The Crucifixion
TRANSLATION
(17) Carrying his own cross, Jesus was led out to a place called “the Skull” (“Golgotha” in Aramaic). (18) There they crucified him along with him two others, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (19) Pilate had an inscription written and fastened to the cross. On it was written, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (20) Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was close to the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. (21) So the chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘This man said, “I am King of the Jews.”’” (22) Pilate responded, “What I have written I have written.”
(23) When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four shares, one for each soldier with his tunic remaining. Now this tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. (24) They said to one another, “Let’s not tear it but decide by lot to see who gets it.” This happened to fulfill the scripture which said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (25) So this is what the soldiers did. But there, standing near the cross of Jesus, were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (26) When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.” (27) Then he said to his disciple, “This is your mother!” From that time on that disciple took her into his own home.
(28) After this, Jesus, knowing that everything had now been completed, so that the scripture might be fulfilled said, “I thirst.” (29) Nearby there stood a jar full of sour wine, so they placed a sponge soaked with the sour wine on a stalk of hyssop and held it to his mouth. (30) When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished” and bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
OBSERVATIONS
Repetitions occurred throughout John’s description of Christ’s crucifixion. “Cross/crucified” is found five times (vss. 17, 18, 20, 23, & 25). The names of “Jesus” (eight times in vss. 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, & 30) and “Pilate” (three times in vss. 20, 21, & 22) along with the “inscription” (twice in vss. 19 & 20). “King of the Jews” also occurred three times (vss. 19 & 21). Additionally, in the second paragraph, we find “soldier(s)” three times (vss. 23 & 24), “tunic” twice (vs. 23), “mother/mother’s” four times (vss. 25 & 26), “Mary” twice (vs. 25), and “disciple” referring to John three times (vss. 26 & 27). In the third paragraph “sour wine” was used three times (vss. 29 & 30) while the phrase “to fulfill the Scripture” is found in both the second and third paragraphs (vss. 24 & 28).
OUTLINE
I. Pilate frustrated the Jewish leaders by placing an inscription on the cross identifying Jesus as “King of the Jews.” (17-22)
II. The soldiers divided up Jesus’ clothing while he assigned to John the responsibility of caring for his mother. (23-27)
III. After drinking the sour wine, Jesus declared, “It is finished,” and died. (28-30)
IDEA STATEMENT
At his crucifixion Jesus was identified by Pilate’s inscription, scripture was fulfilled, his mother was taken care of, and his work was completed.
APPLICATION
In the years since Jesus hung on the cross, many have regarded his statement, “It is finished,” as his resigning himself to death admitting, in essence, “My life is over.” That is hardly an adequate explanation. What is expressed by three words in English is the translation of only one word in Greek. Found only in John’s Gospel, “tetelestai” was actually an accounting term often inscribed on ancient invoices to indicate that what had previously been owed was now “paid in full.” When Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished,” he was announcing to the world that the purpose of his earthly life had been fulfilled, that humanity’s debt for sin had been paid in full, cancelled by his atoning death, and that nothing further was left for him to accomplish.
The reason for the incarnation was first set forth in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. As a part of his curse, God told Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). On the cross the Son’s heel was cruelly bruised, but at the same moment Satan’s head was fatally crushed. With this in mind, we should interpret “tetelestai” as a shout of triumph rather than an admission of defeat. The Son could now commend his spirit to the Father, knowing that his mission to crush Satan’s head had been accomplished at the cost of his own life and that he would victoriously rise from the dead in three short days.