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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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GOSPEL OF JOHN Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert 2. The Words
of Jesus on the Cross (Jn 19:23‑30) [25 - (Jn 19:23-42) Cont] a) There is
a slight discrepancy between John’s Gospel and the Synoptics concerning the
dividing of Christ’s garments. The Synoptics included the inscription on the
cross before Christ’s garments were divided, whereas John reversed the order.
This does not present a serious problem because John may have observed the
inscription first, which may have been going on simultaneously while the
soldier cast lots. “Harmony of the Gospels” by Thomas and Gundry insert vss.
23‑25 in between vss. 18 and 19. b) As was their custom, the escorting
soldiers had the privilege of dividing the belongings of the victim among
themselves. It would have included an outer garment called a “mantle,”
sandals, head covering, and a one piece undergarment called a “tunic.” The
tunic of Jesus, because it was a one piece garment, was the piece of clothing
for which the soldiers were casting lots. However, this very event was
prophesied in a Messianic Psalm by David (Ps 22:18). c) Standing by the cross were four women.
Three of them were Maries, Jesus mother, Mary the wife of Clopas, and
Mary Magdalene. John only identifies his mother as “[Jesus’] mother’s sister.”
She is Salome, the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (Mat
27:56, 57; Mk 15:40). d) When Jesus saw his mother and John
standing nearby, He spoke to them while on the cross, “Woman, behold, your
son! … Behold, your mother!” It is incredible that even though He was going
through excruciating pain, Jesus was concerned for His mother’s welfare. This
was not because He was glorifying her as the “Virgin Mary,” but showing His
great filial love. Tradition reports that John took care of Jesus’ mother
until she died in aprox. 45 A.D. e) There are altogether seven sayings of
Jesus on the cross. None of the Gospels includes all of them. John’s Gospel
includes three of them (#3, 5, 6). Luke records three different sayings out
of the seven (#1, 2, 7) and Matthew and Mark include only one but it is the
same one (#4). f) Jesus’ sayings on the cross could be
broken into three designations. (1) Earthly
Aspect (#1, 3) is the aspect where Jesus had compassion for individuals while
they were still on earth. (2) Salvation Aspect (#2, 6) is the aspect
where His phrases dealt directly with salvation, the very purpose for which
He was on the cross. (3) Messianic Aspect (#4, 5, 7) is the aspect where
He quoted Messianic Scriptures while on the cross so that the Jews (and the
world) could identify Him as the Messiah. g) The
seven sayings of Christ on the cross are: #1 ‑ "Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (Lk 23:34). #2 ‑ "Truly I
say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Lk 23:43). #3 ‑
"Woman, behold, your son!" … "Behold, your mother!" (Jn
19:26‑27) #4 ‑ "ELI,
ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU
FORSAKEN ME?" (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:33). #5 ‑ "I
am thirsty." (Jn 19:28) #6 ‑ "It
is finished!" (Jn 19:30) #7 ‑ "Father,
INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." (Lk 23:46) h) Having
omitted the dialog with the thief on the cross and the quote of Ps 22:1 in
Aramaic, John moves directly to His death on the cross. i) Knowing that all things for man’s
salvation were accomplished by His death on the cross, Jesus claimed that He
was thirsty. This was a quote from Ps 22:1 in order to identify Jesus as the
“Christ.” j) Jesus very well was aided by the sour
wine to moisten His mouth in order to cry out one of the most important
declarations on the cross. The phrase “it is finished” (tetélestai ‑
perfect passive indicative of teléō ‑ to finish or complete.
Lit. It has been and continues to be finished. It was used in business
transactions to declare, “paid in full!”) refers to the atonement that
Christ’s death made on the cross for man’s sins. It is a completed atonement
by Christ. Being the Son of God, Christ was the only One who could accomplish
anointment. Since it is completed man can not add to it nor can he ever add
to it. This statement declares that salvation is by faith alone (not works)
in Christ alone (no other including man himself). k) With that, Christ voluntarily gave up His
spirit and died. No one took His life from Him. 3. The
Death of Jesus on the Cross (Jn 19:31‑37) a) Having
been on the cross for approximately six hours (from “third hour” ‑
Mk 15:25 to “ninth hour” ‑ Mk 15:33‑34), it was approaching sunset
and the Passover. The “preparation for the Passover” was obviously before the
Passover. The Jews, according to their Law, not Roman Law, could not leave a
person hanging on the cross overnight and on a Sabbath (Dt 21:22‑23).
The Jews therefore Jesus was arrested, sentenced, crucified, and taken down
from the cross in swift manner. Another marvelous divine symbol was that
preparation for the Passover meant that at least 25, 000 lambs were brought
into the city and slaughtered for the Passover meal and continued about the
same time Christ was hanging on the cross. Indeed, He was the “Lamb of God
who took away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29 cp. Is 53:6). b) In order to make sure the victims died
before sunset, they broke the legs of the thieves on either side of Jesus.
This would not allow them to pull themselves up for another tortuous breath.
But when they came to Jesus, He was already dead and they did not need to
break His legs fulfilling another Messianic Scripture (Ps 34:20; Ze 12:10).
However, a soldier pierced His side with a spear and as a result, blood and
water gushed from the wound. It was one more medical evidence that Christ was
indeed dead. It was also the evidence that Christ died and shed His blood for
man’s atonement (Le 17:11). c) John himself has written his gospel to
testify to the truthfulness of all these facts (Jn 19:35). 4. The
Burial of Jesus (Jn 19:38‑42) a) Joseph of
Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, asked for Jesus’ body to bury him in
his own new tomb (Mt 27:60). It was obviously nearby (Jn 19:41‑42). b) Nicodemus, perhaps showed evidence of
believing in Christ by coming and bringing spices for Jesus’ burial. Since
the Jews did not embalm, wrapping with 100 pounds of spices was the custom. c) The importance of Jesus’ burial was that
it proved that He had died. Without Christ’s death there was no payment for
sin (Ro 6:23). Applications A. Though the story appears
tragic, the greatest event in history had just occurred. God had sent His Son
to redeem sinful man and it was accomplished through the death of Christ on
the cross (Ga 4:4‑5). All of history looked forward to the cross and
all of the future looks back to the cross as the sole redemptive act (Ro 3:25‑26
cp. Jn 1:29). B. Salvation was purchased on the cross by the
death of Christ. It is the greatest single act of love because the holy Son
of God, became a man, so that He could die in the place of sinful man (Jn
3:16; 15:12‑13; Ro 5:8; Ep 5:2, 25; 1Jn 4:10, 19). C. Every spiritual blessing, whether theological
truths, positional truths, conditional victory is based on Christ’s death on
the cross (Ro 5:17, 21; Ro 6:3‑4; Ep 1:3, 10). D. The cross becomes the believer’s message
(1Co 1:18) the believer’s ministry (Ga 6:12), the believer’s life (Ga 2:20);
and the believer’s boasting (Ga 6:14). |
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