7 10 2016 “The King of Glory on a Cross” John 19:17-30
Pilate could not stand up against the pressure of the Jewish leaders and so he freed Barabbas and sentenced Jesus to die by crucifixion. After receiving beatings and scourgings, we read that Jesus begins his walk to Golgotha. In John 19:17 we read: “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, 18 where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.”
The King of Glory identified with sin and sinners
The brevity of John’s writing still includes a reality of Jesus’ life: The King of Glory identified with sin and sinners throughout His humanity, and now, also, on the Cross. Jesus was placed under the weight of the cross, struggling to a place just outside the city gates to Golgotha, the place where guilty criminals, murderers, thieves, and betrayers were executed. It was a place that had known many excruciating deaths.
Luke 23:33 calls the place “Calvary” which is from the latin word, “calvaria”, which also means “skull”. In the Greek, Calvary would be “kranion” (the cranium is the skull). You hear churches by the name “Calvary” but not very often Golgotha, but they mean the same. The “place of the Skull” is where criminals and traitors were crucified outside of Jerusalem.
Crucifixion was a trademark of the Roman Empire reserved for traitors. Sinners have committed COSMIC treason against God, having betrayed Him with their sin. It was us who deserved to be killed for our sin against the Holy God, but instead it was here that the innocent King of Glory would give His life as a ransom for many who would believe in Him. Paul would later write: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus was surrounded by sin and sinners throughout His lifetime, yet never once committed a sin Himself; now He would be crucified between two common criminals. The text makes a clear point of it: ”They crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.” Isaiah 53:12 had prophesied this when it said: “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”
We know from Luke 23 that being crucified among the transgressors gave Jesus one more opportunity to reveal His saving power when the one thief on the cross is saved in the last moments of His life on the very edge of eternity, showing that no one is exempt from God’s saving Grace while they are still alive. Imagine the eternal joy of that thief when he went from the agony of the cross to the unbelievable dwelling place of God.
A True Inscription
19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Pilate had repeatedly referred to Jesus as “King” even though the Jews had denied Jesus’ Kingship, but in the end Pilate writes a true inscription to refer to Jesus: “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.” It is amazing that after all the lies, false accusations, and a sham of a trial, the inscription which was placed above the Jesus to announce the reason for His execution was actually a public announcement and declaration of the Kingship of Christ. It is ironic that the Pilate, who asked, “What is truth?” placed this true inscription above the head of the King of Kings, declaring the truth in the three major languages of the day, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, so that none would miss this truth which had eluded so many.
As you may remember, the wise men had asked the question early in Jesus’ earthly life: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matt. 2:2) Jesus had never said that He was King of the Jews or King of Israel, but had not denied it either. He boldly said in John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world". Throughout His ministry, He used many parables to explain the very essence of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven). Kings reign and Jesus first ascended the Cross and then ascended from the dead as two steps leading to His Heavenly throne. His suffering and humiliation were necessary for His imminent glorification and exaltation: He is not only the King of Israel or the King of the Jews but King of Kings and Lord of Lords over Heaven and Earth, and that, FOREVER.
An Untorn Tunic
Look at 23: Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things.”
It was not an unusual thing for a person to own a one-piece tunic. For most, their tunic was their one personal item which offered them protection from the heat of the day and served as a covering against the cold of the night. The point here is that Jesus gave EVERYTHING when He died on the cross. Nothing was held back and nothing of His was offered to those whom He loved and who were present at His execution.
Also in view here is a very specific fulfillment of prophecy according to Psalm 22:18 (Ps. 22 has no less than 8 prophecies which are fulfilled when Jesus hung on the cross for you and me.) Listen to verses 14-18: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; (This was the reality of hanging on a cross.)
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; (In a moment Jesus cries: “I thirst;” Another excruciating effect of being crucified.) you lay me in the dust of death. (Jesus would die bodily and be buried in a borrowed tomb.)
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; (Precisely describes those mockers and murderers.) they have pierced my hands and feet—(Oh, the extreme agony of having large nails driven through your wrists and ankles!)
17 I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; (the humility of being exposed amid all of the pain raging through every bone and joint of your body.)
The fulfillment of verses 23-24 is from Psalm 22:18 “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” Oh, the utter depths of the humiliation which Jesus suffered for sinful humanity! And yet we once again see that He does not lose His concern and love for others, as well as the desire to fulfill the Heavenly Father’s will perfectly; look at verses 25-27.
Honoring the Fifth Commandment
25 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”
The love of true friends is rare, but there were those who did not leave Jesus, but stood by Him as He suffered and was humiliated, even to death. There are these women who were both friends of Jesus and supporters of Mary the mother of Jesus and “the disciple” is no doubt John, the writer of this Gospel.
“Mary” was a common name at the time of Jesus, but I find it especially curious that three of the few mentioned at the cross are “MARY’s”. “Mary” has its roots in the name, “Miriam”, which means “rebellion”, but the meaning of “Mary” is varied: perhaps "bitter"; that would fit the context of these at the cross, grieving over the pain and treatment of their son, friend, healer, teacher and Master. Mary could mean "beloved," which certainly would describe those whom Jesus had flooded with His love and those who had loved Him. Jesus was the beloved Son of God, now rising up to the cross to demonstrate the great love that He had for “His friends.” Mary can also mean "rebelliousness”, which fits the fact that sin is rebellion against the Creator, and all those at the cross where all rebels, sinners who had come to know Jesus as their Lord and Master. Now their Lord was demonstrating that He was also their loving Savior, as the life bled out of Him.
And yet Jesus is concerned for the future safety and welfare of His earthly mother, Mary, the only one ever chosen by God to birth the Savior into the World. The Bible has much to say about children’s responsibility concerning the care of their elderly parents and other family members, and in a time of the most intense physical pain imaginable, unbearable mental anguish and probably spiritual warfare, Jesus gives a splendid example of obedience to the fifth commandment-to honor His parents, and following not just the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law concerning the future care of His mother, Mary. From that day forward, John took her into his house.
Two Final Words
We continue with verses 28-30: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, (there isn’t anything that escapes the notice of Jesus) that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, (hyssop was used in the Passover to sprinkle the blood on the doorposts.) and put it to His mouth.
Again, Jesus fulfills Scripture on the cross. God is careful to fulfill everything according to His Sovereign will, and in so doing, there can be no doubt concerning the work of Jesus on the cross. Again Psalm 22 had mentioned that the suffering servant would experience extreme human anguish and pain in His sacrifice for sin; Psalm 22:15 said, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws.” There is no doubt that Jesus became flesh and suffered IN THE FLESH, IN THE BODY, as the atonement for sin. The Holy wrath of God was place upon Jesus’ body so that Jesus became the Lamb of God, offered for the sins of all whom God had chosen to be His Children by faith in this work of Jesus.
We close this study with verse 30: “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” We know that Jesus suffered and died in the body but we can also know that Jesus was God in the Flesh on the cross. He knew that all things had been accomplished and fulfilled and He willingly gave up His spirit as He uttered the words, “It is finished.”
The Greek word which Jesus said was “tet-e-les-tai”; literally Jesus said, “It has been finished.” His words tie in perfectly with verse 28: “Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished…” The root in the Greek is “teleo”. This root (tel-) means "reaching the end, or reaching your aim." It is well-illustrated with the old pirate's telescope, unfolding and extending out one stage at a time until it will function at full-strength and effectiveness.
Jesus’ had accomplished all that the Father had willed for Him in His lifetime, and He had done all things perfectly. Now He had been extended on a wooden tree and lifted up as the King of Glory, not on a royal throne as had been expected, but on an ugly, rough, rugged cross…and all things were now accomplished. “Tetelestai” was a word used at the time of Jesus’ death which was said to mean “PAID IN FULL”.
Jesus said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” My debt for sin was “paid in full” because Jesus willingly substituted His perfect life and death for my sin-filled life. I am set free (like Barabbas was), the guilty one, because the King of Glory was crucified in my place.
We can better understand Jesus’ prayer to the Father in John 17: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” The Glory of Jesus is magnificently on display on the cross because we see Jesus as SAVIOR. We see Him as OUR Savior and as our Lord. Praise His Holy Name.
OUTLINE
I. The King of Glory identified with sin and sinners in His life and on the Cross. (17-18)
A. Golgotha is where guilty criminals were executed.
B. Crucifixion was reserved for traitors: sinners have committed COSMIC treason against God.
C. Sinners surrounded Jesus in life and death.
II. Pilate wrote a true inscription: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. (19-22)
III. An Untorn Tunic fulfilled a Psalm of David. (23-24)
IV. From the cross, Jesus honored His mother and the fifth commandment. (25-27)
V. Two final words from the Cross
A. “I thirst.” (28) Jesus suffered in the body for our sins.
B. “It is finished.” “Tetelestai”, all things were now accomplished: “PAID IN FULL”
