Jesus Crucified (John 19)

Who was primarily culpable for Jesus’ death? Are many religious leaders today also guilty of crucifying Jesus on a cross of worldly values? Why did Jesus say it was finished? Let’s look at John 19.

If Pilate found Jesus not guilty, why did he have Jesus flogged?

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” (John 19:1-4 ESV)

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, but what did the religious leaders shout?

Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate responded, “Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him.” “We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” (John 19:5-7 HCSB)

Who did Jesus say had the greater sin, the religious leaders or civil leaders? Is that still the case today?

When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. Returning to his headquarters, he asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to speak to me? You realize, don’t you, that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above. That’s why the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:8-11 ISV)

What shocking thing did the religious leaders admit about who their king really was? Do religious leaders often still put wordly politics above obedience to God?

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 priests 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. (John 19:12-16 KJV)

Was truth finally written on the cross despite the religious leaders’ objections?

They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. And Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews;’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” (John 19:17-22 LSB)

What did the soldiers do with Jesus’ clothing? Did Jesus wear quality clothing or rags?

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts: a part to each soldier, and the tunic also; but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be.” This happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “They divided My garments among themselves, and they cast lots for My clothing.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. (John 19:23-24 NASB)

As the oldest son, did Jesus provide for His now widowed mother? Why John and why not one of Jesus’ brothers? Were His brothers not at the cross? Were they not converted until later? Is the Christian family bigger than blood alone?

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27 NIV)