A Fisherman's Story

A Study in the Gospel of John John 19:17-42   by Samuel E. Ward May 20, 2012   Introduction: Review   Part One:  "The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story",  John 1:1-18 Part Two:  "The Telling of the Fisherman's Story", John 1:18-12:50 Part Three:  "The Climactic Events of the Fisherman's Story", John 13:1-20:31   I. The Final Meal John, 13:1-17:26 II. The Final Prayer with His Disciples, John 17:1-26 III. The Final Hours to Redemption, John 18:1-19:42   A. Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest, John 18:1-13 B. Jesus' Interrogation by Annas and Peter's First Denial, John 18:12b-28 C. Jesus' Appearance before Caiapas, John 18:24-27. D. Peter's Second and Third Denial, John 18:25-27. E. Jesus' Appearance before Pilate, John 18:28-38a. F. Jesus' Denied Clemency:  Reveals the Jews Determination, John 18:38b-40 G. Jesus' Physical Humiliation:  Reveals Pilates' Attempt at Compromise, John 19:1-4 H. Jesus' Crucifixion Demanded: Reveals the Depth of the Jews Hatred, John 19:5-7 I. Pilate's Fear Intensified: Reveals Pilates' Vulnerability and Politics, John 19:8-11. J. Pilate's Arbitration Failed—Jesus Is Handed Over, John 19:12-16   Lawrence Richards reminds us that the betrayal and illegal trials that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were not only done under cover of the physical darkness of night, but it sprung from the darkness of human hearts, as well.   The degree to which the darkness blinds man's eyes to grace and life and light is about to be revealed.   Because of darkness, a false friend had betrayed the Lord. Because of darkness, a true follower had denied his Master. Because of darkness, men charged with communicating God's truth had turned with murder in their hearts, against the God they claimed to serve. Because of darkness, a man convinced of Jesus' innocence permitted Him to be tormented and crucified. Because of darkness, the crowd that cheered Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem now demanded His death and begged the release of a murderer. In the last events of Jesus' life the nature of sin and the extent to which it had perverted mankind was finally revealed.   In the normal course of events, the depth of the moral darkness in which man lives is disguised with good works, kindness, generosity, caring. But under pressure, under the kind of pressure placed on every actor in Jerusalem that last tense day, the superficial is stripped away. The love that costs us nothing to give is shown to be flimsy cover for selfishness and fear. Only the love of God in Jesus, who remains committed to the ultimate sacrifice, burns steadily and bright.   --Teacher's Commentary, Lawrence Richards   In the crucifixion of Christ, the love of God for man is set against the hatred of man against His Son.  This combines to effect what is truly the most sublime act of amazing grace this universe has ever witnessed.  Paul writes of it in Romans.   (Rom 5:8 NIV)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   This is how John reports . . .   K. Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial, John 19:17-42   1. Jesus' crucifixion, John 19:17-37.   a. The physical scene, John 19:17-18   (John 19:17-18 NIV)  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). {18} Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle.   Two Messianic prophecies are fulfilled:   ü  (Psa 22:16 NIV)  Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. ü   (Isa 53:12 NIV)  Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.   It has been suggested the two thieves on either side of Jesus were partners with Barabbas in his crimes.  They were robbers, murderers, and insurrectionists.  Jesus was placed in the middle, signifying that His was the greatest crime.  We marvel at the grace extended to one of the thieves when Jesus accepts his request to be remembered when Jesus came into His kingdom (Luke 23:42-43).   b. The official charge, John 19:19-24.   (John 19:9-24 NIV) Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. {20} Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. {21} The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." {22} Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." {23} When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.  {24} "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.   The sign was handwritten by Pilate in Aramaic (so the Jews could read it), Latin (the official language of the Roman Empire) and Greek (the international language so that all visiting from other lands could read it). The chief priest and the Jews took offense at the wording of Pilate, wanting to say that Jesus only claimed that He was King of the Jews but He was not accepted as such by the Jews.  Pilate let it stand as written.   c. The loving care for His mother, John 19:25-27   (John 19:25-27 NIV) Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. {26} When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," {27} and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.   This passage indicates the witnesses near the cross (Mary, Jesus' mother; Jesus' aunt; Mary, the wife of Clopas; Mary Magdalene; and the apostle John).  John also records Jesus entrusting the care of His mother to John.   d. The last words of Jesus recorded by John, John 19:28-30   (John 19:28-30 NIV) Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." {29} A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. {30} When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.   1) "I am thirsty." Psa 22:15   John MacArthur notes   The one who ran to help Jesus was probably one of the Roman military guards, and by taking a sponge and filling it with sour wine, he hoped temporarily to slake Jesus' thirst. The sour wine was a cheap wine highly diluted with water that was a common drink for laborers and soldiers. Because it had a high water and low alcohol content, it was especially helpful in quenching thirst.   --MacArthur New Testament Commentary, "Matthew 24-28."   2) "It is finished."   Jesus requested a drink not so much to quench His thirst as to moisten His tongue and throat so that He could make His final declaration of "Mission Accomplished!" We go back to John 10 to state the mission that was completed.   (John 10:11, 14-15 NIV)  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . . . {14} I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- {15} just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep."   Charles Ryrie notes . . .   "It is finished!" Receipts for taxes found in the papyri have written across them this single Greek word, which means "paid in full." The price for our redemption from sin was paid in full by our Lord's death.   --Ryrie Study Bible.   e. The certification of Jesus' death, John 19:31-37   (John 19:31-37 NIV) Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. {32} The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.  {33} But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. {34} Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. {35} The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. {36} These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," {37} and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."   1) John was an eye-witness to Jesus' crucifixion from start to finish, John 19:35a. 2) John's purpose was to provide irrefutable testimony of the circumstances of Jesus death, John 19:35b. 3) Jesus' death was insured by the piercing of His side with a spear, John 19:34. 4) This process was the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy.   ü  The fact that Jesus bones were not broken reflects the command that the bones of the Passover lamb not to be broken, Exo 12:46; Num 9:12. ü  The prophecy which John relates to the unbroken bones of Jesus is Psa 34:20. ü  The prophecy which John relates to the public display of Jesus' suffering and death is Zech 12:10.   2. Jesus' burial, John 19:38-42   (John 19:38-42 NIV)Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. {39} He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.  {40} Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. {41} At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. {42} Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.   1. Jesus' body was taken and buried by secret disciples who feared the Jews (Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. 2. Jesus' body was embalmed with a mixture of spices and aloe weighing about seventy-five pounds. 3. Jesus body was placed in a new tomb in a garden nearby the crucifixion site.    Usually criminals were thrown into a common grave. The fact that white linen was used is indicative of the burial of a righteous person.[1]  Since it was a new tomb, it would also lend itself to be less likely to be confused with any other grave and therefore its location easily found again by disciples after Passover.   Conclusion:  What does the death of Jesus mean for us?   If we accept Him as Lord and Savior . . .   1. We have redemption and forgiveness of sins.   (Eph 1:7-8 NIV)  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace {8} that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.   2. We have One Who took the death we deserved for our sin and suffered it for us.   (Heb 2:9 NIV)  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.   3. We are made holy through the shedding of Jesus' blood.   (Heb 13:12 NIV)  Jesus . . . suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.   4. We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.   (1 Pet 1:18-19 NIV)  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, {19} but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.   5. We who were once dead in our sins, have been made alive by Jesus dying for all the charges against us.  Our sins should have been written on the cross.   (Col 2:13-14 NIV)  When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, {14} having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.   6. We will not perish because we have eternal life.   (John 3:16 NIV)  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [1]Bible Background Commentary, "John 19:40."