1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
4 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.
5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 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.
7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10 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?
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 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.
21 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.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
23 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.
24 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.
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 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.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
31 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.
32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
38 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.
39 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.
40 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.
41 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.
42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Chapter 19 of the book of John in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible largely deals with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is a chapter that is dense with symbolism and profound theological implications, and it provides an account of the events leading up to the crucifixion, the crucifixion itself, and its immediate aftermath.
The chapter begins with Jesus being scourged by Pilate's soldiers. This event is often interpreted as a demonstration of the inhumanity and brutality of the Roman Empire. The soldiers mock Jesus, placing a crown of thorns on his head, and dressing him in a purple robe, a symbolic act intended to ridicule his claim to be the 'King of the Jews'. Despite the physical and psychological torment inflicted upon him, Jesus remains silent and composed, illustrating his divine patience and endurance.
Pilate, the Roman governor, is a central figure in this chapter. He is depicted as a conflicted character, torn between his instinct to release Jesus, whom he perceives as innocent, and his need to maintain political stability. The Jewish leaders manipulate this tension, threatening to report Pilate to Caesar if he refuses to crucify Jesus. This political pressure coerces Pilate into sentencing Jesus to death, despite his reservations.
This part of the narrative underscores the theme of worldly power versus divine authority. Pilate, despite his worldly authority as a Roman governor, is manipulated and coerced into making a decision against his better judgment. On the other hand, Jesus, despite being physically powerless, maintains his divine authority through his dignified silence and acceptance of his fate.
The crucifixion of Jesus is a pivotal event in Christian theology. It is depicted in a stark and dramatic manner, underscoring the physical suffering that Jesus underwent. However, it is the symbolic and theological implications of the crucifixion that are most significant. The crucifixion is portrayed as a fulfillment of several Old Testament prophecies, reinforcing the belief that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
For instance, the soldiers' act of casting lots for Jesus' garments is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18. Similarly, Jesus' words, "I thirst", and his subsequent intake of vinegar, fulfill the prophecy in Psalm 69:21. These fulfillments of prophecy serve to authenticate Jesus' messianic claim and underscore the divine orchestration of these events.
The moment of Jesus' death is described with a sense of solemnity and finality. Jesus' final words, "It is finished", signify the completion of his earthly mission. This phrase carries a profound theological significance. It signifies the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, as Jesus' death is seen as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
The piercing of Jesus' side, from which blood and water flow out, is another event loaded with symbolic meaning. It is often interpreted as a symbol of the sacraments of the Christian Church - baptism (water) and the Eucharist (blood). This event, therefore, links the crucifixion with the establishment of the Christian Church and its sacraments.
The final part of the chapter deals with the burial of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, and Nicodemus, who had earlier come to Jesus by night, take charge of Jesus' burial. The depiction of Jesus' burial is consistent with Jewish burial customs, lending historical credibility to the narrative.
This part of the narrative also underscores the theme of discipleship. Joseph and Nicodemus, despite their previous secrecy, now come forward publicly to honor Jesus, indicating their growth as disciples. Their actions serve as a model of discipleship, demonstrating that true discipleship involves taking risks and making sacrifices for Jesus.
In conclusion, John 19 is a powerful chapter that provides a detailed account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It explores profound themes such as the tension between worldly power and divine authority, the fulfillment of prophecy, the redemptive significance of Jesus' death, and the nature of discipleship. Through its rich symbolism and theological depth, it invites readers to reflect on the mystery of God's redemptive plan, the cost of discipleship, and the transformative power of Jesus' sacrificial love.
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