23Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. 24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “THEY DIVIDED MY OUTER GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS.” 25Therefore the soldiers did these things.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
31Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.” 37And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”
38After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Interesting Words
bearing
(βαστάζω – Greek) – bastazó ► bear, endure, support, carry something, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually – Matt 3:11, 8:17; Luke 14:27; Gal 6:2;
Golgotha
(Γολγοθᾶ – Greek) – Golgotha ► a knoll outside the wall of Jerusalem, resembling a “skull” or “head”, known as “the place of the skull”, was a site of execution where Jesus Christ was crucified, translated Calvary in Latin. The location’s proximity to the city allowed many to witness the crucifixion of Jesus, fulfilling various Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering and death – Matt 27:32-34;
thirsty
(διψάω – Greek) – dipsaó ► thirst for, desire earnestly, primarily denotes a physical thirst, a natural craving for water – Matt 5:6; John 4:13-14; Rev 21:6, 22:17;
finished
(τελέω – Greek) – τελέω ► To complete, to finish, to fulfill, to accomplish, signifies bringing something to its intended goal or conclusion, fulfillment of duties, results “rolling-over” to the next level – 2Cor 12:9; 2Tim 4:7;
Cross References
(full text – Isa_9:1-7
2The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
3You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
▪︎ Typology of His crucifixion –
• Rebellion – Numb 21:5, 6
• OT Typology – Numb 21:8, 9;
• NT Solution – John 3:14-15, 16
▪︎ Prophesies of His crucifixion –
• Ps 16:10;
• Ps 22:1, 7-8, 9, 14;
(full text – Ps_22:14-23
And all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It is melted within me.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And You lay me in the dust of death.
16For dogs have surrounded me;
A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet.
17I can count all my bones.
They look, they stare at me;
18They divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing they cast lots.
19But You, O LORD, be not far off;
O You my help, hasten to my assistance.
20Deliver my soul from the sword,
My only life from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.
22I will tell of Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23You who fear the LORD, praise Him;
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
• Isa 53:3, 4,
(full text – Isa_53:3-11
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
6All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
7He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
Discussion Questions
1. Why was the location of Jesus’ crucifixion important?
▪︎ It made His crucifixion a public event, documented by government and historical sources.
▪︎ Sacrifice for sin to be outside the city, fulfilling prophesy from OT sacrifices… Lev 4:12, 22; Lev 23:26-32; Heb 13:11-13; Gal 3:13; (note: Rev 22:14-15)
▪︎ It backfired on the leadership who arrested Him in the middle of the night seeking to minimize public awareness.
▪︎ People throughout time can have proof the Jesus really did die on the cross no matter what they personally believe.
▪︎ It also provided a localized platform that announced to locals and visitors to Jerusalem that their king was being crucified, John 19:20;
▪︎ It provided a permanent, physical, historical marker, Golgotha, Calvary, the place of the skull to document this event as significant to the whole universe, for all time.
2. How is Jesus’ humanity reflected in this description of His crucifixion?
▪︎ He did die. He died right here at Golgotha.
▪︎ it proved He was human, the “Son of Man”.
▪︎ It was confirmed by Roman soldiers who dealt with death on a regular basis. Even the centurion present confirmed this, “truly this was a righteous man”, Luke 23:47;
▪︎ He had people He cared for, His mother and others that He sought long term care for in His absence.
▪︎ He was an itinerate preacher but these women tracked His closely and supported Him. They meant a great deal to Him.
▪︎ He was thirsty, John 19:28.
3. Consider the first set of cross references entitled “Various Messianic Prophecies”. How do they reflect God’s overall plan?
▪︎ Many important developments were prophesied 400+ years previously, highlighting each aspect of His Messianic ministry.
▪︎ He bought freedom from man’s slavery to sin Isa 61:1, 2 which He used to initiate His ministry.
▪︎ To bring a covenant pleasing to God – Mal 3:1;
▪︎ To remove fear and anxiety, and give sight and hearing to His children – Isa 35:4-5;
▪︎ To tell us what is to come and lead us into truth.
▪︎ To bring salvation, joy, and triumph.
▪︎ To remove gloom, anguish, contempt, darkness.
▪︎ To bring His glory, great light, true righteous governance, justice, never ending peace.
▪︎ Gladness in the presence and fellowship of God – Isa 9:3;
4. Looking at 2Cor 5:21 and the typology shown in John 3:14-15, how did God the father look at Jesus on the cross?
▪︎ God made Jesus to be sin for us.
▪︎ Jesus was made to be all sin for all time when He was on the cross, 2Cor 5:21.
▪︎ The type is the “snake” that came up from the wilderness when the people spoke against God coming out of Egypt. He was put on a pole and when the people looked up to it in faith. The wrath due their sin was forgiven. Jesus became like that snake for us to forgive our sin.
▪︎ Other similarities show up when you consider that in real life, sin came to Eve when she was tempted by the serpent, the snake in the garden.
▪︎ Jesus would ultimately be victorius over Satan when He, Jesus deat a fatal blow to him on the cross, crushing the head of the serpent, Satan – Gen 3:15;
▪︎ This gives increased importance to our understanding of the meaning of “gave” in John 3:16.
5. “What is evident from those who were present at the foot of the cross? Consider other cross references such as Matt 1:23, Luke 1:32-33, 47-48, Luke 2:18-19, 2:34-35, 48, 49, 51-52?
▪︎ Jesus was Immanuel, “God with us” (physically with humanity) for about 3 years and the was taken away. Later, He would return in the person of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
▪︎ Jesus was/is great… a great high priest, a great King because He gave so much… becoming sin for us, taking on the weight of the world’s sin.
▪︎ Mary was the major beneficiary of these prophecies, being God’s bond slave, living with her son for 30 years, pondering all these things, treasuring them in her heart.
▪︎ Yet these last moments were the hardest… witnessing Simon’s prophecies, fulfilled in her sight:
► fall and rise of many
► a sign to be opposed
► a sword piercing her own heart
► knowing He had business to take care of, to accomplish
► He kept increasing in wisdom and stature, with God and man
▪︎ Even if you don’t believe, you have to admit that this is the greatest plan for God to bring joy and gladness to a lost and dying world… full atonement for failures at the expense of God Himself.
▪︎ All of these were prophesied to and confirmed by those standing around the cross… Mary, Elizabeth, the disciples, the centurion, those in the crowd, etc.
6. How do the prophecies about the crucifixion dramatically display what Jesus went thru on the cross?
▪︎ It was excruciating pain.
▪︎ Extended over a long, nude, humiliating period.
▪︎ Seeing your personal clothing be divided and soldiers wagering for a tunic probably made for Him by a friend or family member.
▪︎ Bones out of joint, can’t breathe, lungs possibly filling up, can’t cough.
▪︎ Forsaken by the one closest to you, God the Father Ps 22:1; Mark 15:34
Dealing with faith issues, quoting scripture and yet feeling there is no way it could be true.
▪︎ Despised, forsaken and ridiculed by Israel, shaking their heads in derision.
▪︎ Ridiculed even by the thieves next to Him on the own cross.
7. List all the ways the cross “completes” the Plan of God.
▪︎ Full payment for all sin.
▪︎ Nothing left undone.
▪︎ God is completely satisfied with the solution.
▪︎ Because of His sacrifice, we can experience the full pleasure of God.
▪︎ We will see prosperity as a result of His work.
▪︎ We obtain His righteousness as a gift, imputed to us, granted as a gift, fully justified.
▪︎ We experience total freedom from slavery to sin and the flesh – Rom 8:2.
▪︎ We now have the Holy Spirit living in and through us to do His good will. This would not be possible without the cross, John 16:7;
▪︎ We can now experience His life and peace, Rom 8:6, 10, 11;
▪︎ We are now sons of God, Rom 8:14-15;
▪︎ We are now able to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, Rom 8:29;