there could be no doubt that Messiah was God come in flesh!

The point is plainly made:
This was God in flesh on that cross Who died for you and me;
And, He was the "perfect" sacrifice!!

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

John introduces two more very important witnesses: Joseph of Arimathaea, and Nicodemus.

Joseph of Arimathaea was not only rich, he was also very likely a member of the Sanhedrin (ruling body of Jews) in that day.
According to Mark 15:43, and Luke 23:50, Joseph was a "counsellor," which means member of the Sanhedrin.

Nicodemus, was one of the first "ruler(s) of the Jews" who came to Jesus with questions. (See John 3:1).

These two men were scholars of the "law," and KNEW the prophecies!
By coming to bury Jesus they were standing in FAITH that He was Messiah!

Some have said that (vs 39) "an hundred pound weight" of "myrrh and aloes" was enough to embalm TWO HUNDRED MEN!!
That just tells us that Nicodemus gave TREMENDOUS honor to Jesus!!

Joseph buried Jesus in his OWN tomb!
That, too, shows ultimate respect!
(Do ya think Joseph knew Jesus would only need his tomb for "the weekend?")

It was late on Friday (vs 42), probably around four or five in the afternoon.
These men, and others attending, wanted to be prepared for the Passover meal that evening before 6pm.
Probably, the embalming was hastened, and that's the women came Sunday morning to complete the process (See Luke 24:1).

However, Jesus didn't need the embalming either!
For He, by the Spirit of God, brought life back into the mutilated, crucified body!!

And, He, by the Spirit of God, can make a mutilated sinner LIVE in a life of FAITH!! (See 2Corinthians 5:17, and Galatians 2:20).

Have YOU come to Jesus for a life of FAITH?