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“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suff’ring and shame;

And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.”

As a young girl singing this at nursing homes, I remember feeling like “The Old Rugged Cross” was a very old song, seeming to push a faraway event further from me. Even today, it can feel easier to disengage from gazing on the “emblem of suffering.” But as the hymn states, our Dearest and Best was slain there, on that old rugged cross. It would be a pity not to sit and behold the most relevant event in all of history. 

What would it be like to be someone at the cross, an instrument in an innocent man’s death? Yet Jesus was not a helpless victim, and those present at the cross weren’t there by random chance.

In John’s gospel, we see clearly that Jesus gave up His life — willingly. The ordinary people there that day fulfilled prophecies one after another. 

To summarize the events of John 19, Christ was given a sentence. Pilot placed a title over his head. His garments were taken from him. We see the care of his mother, and the giving of the sour wine. We see his dying word and the piercing of his side. Then, his burial. 

Jesus GAVE His Life 

Even with all the chaos and drama of the events leading up to Jesus’ death, according to Scripture, there was nothing accidental about it. From Golgotha, to the dividing of his garments, to the Garden Tomb, we see a perfect fulfillment of God’s Word. One commentator said, “God used the worst thing we ever did to do the best thing He ever did.” Jesus gave His life as a precious gift, and all the people operated within God’s perfect plan.

PILOT

The man who asked, “what is truth?” who couldn’t spot it standing right in front of him – he  was an ironic instrument to DECLARE truth. He had “The King of the Jews” in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek written above the cross. Even when the Chief Priests of the Jews told Pilot to change what he had written, he stuck by his decision to write this gospel signpost in THREE different languages, saying, “What I have written I have written.” Since the place of the skull was near the city, many would pass by and read this. Crucifixions were public, meant to shock and warn others against crimes. Pedestrians would see “the king of the Jews” – the HEALER – dying on the cross. Pilot gave out the orders concerning the crucifixion, but his authority had been given.

THE SOLDIERS

Crucifixions were just their job, meant to teach a lesson to all about Roman law. They lifted up this Jewish man to die – unknowingly fulfilling Scripture. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

The soldiers had offered Him gall, a drink that would have dulled the pain, but Jesus had refused. The four soldiers performed their customary gambling, an activity associated with random chance. They divided up his clothes, as a sort of bonus for their job. They had to cast lots for the tunic because of how it was made, like that of a High Priest’s garment – all one piece. It could not be torn, so there would only be one winner of this souvenir. John highlights this was according to prophecy.  They asked Pilot to break the bones of the men, something they would do to speed up a crucifixion before the Sabbath. However, they did not break Jesus’ bones since when they came to him, He was already dead. This is a prophecy fulfilled from Psalm 22, sometimes referred to as the fifth Gospel. Remember, these soldiers were ROMAN. They were there to do their job in full, they weren’t playing games for anyone’s benefit except their own. They would not have been acquainted with Jewish Scripture. Yet they are the “THEY” in prophetic verses like Psalm 69:2:

“They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” 

The soldiers, when seeing he was dead, pierced his side instead of breaking his bones, drawing forth blood and water. This is a direct fulfillment from Isaiah 53. It’s also a statement of His humanity, and his literal death. Only blood would have come from a living man, but the water and blood together show us he truly was dead. 

JOHN

“The disciple whom Jesus loved,” the only one of the 12 to bear eyewitness to the cross. John was tasked to take Jesus’ own mother, most likely a widow at this point, into his home. Jesus’ sympathy even in a moment of extreme pain, shows His kind heart.

Another way we see John’s role in this event is his testimony. John wrote, “And he who has seen as testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may BELIEVE.” We hold this precious testimony of the greatest, most relevant event in all of history. We see John’s purpose for recording the crucifixion.

THE WOMEN

His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. They were brave to go into the lion’s den like this. Scripture says they stood BY the cross. When almost all of the disciples had fled, betrayed and denied, these four brave women were there, weeping, acknowledging His great worth. They were literally beholding Him who was pierced and Mary would fulfill the prophecy, “the sword would pierce your own soul” (Luke 2:35) as she, as a mother, watched her son’s agony. Here we see God’s value of women, using them right next to the cross and in the unfolding events of the resurrection. We, as women, are called to be His disciples; our place still today is to behold the Man of Sorrows and behold the one pierced for us.

THE SECRET DISCIPLES

John points out that Joseph and Nicodemus both were afraid of what others thought of them at first. God used fearful, rich disciples to accomplish His will. What encouragement it is for us! Even in our doubts and failings, He is faithful to use us. 

Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent member of the Council, waiting for the Kingdom of God. He had somehow been aware of the transpiring situation, and he scrapped together his courage and went before Pilate, asking for the body of Jesus. This bold association of what looked like the “losing side” shows his love for Jesus and desire that he have a dignified Jewish burial. Once Pilot was sure that Jesus was indeed dead, he gave the permission for Joseph to take the body to his freshly hewn tomb. He rolled the stone there. Joseph worked with another ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee and teacher of Israel. John points out that Nicodemus had first come to Him by night, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes. These two men took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with 75 pounds (in our day) of spices, as was the burial custom of the Jews. They would have had to hurry to move the spices and the body all before work would stop for the Sabbath. Again, they were mobilized to fulfill prophecy.  “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)

JESUS

Each person involved in that Good Friday – from Pontus, to the Roman soldier who won the gambled tunic, to John who would declare His eyewitness account SO THAT WE MAY BELIEVE!  — each played their part in perfect accordance to the redemption story. Prophesies were ultimately fulfilled in the MAN of sorrows.  He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in His life. 

It’s clear from the text that Jesus gave His life WILLINGLY. At the end, our High Priest YIELDED HIS SPIRIT. As a crucifying event was very dehydrating, he said, “I am thirsty.”  Remember he was the GOD-MAN. John shows us both His humanity and divinity. He was 100 percent God, 100 man. He had a body. With His prophetic thirst and the drink of the sour wine (cheap wine), the boxes were then checked, and He bowed His head in complete authority and submission to die for our sins. 

“No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up  again. This commandment I received from My Father.” John 10:18

He obeyed. “It is finished,” were His dying words. He had drunk the cup of wrath in full. His life work was accomplished, and it was time for Him to depart to go be with His Father.

Since these fearful disciples Joseph and Nicodemus had pieced together their courage to give Him a Jewish burial, the global stage was now set for the most glorious outcome of all history forever. Here the curtains close for us, but when they reopen in John 20, we see the spectacular conquering of death in His resurrection. 

His stay in the garden tomb would be short.