JOHN

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John Chapter 19

• John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 

Imagine even daring to whip and beat up the Son of God. My wonderful savior. I cannot express in words the awesome thoughts of Jesus having to endure all this so my sins would not be held against me and I could be granted eternal life. 

• John 19:2 And the soldiers plaited 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. 

Jesus could have at any time, called the angels to take vengeance on theses soldiers and free the Himself from this humiliation. I wonder if the martyrs throughout the ages had the same power even if they didn't know it, to be able to forgive or call fire down from heaven to destroy their persecutors.

We are to follow the example of Jesus and pray for our enemies and do good to them that hate us. Never has Jesus authorized the church to harm dissenters, persecutors, or heretics physically. They are not to curse anyone that comes against their ministry. Rebuke and correct verbally is at times necessary but no physical harm is to come from the church to others. I'm not speaking of governments that have to enforce law and order or armies that have to defend their nation against invaders, but we as believers in Jesus can never use force to get someone to receive Jesus as savior and Lord.

• John 19:4 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 was hoping the crowds would be satisfied to see Jesus whipped and humiliated so that they would not desire His death.

It is so hard to understand the motive of a crowd chanting and demanding a person's death. I could almost understand it if the person being put to death harmed physically one of my immediately family, but to demand the death of one because his beliefs are different or because he healed some sick person, if beyond my understanding. We know that this had to be done to fulfill what Jesus came to accomplish but it is sad to read about the evil within those that did these things to Him.

I can't understand those in the many parts of the world who want to kill just for the sake of making a point. They do not kill because an individual happened to kill a family member, they kill just because they hate a certain group of people perhaps because of something their ancestor may have done years ago. All I know is Jesus said that the Jews would be hated and those that are born again Christians would be hated until the day He returns in person. 

• John 19:5 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. 
• 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. 

They rejected Jesus because they desired a powerful military leader not a savior from sin. The Pharisees hated Jesus because He was a threat to their power and control over the people and their place in the Roman government to be free to practice their religion. They stirred up the people about Jesus. Had Jesus of taken glory to Himself and rose up as a great military leader, the people would not have forsaken Him.

• John 19:8 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. 

Again we see that Jesus willingly died for our sins. No one had any power over Him that God didn't allow. This didn't surprise God. It was planned to bring in the plan of salvation for the entire world. All who believe can receive eternal life and His death will count for us who believe. Believing is more than just a mental assent but receiving the word into our inner being and allowing the spirit of God to cleanse us and bring us into the body of believers in Jesus our Christ.

• John 19:12 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. 

All people at that time feared the Roman authority. At least Pilate didn't really want to kill Jesus and didn't think He was worthy of death.

• John 19:14 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 priests 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. 
• 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. 
• 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

Probably because of the dream of Pilate's wife, He feared that Jesus really was the king of the Jews. An indeed He is and it will be known fully at His visible return. 

• John 19:20 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. 

Pilate wanted to make sure all would read this in their own language. I think also He felt guilty and wanted to ease his conscience. 

• John 19:21 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. 
• 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. 

This was a fulfillment of a prophecy given in the Psalms.

• Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.  

Old Testament prophecy fulfilled back in the Psalms.

• John 19:25 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. 

Back then a widow had no way to support herself and Jesus was making sure His earthly mother was taken care of after His departing making an example that children should care for their parents when they cannot care for themselves. 

• John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 

Jesus did not use His divine powers to escape the same suffering we would have had. He got hungry and thirsty just like we would do under the same circumstances. All this He allowed. He could have stopped suffering at any time. 

• John 19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge 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. 

This really makes me feel humble to think all this is done so I and any others who receive this word will have eternal life and escape the fires of hell. All have sinned and all were lost until Jesus came to pay for sin and save the lost. This death on the cross was sufficient to save all future believers and all those who had already died before He came. They were saved by looking forward to the promise of the Messiah and we are saved looking back to the coming of the Messiah. All are saved by faith in this Messiah and gift from God. 

• John 19:31 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 a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 
• 32 Then came the soldiers, and broke 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 broke not his legs: 

Another prophecy of the Psalms fulfilled.

• Psalm 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Old Testament prophecy fulfilled. 

Every word, every promise and every prophecy that is truth will be fulfilled at the time appointed by God our Father.

• John 19:34 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. 
• 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. 

This is written in Zechariah.

• Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 

I believe this has a double meaning which will be fulfilled at the Second coming of Jesus when Israel shall look upon the one their ancestors have pierced. It had an immediate fulfillment when Jesus was pierced and placed on the cross. 

• John 19:38 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. 

He was once afraid for fear of the Jews but now boldly desired to care for the body of Jesus. 

• Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 

In Isaiah was the prophesy of the fulfillment of Jesus being put in a grave of the rich and the wicked. He was crucified with those that were guilty of crimes but He (Jesus) was innocent of any crimes.

• John 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a 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 sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. 
• 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand. 

A good description of the sacrificial suffering and death of Jesus is found in Isaiah 53. 
Nothing can stop the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation for those that believe. DC