John 19:17–37

 ¹⁷ 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. 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.” 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. 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. ²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, 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, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. ³¹ Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should 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. ³² Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

Commentary 

Vs. 17-18 ¹⁷ 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. 

 Jesus now bears His cross where He is taken to a place outside the walls of Jerusalem (Heb. 13:12) called: “The Place of a Skull,” which is also called in Hebrew, Golgotha (i.e. Calvary, Luke 23:33, from the Latin Calvaria, Eerdmans Bible Dictionary). This site then was the execution site which itself not only had the look of death, i.e. “place of the skull” but very likely it would’ve born the smell of death. And so, it is here that they Crucify the Lord of Glory, and along with Jesus Christ they also crucified two others with Him, one on either side of Him, with Jesus in the center, and thus they fulfilled the Word of God which states that Jesus would not only die for sinners, but would be die with them, i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ was numbered with transgressors (Isaiah 53). 

Vs. 19-20 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. 

Pilate then before Jesus’ is Raised up on the Cross now writes a title and puts it in the Cross, which read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Now this title was written in three different languages, the first was Hebrew which was Jesus’ and the Jews native tongue. The next was Greek which was then the universal language of the known world, kind of like English is today. The third was Latin which was the official language of the Roman Empire. By doing so Pilate made it possible for anyone who could read to be able to read the Lord Jesus Christ’s designation and “charge.” And so being so near Jerusalem many Jews read this title, which maybe indicating that many Jews intentionally came to this site to see Jesus Crucified.

Vs. 21-22 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.” 

 Now before Pilate placed the sign on Jesus Christ’s Cross designation Him as the King of the Jews the chief priests objected and wanted him to write that Jesus said He was the King of the Jews, not that He was the King of the Jews. However, Pilate is unmoved by their petition, and instead he sticks to what he has written. Thus, Jesus Christ’s Cross will forever bear the title that He is the King of Jews who along with the Gentiles Crucified Him. 

Vs. 23-24 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. 

 Now before the soldiers Crucified Jesus, they in fulfillment of prophecy about His death also cast lots for His clothing, before dividing up them amongst themselves. Now this prophecy was given through King David roughly a thousand years before it occurred (Psalm 22:18) whose throne was established so that the Lord Jesus Christ could reign on it forever. 

Vs. 25 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” 

 The Scripture now records that there were four women also standing by the Cross of Christ. First mentioned is Jesus’ mother Mary, then Mary’s sister is mentioned, third is another Mary who was the wife of Clopas, and finally Mary Magdalene was also there. 

Vs. 26-27 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. 

 Even in Jesus’ suffering He did not neglect His own. And so here Jesus seeing that they had drew near to Him now knowing that He was soon going to die now tells Mary to take John as her own son, having done so He now looks to John and tells him to take Mary as his own mother. From that hour on then John the disciples took Mary to his own home. 

Vs. 28-30 ²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, 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, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. 

 The Scripture now records the hours of darkness that came over the land that preceded Jesus’ actual physical death when God the Father having forsaken Him to fulfill the Scripture, and Jesus having born all our sins alone on the Cross, now in a finial plea cries out, “I thirst!” Now some there upon hearing this this try to offer Jesus some comfort and mercy by filling a sponge with sour wine and putting it on hyssop and raising it to His mouth. Now this event should not be confused with the soldiers who tried to give Jesus an elixir of wine/vinegar in fulfillment of Psalm 69:21 much earlier which Jesus refused to drink because He had to bear the full brunt and pain of all our sins. Therefore, having now received the sour wine, Jesus says, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Jesus then gave His Life so that we all could have new and everlasting Life the moment we believe in Him! 

Vs. 31 “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should 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.” 

 With Jesus’ death occurring on a Sabbath of the Passover, therefore it is referred to a high day, the Jews requested that Pilate break the legs of Jesus and those crucified with Him so as to hasten their deaths, and or make sure that Jesus was dead. 

Vs. 32 “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.” 

Therefore, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two prisoners who were crucified with Jesus. This was done so that they could no longer raise themselves up to breath and thus they would’ve in a very short time suffocated to death. 

Vs. 33-34 ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 

However, when the soldiers came upon Jesus, and seeing that He was already dead, that He was no longer trying to raise Himself up to breath, one of the soldiers took His spear and thrust it into Jesus’ side likely to make sure Jesus was dead. 

Vs. 35-37 ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” 

 Amazingly then that solider by doing so unwittingly fulfilled the Word of God about the Passover Lamb which says, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” (Exodus 12:46). As well another Scripture, specifically the prophecy found in Zechariah 12:10 which says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” Which itself is referring to the end times when believing Jews will look upon the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ whom they Crucified and will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only Son! And so, in order for that prophecy to be fulfilled it, must happen there at Christ’s Crucifixion whom they Crucified that Jesus be pierced by them.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.