John 19

Jesus is whipped and mocked as king

1 Then Pilate had Jesus taken and whipped.

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

3 Over and over they went up to him and said, "Greetings, king of the Jews!" And they slapped him in the face.

4 Pilate came out of the palace again and said to the Jewish leaders, "Look! I'm bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no grounds for a charge against him."

5 When Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here's the man."

6 When the chief priests and their deputies saw him, they shouted out, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate told them, "You take him and crucify him. I don't find any grounds for a charge against him."

7 The Jewish leaders replied, "We have a Law, and according to this Law he ought to die because he made himself out to be God's Son."

Pilate questions Jesus again

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

9 He went back into the residence and spoke to Jesus, "Where are you from?" Jesus didn't answer.

10 So Pilate said, "You won't speak to me? Don't you know that I have authority to release you and also to crucify you?"

11 Jesus replied, " You would have no authority over me if it had not been given to you from above. That's why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."

12 From that moment on, Pilate wanted to release Jesus. However, the Jewish leaders cried out, saying, "If you release this man, you aren't a friend of the emperor! Anyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes the emperor!"

13 When Pilate heard these words, he led Jesus out and seated him on the judge's bench at the place called Stone Pavement (in Aramaic, Gabbatha).

14 It was about noon on the Preparation Day for the Passover. Pilate said to the Jewish leaders, "Here's your king."

15 The Jewish leaders cried out, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate responded, "What? Do you want me to crucify your king?" "We have no king except the emperor," the chief priests answered.

Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified.

Crucifixion

16 The soldiers took Jesus prisoner.

17 Carrying his cross by himself, he went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha).

18 That's where they crucified him—and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read "Jesus the Nazarene, 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 it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.

21 Therefore, the Jewish chief priests complained to Pilate, "Don't write, ‘The king of the Jews' but ‘This man said, 'I am the king of the Jews.''"

22 Pilate answered, "What I've written, I've written."

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and his sandals, and divided them into four shares, one for each soldier. His shirt was seamless, woven as one piece from the top to the bottom.

24 They said to each other, "Let's not tear it. Let's cast lots to see who will get it." This was to fulfill the scripture, They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. That's what the soldiers did.

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

26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, " Woman, here is your son."

27 Then he said to the disciple, " Here is your mother." And from that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28 After this, knowing that everything was already completed, in order to fulfill the scripture, Jesus said, " I am thirsty."

29 A jar full of sour wine was nearby, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, placed it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.

30 When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, " It is completed." Bowing his head, he gave up his life.

Witness at the cross

31 It was the Preparation Day and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath, especially since that Sabbath was an important day. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of those crucified broken and the bodies taken down.

32 Therefore, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who were crucified with Jesus.

33 When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead so they didn't break his legs.

34 However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

35 The one who saw this has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he speaks the truth, and he has testified so that you also can believe.

36 These things happened to fulfill the scripture, They won't break any of his bones.

37 And another scripture says, They will look at him whom they have pierced.

Jesus’ body is buried

38 After this Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one because he feared the Jewish authorities. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took the body away.

39 Nicodemus, the one who at first had come to Jesus at night, was there too. He brought a mixture of myrrh and aloe, nearly seventy-five pounds in all.

40 Following Jewish burial customs, they took Jesus' body and wrapped it, with the spices, in linen cloths.

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

42 Because it was the Jewish Preparation Day and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus in it.

John 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Christ condemned and crucified. (1-18) Christ on the cross. (19-30) His side pierced. (31-37) The burial of Jesus. (38-42)

Verses 1-18 Little did Pilate think with what holy regard these sufferings of Christ would, in after-ages, be thought upon and spoken of by the best and greatest of men. Our Lord Jesus came forth, willing to be exposed to their scorn. It is good for every one with faith, to behold Christ Jesus in his sufferings. Behold him, and love him; be still looking unto Jesus. Did their hatred sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall not our love for him quicken our endeavours for him and his kingdom? Pilate seems to have thought that Jesus might be some person above the common order. Even natural conscience makes men afraid of being found fighting against God. As our Lord suffered for the sins both of Jews and Gentiles, it was a special part of the counsel of Divine Wisdom, that the Jews should first purpose his death, and the Gentiles carry that purpose into effect. Had not Christ been thus rejected of men, we had been for ever rejected of God. Now was the Son of man delivered into the hands of wicked and unreasonable men. He was led forth for us, that we might escape. He was nailed to the cross, as a Sacrifice bound to the altar. The Scripture was fulfilled; he did not die at the altar among the sacrifices, but among criminals sacrificed to public justice. And now let us pause, and with faith look upon Jesus. Was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow? See him bleeding, see him dying, see him and love him! love him, and live to him!

Verses 19-30 Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.

Verses 31-37 A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, Ps. 34:20 . There was a type of this in the paschal lamb, Ex. 12:46 . May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both water and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.

Verses 38-42 Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it. The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ, though not his constant follower. That grace which at first is like a bruised reed, may afterward resemble a strong cedar. Hereby these two rich men showed the value they had for Christ's person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the reproach of the cross. We must do our duty as the present day and opportunity are, and leave it to God to fulfil his promises in his own way and his own time. The grave of Jesus was appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered as criminals; but he was with the rich in his death, as prophesied, ( Isaiah 53:9 ) ; these two circumstances it was very unlikely should ever be united in the same person. He was buried in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was not he, but some other that rose. We also are here taught not to be particular as to the place of our burial. He was buried in the sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousness set for a while, to rise again in greater glory, and then to set no more.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ps 22:18
• [b]. Exod 12:46
• [c]. Zech 12:10
• [d]. Or one hundred litra; that is, one hundred Roman pounds