Two Request Concerning Jesus
Fortifying the Foundations # 43
John 19:31-42[1]
8-8-04
We find in our text this morning two requests brought to Pilate when Jesus died on the cross. The first (in verse 31) was a request made by Jesus’ enemies. The second (in verses 38 & 39) was made by Jesus’ friends. Both came from members of the Sanhedrin. But they stand in stark contrast to one another. One side wants Jesus’ legs brutally broken. The other side wants the opportunity to give him an honorable burial. Here before us are two companies of people who have made firm decisions concerning Christ crucified.
There is something about the cross of Calvary that ultimately brings people to one side or the other. In Matt 12:30 Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” I have met many people who want to take a neutral position concerning Christ. They would give him a bit of honor to console his followers. They would acknowledge him as a good man or perhaps even a prophet. But they refuse to bow to him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They refuse to acknowledge his atoning death as the only way of salvation. Their position is politically correct as far as the world is concerned but diabolically opposed to the kingdom of God. Christ has come. He has laid down his life on the cross as a sacrifice for sin. And since he has come there can be no neutral position concerning him. To be exposed to the gospel is to be called to a decision that establishes one’s eternal destiny before God. Here are two camps at the cross of Christ. One is set against him. The other is set for him. Even as Simeon had prophesied when he took the baby, Jesus, in his arms and said to Mary, Luke 2:34-35, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." The thoughts of many hearts were revealed that day Jesus suffered on the cross. The thoughts of hearts continue to be revealed wherever and whenever the story of that suffering is preached.
I. The first request came to Pilate from the Jewish leaders who had insisted upon Jesus’ crucifixion (verses 31-37).
Their stated concern was for ceremonial purity during the Passover. They did not want the bodies left upon the cross during the Sabbath. By the letter of the law they were right. For Deut 21:22-23 says, “If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.”
This verse helps us understand the horror of crucifixion to the typical Jew in Jesus’ day. The Torah, the inspired word of God, had clearly said, “...anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.” How can the perfectly obedient, spotless Messiah be under God’s curse? He came under God’s curse because of our sin. Until that is realized, we never see the horrific nature of our sin. Without that revelation our sin seems to be little more than a tragic mistake, a simple manifestation of human weakness or poor judgment. It is only when I see Christ crucified on a bloody cross because of my sin that I understand what I have done. My prayer as we examine John’s account of the crucifixion is that every person here will embrace the substitutionary death of Jesus in a personal way. The crucifixion is not just a sentimental story about a good person who died a terrible and unjust death. It is the story of God’s solution for your sin and my sin. Charles Spurgeon tells the story of a French King who heard about the cruelty and abuse toward Jesus from the religious leaders and soldiers and crowd at Calvary. He responded by saying, “I wish I had been there with 10,000 of my soldiers. I would have cut their throats sooner than they should have touched Him.”[2] That arrogant king knew nothing of the real significance of the cross. My dear French King, you were there in the crowd that day. I was there in my sin as well. We all were there and all were guilty. It was for me and you that Jesus prayed, “Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do.” Our sin brought the curse on Jesus. Without knowing that, we do not know the horror of our own sinfulness.
On the cross Jesus exchanged his righteousness for our sinfulness! He came under God’s curse so that you and I could come under God’s blessing. He accepted the curse and judgment that was due us so that we might receive the blessing and honor that is due him. That is what the cross is all about. That is the central message of Christianity. Paul explained this in Gal 3:13-14 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” That is why this story of Jesus’ crucifixion is so important. It is the foundation of our faith and the basis of every hope we have. If Christ did not die and atone for our sin, then are still guilty before God and destined for wrath and judgment. He died that we may have life. He received the curse and judgment that we might live. Sometimes people have the impression our message as Pentecostals is all about speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Spirit. Those truths may be a distinctive of our movement. But much more foundational to our faith is Christ crucified and risen from the dead. If Jesus had not given his life on the cross as a sacrifice for sins and risen victoriously from the grave the Spirit could not have been poured out on the day of Pentecost.
Can you imagine the thoughts that must have run through the minds of the Jews as they gazed at Jesus on the cross? Their training had told them that anyone hanging on a cross is under God’s curse. This helps us understand why they were so emboldened to mock and ridicule Christ. They thought they had God’s word backing them. They knew the letter of the law but their hearts were far from God.[3] They had learned to give proper lip service to Jehovah yet reserve for themselves the real decision as to how they would live. What a dangerous place it is to know only the letter of the law and not know the divine Author. Only the Holy Spirit can give real understanding of spiritual matters. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (NKJV 1 Cor 2:14). Many of these people had studied their Bibles from an early age. But they studied it as an intellectual and religious exercise. They even conformed to outward rituals and regulations. But they would not give God their hearts. They would not surrender control of their lives to him. They would use His religion if it served their purposes. But they would not allow God to use them to fulfill His purposes. As a result they actually became the enemies of the God they claimed to serve.
What a serious warning they are every one of us. It is alarmingly easy to retain a form of godliness while denying the power thereof.[4] It is alarmingly easy to keep to the religious routine while our hearts grow cold and distant from God. I don’t just want to know the Bible as an intellectual pursuit or as a religious exercise. I want His word to become engrafted in my soul so that I live by it. “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”[5] God’s word is full of life if we receive it not only into our physical ears but into our heart and spirit. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”[6] There is a hearing of God’s word that goes deeper than the mind and emotion. There is a receiving of God’s word in our innermost being that brings renewal and life to our being.[7]
“Now it was the day of Preparation.” Friday afternoon. The Sabbath would begin at sunset. This was a very special Sabbath because it coincided with the Passover feast. The meal had to be prepared before sundown. No work was to be done on the Sabbath, especially this Sabbath. And these religious leaders did not want the land polluted with these dead bodies hanging on the cross.
They had specifically asked Pilate to have the legs broken which would hasten the death of those being crucified. This was a common practice by the Romans. They even had a special Latin name for leg breaking. It was known as “crurifragium”.[8] Once the legs were broken the victim could no longer push himself up with his feet. The constriction of the lungs and vital organs hastened the death.[9]
Pilate granted their request and sent his soldiers to execute the command. John points out the spiritual significance of events that occurred when these soldiers got to the cross. They obeyed Pilate’s orders explicitly when they came to the two criminals who were crucified beside Jesus. Both were still alive. And their legs were broken just as the Jews had requested. But God had other plans for Jesus. Those plans had been prophesied hundreds of years earlier. In that great Messianic passage of Palms 22, verses 14-18 made specific predictions concerning Christ’s crucifixion.
14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death. 16Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
No bone of the Messiah would be broken. The Jews may demand it. Pilate may order it. But God would not allow it. There are always limits upon what the wicked can do. There are limits on what Satan can do. God sets the boundaries wherever He chooses to set them. I hope you draw comfort from that reality. I believe in the free will of man and his moral accountability as much as anybody here. But never, never will man or all the demons of hell take control of God’s universe. Even when things happen that disappoint us and discourage us God sits upon the circle of the earth[10] and does as He chooses. Our God reigns! Nothing, absolutely nothing will ever topple His throne.
In 1 Cor. 5:7 Paul refers to Jesus as our Passover. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He is the Lamb that all the Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed. The Passover was established in Exodus 12 during the last plague that God inflicted on Egypt while delivering His people from their oppression. On that night the death angel would come through the land and every first born would die—every first born except those protected by the blood of the lamb. God told His people exactly what to do in order to escape the coming judgment. It was the blood of the Paschal lamb upon the doorposts and over the top of the doorframes of their houses that would shield them from the horrible death. They were given very specific instruction concerning the lamb that was to be slain for each household. One of those specifics in verse 46 said, "...Do not break any of the bones.”[11] Now John calls our attention to the fulfillment of this minute detail.
The soldiers came intending to break Jesus’ legs. But they didn’t because they saw that he was already dead. John calls our attention to the fulfillment of two prophecies concerning the death of Messiah: (1) none of his bones would be broken. (2) He would be pierced. Reading from the Living Bible, John 19:32-36 says, “So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus; 33but when they came to him, they saw that he was dead already, so they didn’t break his. 34However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out. 35I saw all this myself and have given an accurate report so that you also can believe.
36The soldiers did this in fulfillment of the Scripture that says, "Not one of his bones shall be broken," and, "They shall look on him whom they pierced." TLB
Christ died according to the scriptures[12]. Zech. 12:10 “...They will look upon me, the One they have pierced.” Even the Jewish Talmud recognized this as a prophecy concerning Messiah.[13] The prophecy actually looks beyond the crucifixion to the second coming of Christ.[14] On that day—the great day of the Lord when Jesus returns in power and glory—the nation of Israel will bow to their King. Zech 13:6 “If someone asks him, `What are these wounds on your body?’ he will answer, `The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.” The whole nation will mourn over those wounds and what they had done to their King. There is coming a day when Jesus will take his rightful place over the kingdoms of this world.[15]
The soldier thrust his sword into Jesus’ heart to make sure he was dead. Out of the side of our precious Savior flowed water and blood.[16] The blood is required for atonement for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.[17] All the Old Testament sacrifices were teaching that. Water was a significant part of all the Old Testament cleansings. It is symbolic of sanctification and life.[18] John develops these themes throughout his gospel.[19] The death of Jesus was a sacrificial, substitutionary death. If we miss that we miss everything. Spurgeon once said his whole theology could be summed up in four words, “He died for me.”[20]
"On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zech 13:1) That fountain flowed from the pierced side of our redeemer. I love the words of that old hymn,
“There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains: lose all
their guilty stains.”[21]
I have a concern that we hold to the message of Christ in the songs we sing. I’m not so much interested in the melody and tempo as I am in the substance of what we are singing. Some of these old hymns declared the gospel. Even if the preacher couldn’t preach, the congregation proclaimed Christ and him crucified in the songs they sang. Put the kind of music to it that stirs your heart toward God. Make it relevant for your generation. But never, never forsake the good news of Jesus Christ in the words of your songs.
Have you experienced the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ? Do you know what I’m talking about this morning? He didn’t just die. He died for you and me. Rom 5:8-10 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” NKJV
The first request was granted by Pilate but not by God. Jesus’ bones were not broken. Instead, according to the Scripture, his side was pierced.
II. The second request in our text came to Pilate from a man named Joseph of Arimathea (verses 38-42).
John 19:38 “Later, Joseph of Arimathea[22] asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.” That took a lot of courage because the response to that request was most uncertain. Would Pilate respond irrationally and lash out at Joseph?[23] Would the Sanhedrin take a personal interest in destroying such a friend of Jesus even as they had set themselves to destroy Jesus?
Joseph had a lot to lose. He was a member of the Sanhedrin although Luke is careful to point out that Joseph had not consented to the death of Jesus. He and Nicodemus may not have been at the proceedings. He was a godly man. He was highly respected in the community. He owned valuable property and was very wealthy. All of that probably were factors in his timidity before this day. Both he and Nicodemus were disciples of Jesus. But because of the fear of man they had kept their devotion secret. I do not think there was justification for that.[24] Jesus had said in Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." NKJV
It is important to believe in the heart. But it is also important to confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus.[25] The fear of man brings a snare[26] and perhaps both these men had been trapped in that snare.
But something happened that day that changed all that. They had seen Jesus’ life prior to that day. They had do doubt heard his teachings and knew about his miracles. But today they encountered Christ crucified. As important as Jesus teachings and miracles are, as important as the example of his life is, none of that is complete without his death and resurrection. On that day these men saw the Savior pour out his precious blood on the cross. On that day they had seen the upheaval of nature—the darkness from noon to 3:00 PM. They had felt the earthquake that shook the earth and opened graves. These things caused the centurion who was in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion to say, “Surely this was the Son of God.”(Mk 15:39) On that day two men who had cowered before the enemies of Christ stood up and made their commitment to Christ known.
Mark tells us Joseph went “boldly” to Pilate asking for the body of Jesus. Did you notice that even in this dark hour God had His man to accomplish His purposes? The bodies of those crucified were normally eaten by the buzzards and dogs.[27] At best they were laid in a shallow pauper’s grave. But the Eternal Father who had prepared a body for Jesus at his birth is now watching over his body at his death. Isaiah had prophesied, “For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” Isa 53:8b-9
John has shown us three events that normally would not have occurred at the death of Jesus but did. None of his bones were broken. He was pierced in his hands, feet, and side. Though he dies a criminal’s death, he makes his grave with the rich. He is given a Royal funeral.[28] Joseph provides the linen cloth. Nicodemus provides 75 lbs. of expensive myrrh and aloes for a proper Jewish burial. The 75 lbs. was an enormous amount of spices and very costly.[29] These two men are an example for us all. Regardless of their failings in the past, at the critical moment they step up to the mark and risked it all. They did not give to the Lord that which costs them nothing. The spices Nicodemus brought were costly. The grave that Joseph provided was extremely expensive.[30] He probably intended to use it for himself. They would certainly be excluded from the Passover festivities having just buried a dead body.[31] These men counted the cost and decided to pay the price. And in doing so they left a marvelous legacy behind. God had prepared them for such a time as this just has He had prepared Esther in her day. God has prepared you and me for such a time as this. There are challenges for us to face today just as there were in biblical times. How will you and I respond to the death of Christ? How will we respond to the great sacrifice he made for us?
In the movie, Brokendown Palace, Alice (Blonde played by Claire Danes) convinces her best friend, Darlene (Brunette played by Kate Beckinsale) to go to Bangkok to celebrate their high school graduation. There an attractive Australian man befriends them and persuades them to join him in Hong Kong. While waiting to board the plane, they are arrested for heroin smuggling and sentenced to 33 years in a hideous prison known as Brokendown Palace. Every effort to be freed and go home has utterly failed.
In our clip the girls’ lawyer made a deal with the prosecutor—if the girls signed an admission of guilt, the judge would let them go home. But before the ink dries on the paper, a court official announces that drug smugglers will not be pardoned.[32] Watch the sacrifice Alice makes for her friend, Darlene, and see how it illustrates substitution.
Show Ch. 11 (0:57:06) to Ch. 12 (0:59:56)[33]
I ask you this morning to put yourself in Darlene’s place. How would you feel about a person who would sacrifice 33 years in prison so you could go free? You would do anything you could for that person, wouldn’t you? There is one who has done far more for you and me than Alice did for Darlene. He suffered the hell you deserve and I deserve because he loves us so. How can we not serve him with all our hearts after what he has done for us?
Invitation
TEXT: John 19:31-42
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced." 38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. NIV
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
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[1] Text was presented earlier in the service using DVD from Visual Bible International (www.gospelofjohnthefilm.com). Text is provided at the end of this message for easy reference. All quotes are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
[2] Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of Spurgeon on the Life and Work of our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 1979) p. 656 sermon entitled “Mourning at the Sight of the Crucified”.
[3] Matthew 15:8-9
[4] 2 Tim. 3:5
[5] Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4
[6] Rev 2:7
[7] John 6:53; James 1:21; 1 Peter 2:2
[8] H.D. Spense and J.S. Exell, eds., The Bible Commentary Volume 17 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962) p. 432.
[9] Leon Morris, Reflections of the Gospel of John (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2000) p. 673.
[10] Isaiah 40:22
[11] See also Num 9:12
[12] 1 Corinthians 15:3
[13] Edersheim, p. 614
[14] Arthur Pink, Exposition of the Gospel of John Vol. III (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975) p. 250.
[15] Rev. 19:11-16.
[16] Edersheim (p. 615) properly challenges Stroud’s suggestion that John means by this that Jesus literally died of a broken heart, which Stroud explains with complicated medial insight. As touching as the thought is, it is doubtful that the first century readers of John’s gospel would have understood it that way.
[17] Hebrews 9:22
[18] Spurgeon, p. 673 sermon entitled “On the Cross After Death”.
[19] Morris (p. 675-676) does a good job of showing how a review of John’s use of the term water and the term blood in this gospel is helpful in understanding the significance of the water and blood from the side of Jesus. Morris concludes that John is “saying here that real spiritual life is available only through Christ’s death.” See John 3:3; 4:10-11,14; 6:53-56 and I John 5:6-12.
[20] Herbert Lockyer, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973) p. 158.
[21] Tom Fettke, The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration (Waco, TX: Word Music, 1986) p. 196 song entitled “There is a Fountain.” Also see such hymns as “Near the Cross” and “The Old Rugged Cross”.
[22] Morris (p. 681) points out that no one knows where this was located except that all credible suggestions locate it somewhere in Judea.
[23] Luke 13:1
[24] There can however be wisdom in the timing of matters as is well illustrated in Esther’s experience. Knowing the dilemma we face when sending missionaries into some countries which forbid the preaching of the gospel, there may be times when wisdom rather than the fear of man leads us to wait for the right time to aggressively declare our faith.
[25] Romans 10:10
[26] Proverbs 29:25
[27] Gerard Sloyan, John Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Preaching and Teaching (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988) p. 214. Of course, the Jews were much more interested in burying bodies than Gentiles because of issues surrounding ceremonial defilement.
[28] Time does not allow for us to expand on the funeral of Christ this morning. His burial is extremely important (1 Cor. 15:3-5) and was another confirmation that Jesus was indeed dead.
[29] Morris, p. 684.
[30] Edersheim, p. 617-618 provides a most interesting description of the way these tombs were constructed. Of course, another request was later made by the Jews asking Pilate that the tomb be carefully guarded to insure that Jesus body would not be stolen (Matt. 27:64).
[31] F.B. Myer, Gospel of John (Ft. Washinton, PN: Christian Literature Crusade, 1983) p. 357. See Numbers 19:11.
[32] Doug Fields and Eddie James, Videos That Teach 2 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002) p. 46.
[33] Brokendown Palace, 20th Century Fox (www.brokendownpalacedvd.com)
