John 19 - The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible

19:1 scourged. Lashed with a whip of cords on the ends of which were sharp pieces of metal or bone, greatly damaging to the body and often leading to death.

19:2–3 platted. Twisted, wove. crown of thorns. The barbaric soldiers mocked Christ as though He were a political king, ironically placing on Him an emblem of man’s fall into sin in Adam (Gen. 3:18).

19:5 Behold the man! Pilate probably intended little more than to draw attention from Christ’s mockers to the sad figure still dressed in the bloody crown and robe, but John may be presenting Jesus as “the Man,” the last Adam suffering for the sins of His people in order to reign with them as the Son of Man (6:62; 12:23–24; 13:31).

19:6 The repeated cry for His crucifixion was not started by the ordinary people but by the chief priests. no fault in him. See 18:38.

19:7 the Son of God. See Jesus’ confession in Matt. 26:63–64; Mark 14:61–62.

19:8 the more afraid. Pilate may have wondered whether Christ was divine in some sense, especially after his wife had a disturbing dream about Him (Matt. 27:19).

19:9 Whence art thou? Where do you come from? no answer. Jesus was often silent when being accused (Mark 14:61; 15:3–5), meekly submitting to God’s will and fulfilling prophesy (Isa. 53:7).

19:11 no power . . . except it were given thee from above. Christ reminded Pilate that all rule and authority are a gift of God (3:27), making the one who wields them accountable to God.

19:12 thenceforth. From that time. Christ’s words and conduct appear to have moved Pilate’s conscience so that he sought to release Jesus, but Pilate’s fear of appearing disloyal or weak before Caesar was stronger than his conscience (5:44; 12:42–43).

19:13 judgment seat. To give a formal sentence. Hebrew. Or Aramaic, the common language of the Hebrew people at that time.

19:14 sixth hour. It was now about 6:00 a.m. (using Roman time). The crucifixion took place at 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25,33; Luke 23:44). Behold your King! Pilate’s words mocked the Jews.

19:15 Away with him. Take him away.

19:17 Golgotha. Aramaic for skull. The place of execution was a short distance outside the city of Jerusalem.

19:19–20 writing. A sign displaying the formal charges in three languages, at least one of which would have been known by each person in Jerusalem during the Passover.

19:23–24 Each of the four soldiers would take a piece of the clothing for himself. rend it. Tear it. parted my raiment. Divided my clothes. vesture. Clothing. The seamless robe was given to the soldier selected randomly according to the casting of lots (fulfilling Ps. 22:18).

19:26–27 behold thy son . . . Behold thy mother! Jesus lovingly committed the care of His mother to the apostle John (the disciple . . . whom he loved ). This may also suggest that the death of Jesus created a spiritual family (20:17; Gal. 4:4–7; cf. Matt. 12:46–50).

19:28–29 I thirst . . . vinegar. Another fulfillment of prophecy (Pss. 22:15; 69:21). hyssop. A plant associated with application of the blood of the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:22) and Jewish rituals of cleansing (Lev. 14:4,6,49–52; Num. 19:6,18; Ps. 51:7).

19:30 It is finished. Christ had completed the work of fulfilling God’s purposes (17:4) that He had announced in Scripture (the same verb as finished is translated “accomplished” in v. 28). The full price is paid for the elect (10:14–15; Mark 10:45) and the wrath of God appeased toward believers (3:17,36; 18:11). gave up the ghost. Expired, died (Gen. 25:8). The Greek words are an unusual way to express death, literally, “He surrendered the spirit” (not the same verb as in Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46), suggesting His voluntary laying down of His life (10:17–18).

19:31 high day. An important day. The Passover fell on the Sabbath. besought. Asked. legs . . . broken. The smashing of the legs with a heavy hammer, cruel as it was, had the effect of hastening death on the cross. In Latin this was termed crucifragium.

19:33–34 The flow of blood and water from His pierced side has sometimes been explained as the result of death by a rupture of the heart (cf. Ps. 69:20), but in any case it certainly confirms that He was dead. The water may also have been a visible reminder that God poured out the Spirit through the death of Christ (4:10,14; 7:37–39; Gal. 3:13–14).

19:35 bare record. Testified as a witness.

19:36 A bone of him shall not be broken. The instructions for handling the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12). Jesus is the Lamb of God (1:29) whose death satisfied God’s justice and wrath against sin (3:14–17,36), saving His people from eternal death (5:24) and bringing them out of slavery to sin and Satan (8:34,36,44; 12:31–33) into the kingdom of God by the Spirit’s life-giving work (3:3–5; 7:39).

19:37 look on him whom they pierced. Citing Zech. 12:10, a prophecy of the outpouring of the Spirit of repentance in the context of a fountain of cleansing for sin (Zech. 13:1).

19:38–40 Joseph (Matt. 27:57; Luke 23:50–51) and Nicodemus (3:1), who was now converted, attended to the burial.

19:39 myrrh and aloes. For the anointing of the body.

19:40 manner. Custom or tradition.

19:41–42 sepulchre. Tomb. nigh at hand. Near.

Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship: Chapter 19

1. Pontius Pilate will forever be remembered for the gross miscarriage of justice he permitted in the murder of God’s Son. We should never allow ourselves to be bullied into doing what in conscience we know to be wrong. Why is the fear of man so powerful as to move people to go against their conscience? How can it be overcome?
2. How clear it is from Christ’s willingness to voluntarily undergo such horrible sufferings that He loved His Heavenly Father and also His own dear people! Even as He was dying He was caring for others, as His words to His mother show. Yet His last words, “It is finished,” declare that He did not die as a helpless martyr but as the conquering King, even as the sign on the cross stated. In one sense the cross was the chariot on which the King of grace rode to victory over all that had been oppressing His own. Yet He conquered as the Lamb of God, suffering and dying to turn away God’s just judgment against sinners. Why should this chapter move us to trust, love, admire, and surrender to this King of infinite grace? How does this chapter affect you?