John 19

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priest answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

What does John 19:15 mean?

Explanation

John 19:15 captures a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative of Jesus Christ. As Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, the Jewish authorities and the crowd choose Caesar over Jesus as their king.

This verse is rich with juxtaposition and irony. Literally, the verse portrays the Jewish leaders renouncing their allegiance to God in favor of Roman political power by denying Jesus as their king. Symbolically, it reflects the rejection of divine kingship and the embrace of secular authority.

Moreover, it suggests a profound irony considering the Israelite expectation of a divinely appointed messiah while choosing the emperor, a symbol of their oppression.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

This event occurs during the trial of Jesus, set against the backdrop of first-century Judean society under Roman occupation.

The Jewish leaders had handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities, hoping to see him executed because they viewed him as a blasphemer and a threat to their authority.

The dialogue takes place during Passover, a time of heightened nationalistic sentiment among the Jews.

The chief priests' declaration aligns them with Roman rule, which is particularly striking given the widespread expectation of a messianic deliverer who would liberate Israel from foreign rule.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is seen as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah being rejected by his own people (e.g., Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 53:3).

It underscores themes of Jesus's kingship, submission to divine will, and the paradox of his kingdom, which is not of this world.

Some theologians note the contrast between the types of kingship represented by Jesus and Caesar, the former being spiritual and sacrificial, and the latter being political and authoritative.

Practical Applications

The verse challenges believers to consider where their ultimate allegiance lies, whether with worldly powers or with God. It invites reflection on how individuals and communities may reject divine authority in favor of societal norms or personal gain.

Christians might see this as a call to faithfulness and a reminder to prioritize spiritual values over temporal ones, especially in moments of societal or personal pressure.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:22-23: "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified."
Mark 15:13-14: "And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him."

Luke 23:21: "But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him."
Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Language Study

Key words in this verse include:

"Crucify" (Σταυρώσον/Staurōson): In the Greek, this word conveys the cruel method of execution used by the Romans, underscoring the gravity of the demand.
"King" (Βασιλέα/Basilea): This Greek term denotes sovereignty and rule, often used to refer to monarchs; its use here is laced with irony given Jesus’s spiritual kingship.
"Caesar" (Καίσαρα/Kaisara): Referring to the Roman Emperor, this title in the context carries political weight and allegiance to Rome as opposed to a spiritual kingdom.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The insistence on Caesar as their king shows a stark departure from traditional Jewish expectations of a messiah from the line of David who would be a spiritual and political liberator.

In comparison to other ancient cultures where kings were often seen as divine or semi-divine figures, the Jewish conception of God as their ultimate king was distinctive.

The choice for Caesar could be seen as a betrayal of that unique cultural and religious identity.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse does not directly intersect with scientific understandings but invites reflection on the human behavior and decision-making processes, which are of interest in fields like psychology and sociology.

The collective decision-making of the crowd, influenced by authorities and perhaps fear, can be examined through social psychology theories that describe behavior in group settings and under pressure.

Commentaries

Commentary on this verse varies, with many theologians emphasizing the irony and tragedy of the Jewish leaders' statement. They note the depths of rejection Jesus faced, not only from Roman authorities but from his own people.

Some commentaries focus on Pilate's reluctant role in the crucifixion and his attempt to provoke empathy or nationalistic pride among the chief priests.

They also discuss the historical and spiritual implications of the Jews proclaiming loyalty to a pagan emperor over the promised Messiah of their own religion.

John 19

John 19

What does John 19:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 19:15 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?