The Gospel Of John Chapter 19 Pt. 3 Jesus Laid Down His Life For Us As God's Perfect Lamb

John's gospel brings us to the point of Jesus dying on the cross at Calvary. The apostle reminds us that when we read about Jesus' death, we are reading about the culmination of God's plan of redemption from sin.

God is glorified and the scriptures are fulfilled. 

John 19:28  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 

Jesus suffered excruciating pain in addition to being beaten and mocked prior to being nailed to a cross. 

Notice the phrase "that the scripture might be fulfilled." This reminds us that everything Jesus experienced and did, perfectly fulfilled the prophetic scriptures about Messiah. 

God's Word was literally fulfilled in the words, works, suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

God's word will always come to pass literally. Creation bears witness to this truth. 

All of history bears witness that God is moving things forward according to His plan and His perfect timing. 

Thus, every promise that God has made to believers in Christ, will come to pass just as He said.

The religious leaders mocked Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Matthew 27:41-43  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42)  He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43)  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 

Matthew's gospel tells us that the chief priests came by to specifically mock the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Notice that they were fully aware that Jesus said He was the son of God. Therefore they were guilty of crucifying their own Messiah. 

The Father in heaven turned His back on His Son, sacrificed for us.

Matthew 27:45-46  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46)  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

Jesus also suffered the anguish of His Father turning away from Him when all the sins of all humanity were laid on Christ.

The Father in heaven caused the sun to be darkened, a most unusual event that lasted for 3 hours, as Jesus hung on the cross, dying for our sins. 

Then, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This was the moment when the Father turned away from Jesus, due to our sins. 

When the Father turned away, this was most dreadful part of all that Jesus suffered. 

Jesus cried out using the very words recorded by the Psalmist, when writing about Israel's Messiah (See Psalm 22:1).

Yet, this was the culmination of the plan of God for salvation, that was set in motion before He created anything. 

This was the only possible way for our sins to be paid for, and for sinners to be reconciled to God, through repentant faith in Jesus Christ. 

The Psalmist recorded the words of Jesus on the cross.

Psalm 22:13-18  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14)  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15)  My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16)  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17)  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18)  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 

These are the very reflections of the mind of Christ, as He hung on the cross. This Psalms was written by King David about 1,000 years before the birth of Christ. 

Thus, this Messianic prophecy that David recorded as guided by the Spirit of God, tells us what went on in the mind of our Lord as He hung on the cross. 

Jesus saw His enemies and antagonists like an angry mob howling with delight over His demise. 

Jesus described how He felt physically. His body was under extreme stress. He sweated profusely because of the intense pain and stress of being crucified. 

He saw that they pierced His hands and feet with nails, fastening Him to the cross. He saw that the soldiers cast lots to see who would take Christ's robe. 

John 19:28-29  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. 

The Psalmist prophesied that Messiah would be given vinegar mixed with gall (See Psalm 69:21). 

Jesus' work to save us from our sins was completed!

John 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 

John 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 

These two texts are connected. When Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well in Samaria, His disciples asked if anyone had brought bread to Jesus. 

Jesus reply was that His source of sustenance was doing the Father's will and finishing the Father's work. 

When Jesus cried out that "It is finished" He meant that the Father's redemptive work was now complete. Nothing else needed to be done. 

The perfect, permanent atonement for our sins was accomplished. God's perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ, became our perfect, once for all sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. 

Jesus made it very clear that He had power to lay His life down, in death, and that He had power to take it up again by His resurrection (See John 10:18). 

No man took Jesus' life. The cross did not make Jesus die. He chose to lay down His life at the moment that the Father was satisfied and the sins of the world were paid for. 

John 19:31-37  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. 

John recorded what happened when Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross. Roman soldiers came to break the legs of the Jesus and the two malefactors hanging nearby Him. This hastened their death. 

However, when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so the soldiers did not break Christ's legs. Instead, they pierced His side with a spear, and John saw blood and water pour out. 

Even in this act of cruelty, John tells us that the Old Testament scriptures were fulfilled.

The law of Moses stated that none of the Passover lamb's bones were to be broken (See Numbers 9:12).  

The prophet Zechariah wrote of Messiah saying "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced" and this too, was literally fulfilled when the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear. 

The body of Jesus was lovingly prepared for burial.

John 19:38-42  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. 

Joseph of Arimathea came boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and the governor granted permission.

Joseph had a brand new tomb, and he took Jesus' body there and wrapped it in new, white linen. 

John tells us that Nicodemus also came and brought 100 pounds of myrrh, aloe and spices to anoint the body of Jesus. Both men worked together to give Jesus an honorable burial.

Psalm 45:8  All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 

The myrrh, aloe and spices used represent another prophecy about Messiah that was literally fulfilled.

Placing Jesus' body in a new tomb meant that it was an undefiled place to bury the sinless Son of God. This also fulfilled prophecy (See Isaiah 53:9). 

John ends this part of his own eyewitness account of the sufferings, crucifixion, death and burial of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

These are historical facts, unerringly recorded for us by the Holy Spirit of God as He used John to write an inspired gospel record. 

Historical narrative is not meant for us to build a doctrine upon. 

John gave us factual evidence regarding the object of our faith, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus did die on a cross for us, to pay for our sins. 

Jesus did not die by the hand of man, but He laid His life down at the exact moment atonement was accomplished. 

His sufferings were for us. His death was for us. He blood was shed for us.

Jesus is our perfect Passover Lamb, sent from God to save us from our sins.

John recorded these things so that we might believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We must recognize our sins, and turn to Jesus with faith that He will save us from our sins, as He said He would.

Bob