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John 19 Jesus Enters Jerusalem

1 Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.

2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe

3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”

5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

7 The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid,

9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.

10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).

14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.

17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.

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

21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

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

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
“They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.”
So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,”

27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28 The Death of Jesus
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.

33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”

37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

38 The Burial of Jesus
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away.

39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.

40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.

42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

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Analysis of John Chapter 19

John Chapter 19 is one of the most significant chapters in the New Testament, encapsulating the final hours of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, His crucifixion, and the events immediately surrounding His death. This chapter carries profound theological implications and offers a deep, sorrowful, yet hopeful narrative of sacrifice, redemption, and the ultimate triumph of God’s love over sin. Let us delve into the passage verse by verse, extracting its rich meanings and esoteric insights.

The Sentencing of Jesus (John 19:1-16)

Verses 1-16 narrate the process leading to Jesus’ sentencing. These verses depict a sequence of events involving Jesus’ scourging, the mocking by the soldiers, His presentation to the crowd by Pilate, and the final decision to crucify Him despite His innocence.

  • Verses 1-3: “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote Him with their hands.”

The scourging of Jesus is an essential part of His suffering. Scourging with a Roman whip called the flagellum was brutal, often leading to severe injuries or even death. The crown of thorns symbolizes the mockery of His kingship, turning a symbol of majesty into one of pain and humiliation. The purple robe, a color associated with royalty, further underscores this mockery. These acts of brutality and mockery reflect both the physical and emotional suffering Jesus endured.

Insight: The thorns represent humanity’s sin and the curse from the Fall in Genesis 3:18 (“thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you”). Jesus bears this curse on His head, symbolizing that He is taking on the sin and suffering of humanity.

  • Verses 4-6: “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. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 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 presents Jesus to the crowd, hoping that the sight of His suffering might evoke pity and result in His release. “Behold the man” (Latin: Ecce Homo), reveals Pilate’s perception: Jesus, though severely beaten, is still wholly human and does not deserve death. Despite Pilate’s repeated declaration of Jesus’ innocence, he ultimately succumbs to the pressure from the chief priests and the crowd.

Insight: Pilate’s struggle represents human weakness and the conflict between justice and expediency. His repeated finding of “no fault” in Jesus emphasizes Jesus’ role as the sinless Lamb of God, aligning with the prophecy in Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth.”

  • Verses 7-9: “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; and went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art Thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.”

Here, the charge against Jesus shifts from political to theological. The Jewish leaders assert He must die for blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God. Pilate’s fear escalates, indicative of his awareness of the weight of the decision he must make. Jesus’ silence in response to Pilate echoes the suffering servant of Isaiah 53: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth.”

Insight: The silence of Jesus underscores His submission to the Father’s will and the fulfillment of prophecy, demonstrating His sovereignty and control even in suffering.

  • Verses 10-11: “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? 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.”

Pilate attempts to assert his authority, but Jesus corrects him, declaring that any power Pilate has originates from God. This statement reveals the divine orchestration behind these events—nothing happens outside of God’s sovereign will. The “greater sin” probably refers to Judas and the Jewish leaders who actively betrayed and handed Jesus over compared to Pilate, who is acting under compulsion and ignorance.

Insight: This passage illuminates God’s sovereignty over human authorities and sparks reflection on the nature of sin and responsibility. The recognition of divine providence amidst human actions reassures believers of God’s ultimate control and purpose.

  • Verses 12-16: Behind the escalating tension, Pilate still seeks to release Jesus. However, the Jewish leaders leverage political pressure, reminding Pilate of his loyalty to Caesar, thus securing the order for crucifixion.

The Crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:17-30)

  • Verses 17-22: “And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 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. 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. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.”

Jesus carries His cross to Golgotha, symbolizing the journey of suffering He undertakes on behalf of humanity. Crucifixion, a brutal and dehumanizing form of death, emphasizes the extent of Jesus’ suffering. Pilate’s inscription in three languages ensures everyone understands the charge: Jesus is proclaimed the King of the Jews, ironically affirming His true identity through the declaration of His mock title.

Insight: The use of three languages symbolizes the universality of Jesus’ kingship. His rule extends beyond any single nation, reflecting the global reach of His mission of salvation.

  • Verses 23-24: “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. 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.”

As the soldiers divide Jesus’ garments, they unknowingly fulfill the prophecy from Psalm 22:18. The seamless coat can be seen as a metaphor for Jesus’ perfection and the indestructibility of His priestly role and sacrificial mission.

Insight: The casting of lots for His garments highlights the meticulous fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Jesus’ life and death, confirming the divine plan in action.

  • Verses 25-27: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

In the midst of His suffering, Jesus demonstrates profound compassion for His mother, entrusting her care to the beloved disciple, traditionally understood as John. This demonstrates Jesus’ role as the perfect Son, fulfilling His duties even in His final moments.

Insight: This scene underscores the new relationships and community formed through Jesus’ death. The formation of a new family among believers is emblematic of the new covenant—where spiritual kinship transcends biological ties.

  • Verses 28-30: “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 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. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.”

Jesus’ statement, “I thirst,” fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 69:21 (“They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”). His declaration, “It is finished” (Greek: Tetelestai), signifies the completion of His redemptive work. This phrase conveys that the debt of sin is fully paid, and the path to reconciliation with God is now open.

Insight: “It is finished” is a triumphant proclamation of victory, marking the completion of the task assigned by the Father—salvation for humanity. Jesus’ final act of bowing His head and yielding His spirit underlines His voluntary sacrifice.

The Burial of Jesus (John 19:31-42)

  • Verses 31-33: “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 a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs:”

The Jews request to hasten the deaths of those crucified to ensure their removal before the Sabbath. The soldiers break the legs of the two criminals, which would hasten death by preventing them from pushing up to breathe, but seeing Jesus already dead, they do not break His legs.

Insight: The fact that Jesus’ legs were not broken fulfills the Passover lamb’s typology (Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12). He is the Lamb of God, and His unbroken bones further attest to His sacrificial purity.

  • Verses 34-37: “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

This piercing and the outflow of blood and water have profound symbolic meanings. These symbolize the sacraments of the Eucharist (blood) and Baptism (water), essential elements of Christian spiritual life. John emphasizes his eyewitness account to affirm the truth and incite faith in Jesus’ followers.

Insight: The flow of blood and water signifies the wellspring of life and cleansing flowing from Jesus’ sacrifice, epitomizing the fulfillment of prophecy and the foundation of the Christian sacraments.

  • Verses 38-42: “And after this, Joseph of Arimathea, 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. 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. 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. 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. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.”

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both secret followers of Jesus, boldly claim His body and prepare it for burial, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 (“And they made His grave with the wicked but with the rich at His death”). This act of devotion is significant, as it signifies the courage and loyalty of those who now publicly associate with Jesus even after His death.

Insight: The burial in a new tomb highlights the sanctity and purity of Jesus’ body and underscores the forthcoming resurrection. The use of myrrh and aloes and the presence of the garden symbolize the honor and new life that Jesus’ sacrificial death initiates.

In summary, John Chapter 19 meticulously weaves together the historical events of Jesus’ passion with the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, establishing the profound theological foundation of Jesus’ sacrificial death. The chapter not only narrates the physical sufferings of Jesus but also encapsulates the spiritual triumph over sin and death, paving the way for resurrection and eternal life. Each verse, laden with meaning, calls for deep reflection on the multifaceted dimensions of redemption, propitiation, and the ultimate victory of divine love manifested in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.