John 19 - Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged

E. The Crucifixion (19:17–27)

17 Under Pilate’s orders, Jesus was turned over to an execution squad, which normally consisted of four legionnaires and a centurion (cf. v.23). A condemned person customarily wore a placard (v.20) giving his name and the nature of his crime and carried the transverse beam of his cross. The procession moved from Pilate’s judgment seat to a place outside the city called Golgotha, “The Place of the Skull” (see comment on Mk 15:22).

18 Apart from this simple statement, the writer makes no attempt to describe the process of crucifixion, probably because it was well known to the readers and he did not want to dwell on the physical horror of the Cross. At the place of execution, the condemned man was affixed to the cross by nails driven through the hands or wrists and through the feet. Generally, a rope was tied around the chest knotted between the shoulders, and then tied to the wooden stake behind the body to prevent its falling forward as fatigue weakened the muscles. A peg was set in the upright stake to act as a supporting seat. The victim was stripped of his clothing and left shamefully naked, exposed to the mocking people, the heat of the sun by day, and the chill and dampness of night (on death by crucifixion, see comment on Mk 15:24). A crucified man might live as long as thirty-six hours, or even longer, in an increasing agony. Crucifixion was probably the most diabolical form of death ever invented. Paul, in writing of the humiliation of Christ, says, “He humbled himself and became obedient to [the point of] death—even death on a cross” (Php 2:8, italics mine), a statement that reveals his feeling toward death by this method.

John gives no details concerning the two others crucified with Jesus (see comments on Mt 27:16; Mk 15:27).

19–22 The placard (see comment on v.17) was written in three languages, in order to make the inscription plain to all: Aramaic, for the local inhabitants; Latin, for the officials; Greek, the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean world. Its content was Pilate’s psychological revenge on the Jewish hierarchy for forcing his decision. It proclaimed loudly to all passersby that Rome had crucified the king of the Jews as a common criminal. Stung by the insult, the priests remonstrated, asking that Pilate make clear that it was only Jesus’ claim to be king of the Jews. Having succeeded by his unjust compromise in removing any possible ground of accusation that he was derelict in his duty to the Roman state, Pilate resumed his haughty attitude and refused to change the wording. “What I have written, I have written” means essentially, “Take it and like it!”

23–24 Usually the clothing of a crucified man became the property of the executioners. Jesus’ simple wardrobe was composed of five items: a turban or headdress; an outer robe; a sash or girdle, the folds of which would provide pockets; sandals; and a fairly long tunic woven in one piece, that was an undergarment. The first four were easily divided among the four legionnaires, but the fifth would be of no value if cut into four parts. Gambling was well-known in the Roman army, so the tunic was awarded to one of them at the cast of the dice. John’s reason for mentioning this episode was its fulfillment of the prophecy of Ps 22. This psalm is a startling picture of the Crucifixion, which begins with Christ’s fourth word from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34). If Pilate’s inscription shows that he exploited Jesus’ crucifixion as a means of psychological vengeance, the gambling of the legionnaires shows their callous and mercenary attitude.

25–27 The harsh brutality of the scene is softened by the allusion to Jesus’ care for his mother. Four women are mentioned here: Mary, the wife of Clopas; Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of Jesus; and his mother’s sister, who was presumably Salome, the mother of James and John (cf. Mt 27:56; Mk 10:35; 15:40). The identity of Mary of Clopas is uncertain. Mary of Magdala (a town on the western side of the Sea of Galilee) appears in Luke’s list of those who helped support Jesus by their contributions (Lk 8:2). Nothing in the NT implies that she was of loose moral character.

The anguish and terror of Jesus’ mother at the Crucifixion must have been indescribable. His tender concern for her in the hour of his mortal agony illustrates his true humanity and compassion. On the assumption that John was “the disciple whom he loved,” it could well be that Jesus consigned his mother to John’s care because none of his brothers was present and because John was the nearest available relative. Apparently John removed Mary from the scene at once and took her to his home in Jerusalem. His temporary absence may account for the omission of some of the details found in the Synoptic Gospels, including Jesus’ dialogue with the criminals who were crucified with him. Mary must have remained in Jerusalem for a time since she was present at the session of prayer that preceded Pentecost.

F. The Death of Jesus (19:28–37)

28 The phrases in John preceding Jesus’ last request (his sixth word from the cross) show that he was consciously fulfilling the program the Father had set for him. “Knowing that all was now completed” accords with what he had said earlier in his prayer (17:4). Unerringly and methodically Jesus carried out the commission the Father had assigned to him. The phrase “I am thirsty” recalls Ps 69:21. Jesus’ loss of blood, his nervous tension, and his exposure to the weather had generated a raging thirst.

29 The “vinegar” was probably the cheap sour wine that the legionnaires drank. Though it provided some refreshment, it was a strong astringent that could contract the throat muscles and prevent the condemned victim from crying out with pain. Just what is meant by “hyssop” is uncertain. The word may describe more than one plant. Perhaps it was the Capparis sicula, a plant that grows on the walls of Jerusalem (see ZPEB, 3:235). The thirst consummated Jesus’ physical suffering. Having passed that stage, he had completed his work and was ready to end his mission.

30 The phrase “It is finished” (GK 5464) signifies the completion of Jesus’ work and the establishment of a basis for faith. Nothing further needed to be done. His act was voluntary and confident, for he had discharged perfectly the Father’s purpose and was triumphantly leaving the scene of his human struggle. This expression is almost certainly a shout of victory. John makes it the final report of Jesus to the Father, who would now exalt him to glory. Having said this, Jesus “laid his head to rest and dismissed his spirit” (lit. tr.). He retained consciousness and command of himself till the very end.

31–32 Jesus died on the day preceding the Sabbath, hence, on Friday, “the day of Preparation” (cf. Mk 15:42). The day began at sunset on Thursday and ended at sunset on Friday. The meal Jesus and his disciples ate must have been on Thursday night, which would actually fall on the Passover since the Jewish day began in the evening (see comments on Jn 13:2). The removal of bodies from the cross was a concession to Jewish religious scruples. The Romans usually left the bodies of criminals on their crosses as a warning to potential offenders, much as pirates in the eighteenth century were hung in chains so that passing ships might see their fate. The Jewish law forbade leaving hanged bodies on a gallows overnight (Dt 21:22–23; Jos 8:29). The soldiers broke the legs of the living victims to hasten death. The only way a crucified man could obtain a full breath of air was to raise himself by means of his legs to ease the tension on his arms and chest muscles. If his legs were broken, he could not possibly do so; and death would follow shortly because of lack of oxygen.

33 The execution squad was well acquainted with the signs of death. Consequently, not fracturing Jesus’ legs shows that they considered him to be already dead. His swift death undoubtedly indicates a voluntary ending of his life because his work was ended (v.30; cf. Lk 23:46). He had said of himself that he could lay down his life that he might take it again (10:17).

34–37 One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with his spear, probably to see whether there would be any reaction. The flow of “blood and water” has been variously explained. Ordinarily dead bodies do not bleed because there is no action of the heart to produce arterial pressure. One suggestion is that since the body was erect, the flow was due to gravity and that the crassamentum (the heavy, red corpuscles) and the serum (the yellowish white aqueous part) of the blood had already begun to separate. Another is that either the stomach or the lungs contained water that flowed with the blood. The author places great importance on this fact, emphasizing that he had witnessed it for himself and that he was telling the truth. He connects the fact that no bones were broken with Ex 12:46; Ps 34:20 and the pierced side with Zec 12:10 (where that fact is related to the final manifestation of the Lord to Israel). Verses 35–37 are a footnote giving the author’s viewpoint in the third person, a usage in keeping with his practice throughout the gospel.

G. The Burial of Jesus (19:38–42)

38 Burial in the Middle East usually takes place within twenty-four hours after death. Normally, the body of Jesus would have been flung into a common pit with the bodies of the two other victims, but two of his friends intervened. Jesus had no estate of his own from which to pay for a proper burial, and his relatives were either too poor or too afraid of the authorities to assume responsibility for it. Joseph of Arimathea stepped forward (see comments on Mk 15:42–43; Lk 23:50–54) and asked Pilate for permission to remove the body. His action was courageous, for his petition was a tacit admission that he was a friend of Jesus and consequently an associate in whatever supposed subversion Jesus might have advocated. He was now openly confessing his faith, for up to this time he had been a secret believer.

39 Nicodemus, another distinguished member of the Jewish aristocracy, shared the responsibility for receiving Jesus’ body with Joseph. This marks his third appearance in the gospel (see 3:1–15; 7:45–52). Like Joseph, Nicodemus was a secret disciple whose faith grew slowly. As a member of the Sanhedrin, he had more at stake than the Galilean fishermen who had become followers of Jesus early in his career. His cooperation with Joseph in the burial shows that his faith had finally matured. Neither of these men appears in the Jewish records or traditions of the time, presumably because as traitors to Judaism, their names were erased from the records.

The mixture of spices that Nicodemus provided was a large quantity. Spices were generally imported and were very expensive. Myrrh is a gum exuded by a tree that grows in Arabia and is prized for its perfume. It was one of the gifts of the wise men to Jesus (Mt 2:11). Aloes are derived from the pulp in the leaves of a plant that belongs to the lily family. This spice is fragrant and bitter to the taste. Used with myrrh, it acts as a drying agent; and the fragrance would counteract the odor of decaying flesh. The quantity of one hundred Roman pounds (about 75 lbs.) reveals both Nicodemus’s wealth and his appreciation of Jesus.

40 The burial of the body was hasty and had to be completed before sundown. The process is uncertain. The spices, being of somewhat gummy character, may have been laid in the folds of the cloth to provide a rigid casing for the body, or, more likely, they were ground and mixed with oil to form an ointment to rub on the body. “Strips of linen” refers to graveclothes, the sort that in the case of Lazarus were wrapped around him in such a way that he had to be released after he was raised (11:44–45).

41 The place of burial was a private garden, probably Joseph’s own rock-hewn tomb (Mt 27:60). The privacy of this garden allowed the women to visit the tomb. No doubt they would have been hesitant to enter a public cemetery at any time—especially before daylight. The location was near the place of execution and was probably just outside the Second North Wall of the city.

42 The allusion to “the Jewish day of Preparation” creates the impression that the burial was hasty, though the amount of spices suggests that as far as Joseph and Nicodemus were concerned, it was final (though they may not have completed all they wished to do). The women observed the place of the entombment. Consequently they knew where to go in order to fulfill their desire for a part in the burial of Jesus.