John 19 - NKJV MacArthur Study Bible

19:1 scourged. Pilate appears to have flogged Jesus as a strategy to set Him free (see vv. 4–6). He was hoping that the Jews would be appeased by this action and that sympathy for Jesus’ suffering would result in their desire that He be released (see Luke 23:13–16). Scourging was a horribly cruel act in which the victim was stripped, tied to a post and beaten by several torturers, i.e., soldiers who alternated when exhausted. For victims who were not Roman citizens, the preferred instrument was a short wooden handle to which several leather thongs were attached. Each leather thong had pieces of bones or metal on the end. The beatings were so savage that sometimes victims died. The body could be torn or lacerated to such an extent that muscles, veins or bones were exposed. Such flogging often preceded execution in order to weaken and dehumanize the victim (Is. 53:5). Apparently, however, Pilate intended this to create sympathy for Jesus.

19:2 crown of thorns. This “crown” was made from the long spikes (up to 12 inches) of a date palm formed into an imitation of the radiating crowns which oriental kings wore. The long thorns would have cut deeply into Jesus’ head, adding to the pain and bleeding. purple robe. The color represented royalty. The robe probably was a military cloak flung around Jesus’ shoulders, intended to mock His claim to be King of the Jews.

19:4 I find no fault in Him. See note on 18:38.

19:5 “Behold the Man!” Pilate dramatically presented Jesus after His torturous treatment by the soldiers. Jesus would have been swollen, bruised, and bleeding. Pilate displayed Jesus as a beaten and pathetic figure hoping to gain the people’s choice of Jesus for release. Pilate’s phrase is filled with sarcasm since he was attempting to impress upon the Jewish authorities that Jesus was not the dangerous man that they had made Him out to be.

19:6 You take Him and crucify Him. The pronouns “you” and “Him” have an emphatic force indicating Pilate’s disgust and indignation at the Jews for their callousness toward Jesus.

19:7 We have a law. This probably refers to Lev. 24:16: “whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death.” The charge of blasphemy (5:18; 8:58, 59; 10:33, 36) was central in Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas (see Matt. 26:57–68).

19:8 more afraid. Many Roman officials were deeply superstitious. While Jews interpreted Jesus’ claims as messianic, to the Greco-Roman person, the title “Son of God” would place Jesus in the category of “divine men” who were gifted with supernatural powers. Pilate was afraid because he had just whipped and tortured someone who, in his mind, could bring down a curse or vengeance upon him.

19:9 “Where are You from?” He was concerned about Jesus’ origins. His superstitious mind was wondering with just what kind of person was he dealing.

19:11 Jesus’ statement here indicates that even the worst evil cannot escape the sovereignty of God. Pilate had no real control (vv. 10, 11), yet still stood as a responsible moral agent for his actions. When confronted with opposition and evil, Jesus often found solace in the sovereignty of His Father (e.g., 6:43, 44, 65; 10:18, 28, 29). the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin. This could refer either to Judas or Caiaphas. Since Caiaphas took such an active part in the plot against Jesus (11:49–53) and presided over the Sanhedrin, the reference may center on him (18:30, 35). The critical point is not the identity of the person but guilt because of the deliberate, high-handed, and coldly calculated act of handing Jesus over to Pilate, after having seen and heard the overwhelming evidence that He was Messiah and Son of God. Pilate had not been exposed to that. See notes on 9:41; 15:22–24; Heb. 10:26–31.

19:12 not Caesar’s friend. This statement by the Jews was loaded with irony, for the Jews’ hatred of Rome certainly indicated they too were no friends of Caesar. But they knew Pilate feared Tiberius Caesar (the Roman emperor at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion) since he had a highly suspicious personality and exacted ruthless punishment. Pilate had already created upheaval in Palestine by several foolish acts that had infuriated the Jews, and so was under the scrutiny of Rome to see if his ineptness continued. The Jews were intimidating him by threatening another upheaval that could spell the end of his power in Palestine, if he did not execute Jesus.

19:13 the judgment seat. Pilate capitulated under pressure (v. 12) and prepared to render judgment on the original charge of sedition against Rome. This “judgment seat” was the place Pilate sat to render the official verdict. The seat was placed on an area paved with stones known as the “Pavement.” The irony is that Pilate rendered judgment on the One whom the Father Himself entrusted with all judgment (5:22) and who would render a just condemnation of Pilate.

19:14 Preparation Day of the Passover. Since this refers to the day before the Passover when preparation for the Passover was done, John presents Jesus as being sent to execution about the time Passover lambs were being slaughtered. For the chronology of the week, see Introduction: Interpretive Challenges. about the sixth hour. John is here reckoning time by the Roman method of the day beginning at midnight. See note on Mark 15:25. “Behold your King!” That was Pilate’s mockery—that such a brutalized and helpless man was a fitting king for them. This mockery continued in the placard on the cross (vv. 19–22).

19:17 bearing His cross. This refers to the cross-member, the horizontal bar. The condemned man carried it on his shoulders to the place of execution. Jesus carried His cross as far as the city gate, but due to the effects of the previous brutal beating, someone else had to eventually carry it for Him, i.e., Simon of Cyrene (Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). Golgatha. This term is an Eng. transliteration of the Gr. which, in turn, is a translation of the Aram. word meaning “skull.” The place probably derived its name from its appearance. The precise location of the site today is uncertain.

19:18 crucified Him. Jesus was made to lie on the ground while His arms were stretched out and nailed to the horizontal beam that He carried. The beam was then hoisted up, along with the victim, and fastened to the vertical beam. His feet were nailed to the vertical beam to which sometimes was attached a piece of wood that served as a kind of seat that partially supported the weight of the body. The latter, however, was designed to prolong and increase the agony, not relieve it. Having been stripped naked and beaten, Jesus could hang in the hot sun for hours if not days. To breathe, it was necessary to push with the legs and pull with the arms, creating excruciating pain. Terrible muscle spasms wracked the entire body; but since collapse meant asphyxiation, the struggle for life continued (see note on Matt. 27:31). two others. Matthew (27:38) and Luke (23:33) use the same word for these two as John used for Barabbas, i.e., guerrilla fighters. See note on 18:40.

19:19–22 wrote a title. The custom in such executions was to place a placard or tablet around the neck of the victim as he made his way to execution. The tablet would then be nailed to the victim’s cross (see Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38). Pilate used this opportunity for mocking revenge on the Jews who had so intimidated him into this execution (see note on v. 12).

19:23 His garments…and also the tunic. By custom, the clothes of the condemned person were the property of the executioners. The division of the garments suggests that the execution squad was made up of 4 soldiers (cf. Acts 12:4). The tunic was worn next to the skin. The plural “garments” probably refers to other clothes, including an outer garment, belt, sandals, and head covering.

19:24 John cites Ps. 22:18. In the psalm, David, beset by physical distress and mockery by his opponents, used the symbolism of the common practice in an execution scene in which the executioner divided the victim’s clothes to portray the depth of his trouble. It is notable that David precisely described a form of execution that he had never seen. The passage was typologically prophetic of Jesus, David’s heir to the messianic throne (see Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).

19:25 Although the exact number of women mentioned here is questioned, John probably refers to 4 women rather than 3, i.e., two by name and two without naming them: 1) “His mother” (Mary); 2) “His mother’s sister” (probably Salome [Mark 15:40] the sister of Mary and mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [Matt. 27:56, 57; Mark 15:40]); 3) “Mary the wife of Cleopas” (the mother of James the younger and Joses—Matt. 27:56); and 4) Mary Magdalene (“Magdalene” signifies “Magdala” a village on the W shore of Galilee, 2 or 3 mi. N of Tiberias). Mary Magdalene figures prominently in the resurrection account (see 20:1–18; cf. Luke 8:2, 3 where Jesus healed her from demon possession).

19:26 the disciple whom He loved. This is a reference to John (see note on 13:23; cf. Introduction: Author and Date). Jesus, as first-born and breadwinner of the family before He started His ministry, did not give the responsibility to His brothers because they were not sympathetic to His ministry nor did they believe in Him (7:3–5) and they likely were not present at the time (i.e., their home was in Capernaum—see 2:12).

19:29 The drink here is not to be confused with the “wine mixed with myrrh” offered to Him on the way to the cross (Matt. 27:34) intended to help deaden pain. The purpose of this drink (cf. Mark 15:36) was to prolong life and increase the torture and pain. It was a cheap, sour wine used by soldiers. The use of this word recalls Ps. 69:21 where the same noun occurs in the LXX. Hyssop is a little plant that is ideal for sprinkling (see Ex. 12:22).

19:30 “It is finished!” The verb here carries the idea of fulfilling one’s task and, in religious contexts, has the idea of fulfilling one’s religious obligations (see 17:4). The entire work of redemption had been brought to completion. The single Gr. word here (translated “it is finished”) has been found in the papyri being placed on receipts for taxes meaning “paid in full” (see Col. 3:13, 14). He gave up His spirit. The sentence signaled that Jesus “handed over” His spirit as an act of His will. No one took His life from Him, for He voluntarily and willingly gave it up (see 10:17, 18).

19:31 Preparation Day. This refers to Friday, the day before or “the preparation” day for the Sabbath. See Introduction: Interpretive Challenges. should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath. The normal Roman practice was to leave crucified men and women on the cross until they died (and this could take days) and then leave their rotting bodies hanging there to be devoured by vultures. The Mosaic law insisted that anyone being impaled (usually after execution) should not remain there overnight (Deut. 21:22, 23). Such a person was under God’s curse, and to leave him exposed would be to desecrate the land in their minds. their legs might be broken. In order to hasten death for certain reasons, soldiers would smash the legs of the victim with an iron mallet. Not only did this action induce shock and additional loss of blood, but it prevented the victim from pushing with his legs to keep breathing (see note on v. 18.), and thus the victim died due to asphyxiation.

19:34 The soldier’s stabbing of Jesus’ side caused significant penetration because of the sudden flow of blood and water. Either the spear pierced Jesus’ heart or the chest cavity was pierced at the bottom. In either event, John mentioned the outflow of “blood and water” to emphasize that Jesus was unquestionably dead.

19:35 he who has seen. This has reference to John the apostle who was an eyewitness of these events (v. 26; 13:23; 20:2; 21:7, 20; cf. 1 John 1:1–4).

19:36, 37 John quoted from either Ex. 12:46 or Num. 9:12, both of which specify that no bone of the Passover lamb may be broken. Since the NT portrays Jesus as the Passover Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (1:29; cf. 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:19), these verses have special typologically prophetic significance for Him. The quote in v. 37 comes from Zech. 12:10, which indicates God Himself was pierced when His representative, the Shepherd (Zech. 13:7; cf. Zech. 11:4, 8, 9, 15–17) was pierced. The anguish and contrition of the Jews in the Zechariah passage, because of their wounding of God’s Shepherd, is typologically prophetic of the time of the coming of the Son of God, Messiah, when at His return, Israel shall mourn for the rejection and killing of their King (cf. Rev. 1:7).

19:38 Joseph of Arimathea. This man appears in all 4 gospels, only in connection with Jesus’ burial. The synoptics relate that he was a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43), he was rich (Matt. 27:57), and he was looking for the kingdom of God (Luke 23:51). John treated the idea of secret disciples negatively (see 12:42, 43) but since Joseph publicly risked his reputation and even his life in asking for the body of Jesus, John pictured him in a more positive light.

19:39 Nicodemus. See notes on 3:1–10. about a hundred pounds. An inaccurate understanding of the term used in the original, this mixture of spices weighed closer to 65 pounds. Myrrh was a very fragrant gummy resin, which the Jews turned into a powdered form and mixed with aloes, a powder from the aromatic sandalwood. The Jews did not embalm but did this procedure to stifle the smell of putrefaction (see note on 11:39).

19:40 strips…spices. The spices most likely were laid on the entire length of the strips of linen which were then wound around Jesus’ body. More spices were laid under the body and perhaps packed around it. The sticky resin would help the cloth adhere.

19:41, 42 garden…new tomb. Only John relates that the tomb was near the place where Jesus was crucified. Since the Sabbath, when all work had to cease, was nearly upon them (6:00 p.m., sunset), the nearness of the tomb was helpful. John does not mention that Joseph of Arimathea rolled a stone across the tomb’s mouth or that Mary Madgdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid (Matt. 27:58–61). For the time of the Lord’s death and burial, see note on Matt. 27:45.