Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews

It seems religion and politics overruled the authority of the governor of Judea. He succumbed to the demands of the chief priests and turned over an innocent man to his soldiers, to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” John 19:16-22

There could be no mistake about what was written on the sign. It was in Hebrew, the language of Jewish religion; in Latin, the language of secular law; and in Greek, the language of the prevailing culture. There were Jews from throughout the region who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Many gentiles were there, too, for various reasons. Anyone who could read one or more of the three languages saw what the governor had written to hang above the head of Jesus as He died. We cannot know what motivated Pilate to do this, though we can safely assume his contempt for the Jews, I’m sure. Here he was, being bullied by a conquered people to carry out a judgment he knew was wrong. The way he chose to keep the Jews under control was to appease them in this matter concerning their religion, which he himself despised. He clearly saw their hypocrisy and understood his own complicity in this murder, yet it was important to him that they not become more agitated than they already were, considering their threats of Caesar’s disapproval of this man claiming to be King. Oh, well. We must crucify him, then; but the Jews must also face his claim of royalty even as they watch him die. Falsely arrested as a criminal, He was crucified as their King.

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” John 19:23-24

Our precious brother John was there and saw it all, but chose to spare us the gruesome details of the crucifixion. We know from history that there were countless thousands who died this way under Roman rule, for various offenses. We know it was a cruel, torturous means of execution, and that it was the means by which God the Father chose to have His perfect Son publicly displayed as he bore our sins.

Because it was a slow, lingering death, the soldiers had plenty of time to taunt, torment and ridicule the prisoners and to take for themselves any possessions the condemned men took to the cross. “Fringe benefits,” some people today would call it. It couldn’t have been much; just the few rags the prisoners still wore, after the scourging they all received. Ah, but from somewhere, someone had taken a royal robe and had draped it on Jesus, just as they crowned Him with the thorns of cursing. That seamless robe was too valuable to be ripped apart for sharing, so they gambled for it, just as David had prophesied in Psalm 22:18.

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,“Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. John19:24-27

As His earthly life was coming to a close, Jesus made arrangements for the care and keeping of His mother. By now she was a widow, we think, and we know that Jesus’ brothers were still not believing in His deity and His mission. As firstborn, He was concerned with his mother’s care, and He saw to it. She became a member of the household of John, with whom Jesus had a special rapport, and in whom Jesus trusted to provide for her.

The judgment was done. He had consumed the cup of God’s wrath, as judgment for my sins and yours. Yet, He was still physically alive! That’s because physical death was not His judgment for our sins. His spiritual separation from the Father and the Holy Spirit was His judgment….”My God (Father), My God (Spirit)….why have you forsaken Me?” Also prophesied in Psalm 22:2, which was given the answer in verse 6 - “I am a worm and no man.” The worm mentioned here is tola, a small grub which was gathered into vats and crushed for it’s crimson blood, used to dye the robes of kings. What crushed Him was our sins. God cannot look on our sins. He turned away from His Son, and Jesus screamed.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30

The sour wine was supposed to give some relief to the tortured man, they tell us. After what He had endured, I can imagine the moisture was welcomed. His work was done. He declared it so, with “It is finished.” – finished in the past (one judgment) with results that go on forever (for anyone who believes, for now and for all eternity). Jesus took the judgment because He was the only one qualified to do so. That’s why He is the Only Way of Salvation.

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” John 19:31-37

The religious rules must prevail, even for a people who thought they had killed the Lord of Life. They didn’t kill Him; He dismissed His spirit, when the work of judgment was finished. There was never a time when God the Son was not in control of the universe and His own destiny. In keeping, though, with the rules of Sabbath, the legs of the executed men were broken (just in case they were not yet dead) and they were removed from their crosses so as not to desecrate the Holy Day.

Jesus was dead already. No need to break His legs, but just to be sure, a soldier pierced His side. Coagulated blood gushed out, and clear serum. That is a certain indication of human death. The body’s red blood cells clot and separate from the serum. This was not just unconsciousness, it was physical death. He was physically dead because the work He came to do was done. Finished. Once and for all. The price for our sins is paid.

Now, please notice who Jesus’ pallbearers were:

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42

Yes. A Pharisee and a Pharisee.

At least these two had been paying attention.