Jesus, now having completed the mission, had but one more prophecy to fulfill. He had to die. So, Jesus was marched out, beaten, dressed like a king, then led to Golgotha and hung upon a cross. Jesus, now having completed the mission, had but one more prophecy to fulfill. He had to die. So, Jesus was marched out, beaten, dressed like a king, then led to Golgotha and hung upon a cross.
John’s version of the crucifixion looks at Jesus’ impact, His care for details, and His recognition of the final steps. First, Pilate hangs a sign above the cross of Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews. He writes it in Latin, Hebrew, and Greek. Pilate wanted everyone to know Jesus’ position. Pilate was probably doing this as a dig at the religious elite, but throughout history, the world would know that even though the leaders of God’s people missed it, Jesus was the King of all.
Next, Jesus makes sure his mom is cared for before he dies. While John’s account of the crucifixion was not as detailed as the others, he wanted the world to see this special moment between mother and son. Jesus looked down and saw Mary – deep in grief – and felt compassion. He felt the pain of His mom’s loss. He was God’s son, and Mary had done everything that God asked of her. To see His mother grieve His torturous death was devastating to Him. He asked John to care for her. John is happy to report that mission was also accomplished.
Finally, Jesus announces His thirst, as prophecy said He would, followed by, “It is finished!” The crowd at the cross would never understand that Jesus was really announcing the end of Act 1. In a few days, the real show was about to begin.
These messages ring equally true in our time. With the world literally coming apart at the seams, Jesus is still as prominent a king today as the sign announced on the cross. Paul reminds us in Philippians 2 that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory and praise of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11.
Next, John reminds us that the Lord is concerned with each life, great and small. Even as Jesus was restoring the world to Himself, He still cared for His mom and her needs. His servant’s heart in no way diminished His power or prominence. Instead, He reflected the nature of the Father once again.
When Jesus died, He changed the world, but that was not the end of the work. One musician puts it this way – it was the end of the beginning. What was about to take place would be even greater than the signs and miracles Jesus had already performed. He was starting the process to unite the world as a family of believers. He was defeating death, wiping out sin’s eternal effect, and restoring the relationship between God and man. Jesus was breaking down every barrier that the enemy and the world put in place to keep men from God.
As Paul states in Colossians 3, there is no longer Jew or Greek, circumcised or uncircumcised, Barbarian or Scythian, slave or free. All we have to do is trust and believe Jesus was God and give our allegiance to Him as Lord of our lives. God wants to be in a relationship with us! What a great sacrifice and what a great victory!
God Bless You
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16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.
17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, [i]bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in [j]Hebrew, Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in [k]Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21 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.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the [l]tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven [m]in one piece. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast [n]lots.” 25 Therefore 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. 26 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, *said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Walking With God 