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 19:32 mean?

Explanation

John 19:32 speaks of the moment in the crucifixion narrative when the soldiers, who were tasked with carrying out executions, came to Jesus and the two others who were crucified alongside Him, to break their legs.

This act of breaking the legs of crucified individuals was a practice known as "crurifragium," which was done to hasten death, ensuring the crucifixion did not continue into the Jewish holy day.

Death by crucifixion typically came slowly through asphyxiation as the condemned could no longer support themselves to breathe; breaking the legs accelerated this process since the condemned could no longer push themselves up to relieve the pressure on their chests.

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Historical Context

At the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, Judea was under Roman occupation. Roman crucifixion was a common form of execution for slaves, pirates, and enemies of the state.

It was designed to be a public spectacle, deterring others from committing similar crimes.

The time before the arrival of Sabbath (Jewish holy day) was significant because Jewish law prohibited leaving the body of the executed on the cross during the Sabbath, especially during Passover, which is when the crucifixion took place.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the breaking of the legs of the two crucified with Jesus but not breaking Jesus' own (as seen in subsequent verses, John 19:33-36) is often highlighted as a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of His divine mission.

For Christians, prophetic scriptures such as Psalm 34:20 ("He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken") are seen as prefiguring this event and signifying Jesus as the messianic Paschal Lamb whose bones would not be broken, unlike the Passover lambs sacrificed in the Old Testament.

Practical Applications

This verse can prompt believers to reflect on the fulfillment of prophecy and God's control over events, even in the midst of suffering.

It may also challenge individuals to consider the significance of respecting religious observances while grappling with the sometimes conflicting demands of civil authorities or societal norms.

Moreover, it can encourage examining how one applies laws and principles, balancing mercy, justice, and tradition.

Cross-References

Exodus 12:46 "In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof."
Psalm 34:20 "He keepeth all His bones: not one of them is broken."
Numbers 9:12 "They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it."
John 19:36 "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "brake" is "συντρίβω" (syntribo), which means to break, break in pieces, or shatter.

The word carries the connotation of a violent, complete breaking. The severity of this action indicates the intention to bring about a swift end to the lives of those being crucified.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing with other ancient customs, Roman execution methods such as crucifixion were not unique in their brutality.

Many ancient civilizations had methods of capital punishment that also served as a public deterrent.

However, the Jewish law of not allowing the body to remain on display during the holy day sets this narrative apart, highlighting the synaptic relationship between Roman execution practices and Jewish custom.

Scientific Perspectives

From a medical standpoint, the process of crurifragium would have caused rapid death through shock and asphyxiation.

Modern medical analysis of crucifixion shows that breaking the legs would lead to an inability to push up for breathing, causing the victim to suffocate more quickly.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries often note the significance of the legs of the two criminals being broken but not Jesus'.

Matthew Henry's Commentary, for example, points out that this detail illustrates the divine plan underlying the events of the crucifixion.

This viewpoint is echoed in the Pulpit Commentary and others, which often focus on the fulfillment of prophecy and the way Jesus' death diverged from typical crucifixion outcomes.

They also commonly emphasize the way in which these events fit into the broader narrative of Jesus' sacrificial role and redemption.

John 19

John 19

What does John 19:32 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 19:32 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?