John 19 - Africa Study Bible

Munda worked very hard on his farm one day. As evening approached, there was still a small patch of land that was not finished. His wife advised him to stop and quit for the day. Munda agreed, saying, “I will finish this small portion tomorrow.”

His wife said, “You should say, ‘If God wills, I will finish this portion tomorrow’!”

Munda responded, “Whether God wills it or not, I will finish this work. It is only a small piece of land.”

The following morning Munda started work on the plot. As he worked, he noticed a deer on the outskirts of the farm by the river. Wanting to kill the animal, Munda threw his hoe at the deer with all his might, but he missed and the hoe went into the river. Munda started searching for the hoe in the river. He dived and dived the whole day without finding the hoe. Munda did not finish the plot and, due to the diving, he developed a serious fever that confined him to bed for weeks.

Munda had depended on his own strength forgetting that, until God wills, humans can do nothing.

God’s Will • John 19:11

Pilate believed that he had the power to release Jesus or to crucify him. After all, he was a representative of the great Roman Empire. He was the governor of Judea. However, Jesus knew differently. Jesus explained that Pilate had no power except what God allowed him to have.

Jesus teaches us in this verse that nothing can happen to us outside the will of God. He also shows the unlimited power of God. When we proclaim that everything is in God’s hands and that we trust God’s will in everything, we are not being foolish or passive. Instead, we are being conscious of the constant presence and power of God. We believe it, and we experience it. In hardship or in pleasure, we acknowledge that God is over all creation. Nothing comes our way that has not been permitted by God in his wise purposes. There is no human hardship that Christ has not experienced. No one but God has ultimate power over us.

Family Is Precious • John 19:25-27

As Jesus hung on the cross in agony, one of his concerns was for his mother. He still treasured his earthly relationships. Even as he died, he ensured that the welfare of his family was secured. This is like the elder who, when he is about to die, shows concern for his relatives. Jesus entrusted his mother into the hands of his disciple John. He asked each to treat the other as blood relations. We read that John took her into his home and treated her like his own mother.

It is common for us to see a dying person committing one person after another into the hands of capable friends or relatives. This is an effective way to keep the family strong and together even after the most powerful person in the family has departed. These statements are also powerful ways to show love to the family members. They offer great comfort to the family. In life and in death, Jesus gave us examples to follow in our own family. We must never neglect our parents. Like Jesus, show care and concern until their dying hour.

Total Obedience • John 19:31-37

Jewish law required that the body of an executed criminal should not be exposed overnight (Deuteronomy 21:23). It needed to be buried the same day. In addition, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day did not want anyone breaking the law by embalming and burying the dead bodies on the Sabbath. That is why the legs of criminals crucified the day before the Sabbath were broken. It would hasten their deaths so the bodies could be removed and buried before the Sabbath began.

The Jewish leaders were concerned about the laws regarding dead bodies and work on the Sabbath. Yet, they had broken laws to have Jesus executed. For example, at Jesus’ trial they lied and manipulated facts. They also threatened Pilate with a riot if he did not do what they wanted.

We must be careful not to fall into the same trap—obeying only the laws we want to obey and ignoring the rest. If we follow Jesus, we must follow all that God’s Word commands. He demands our total obedience.