John 19

Pilate Attempts to Release Jesus

1 So then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.

2 And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and placed [it] on his head, and put a purple robe on him,

3 and were coming up to him and saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" and were giving him slaps in the face.

4 And Pilate came outside again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing him outside to you, so that you will know that I find no basis for an accusation against him."

5 Then Jesus came outside wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and he said to them, "Behold the man!"

6 So when they saw him, the chief priests and the officers shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate said to them, "You take him and crucify [him]! For I do not find a basis for an accusation against him."

7 The Jews replied to him, "We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself out to be the Son of God!"

8 So when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid,

9 and he entered into the governor's residence again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer.

10 So Pilate said to him, "Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and I have authority to crucify you?"

11 Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this [reason] the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

12 From this [point on] Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews shouted, saying, "If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar! Everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!"

13 So Pilate, [when he] heard these words, brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat, in the place called The Stone Pavement (but Gabbatha in Aramaic).

14 (Now it was the day of preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour.) And he said to the Jews, "Behold your king!"

15 Then those shouted, "Away [with him]! Away [with him]! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests replied, "We do not have a king except Caesar!"

16 So then he handed him over to them in order that he could be crucified.

Jesus Is Crucified

17 and carrying for himself the cross, he went out to the [place] called The Place of a Skull (which is called Golgotha in Aramaic),

18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, {one on each side}, and Jesus in the middle.

19 And Pilate also wrote a notice and placed [it] on the cross, and it was written: "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews."

20 So many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, [and] in Greek.

21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write 'The king of the Jews,' but, 'He said, I am king of the Jews.'"

22 Pilate replied, "What I have written, I have written."

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing and made four shares--for each soldier a share--and the tunic. (Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top {in a single piece}.)

24 So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it apart, but cast lots for it, [to see] whose it will be," so that the scripture would be fulfilled that says, "They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." Thus the soldiers did these [things].

25 Now his mother and the sister of his mother, Mary the [wife] of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene were standing near the cross of Jesus.

26 So Jesus, seeing [his] mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, 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 into his own [home].

Jesus Dies on the Cross

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that now at last everything was completed, in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, said, "I am thirsty."

29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there, so [they] put a sponge full of the sour wine on a [branch of] hyssop [and] brought [it] to his mouth.

30 Then when he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, "It is completed," and bowing [his] head, he gave up [his] spirit.

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.

33 But [when they] came to Jesus, after they saw he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

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

35 And the one who has seen [it] has testified, and his testimony is true, and that person knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

36 For these [things] happened in order that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not a bone of his will be broken."

37 And again another scripture says, "They will look on [the one] whom they have pierced."

Jesus Is Buried

38 And after these [things], Joseph [who was] from Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but a secret one for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate allowed [it], so he came and took away his body.

39 And Nicodemus--the one who had come to him formerly at night--also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes [weighing] about a hundred pounds.

40 So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in [strips of] linen cloth with the fragrant spices, as is the Jews' custom to prepare for burial.

41 Now [there] was a garden at the place where he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one was yet buried.

42 So there, on account of the day of preparation of the Jews, because the tomb was close by, they buried Jesus.

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]. *This verb has causative force in context; Pilate did not personally carry out the sentence
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [d]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [e]. Literally "from here and from here"
• [f]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [g]. Literally "through the whole"
• [h]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [i]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [j]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("put") has been translated as a finite verb
• [k]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [l]. Or (traditionally) "it is finished"
• [m]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [n]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [o]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
• [p]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [q]. A quotation from Exod 12:46, Num 9:12, and Ps 34:20
• [r]. A quotation from Zech 12:10
• [s]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [t]. The Greek term refers to a Roman pound, 327.45 grams (approximately 12 ounces)