SERMON: “The Crucifixion of Jesus” (John 19:17–30)
“The
Crucifixion of Jesus” (John 19:17–30)
Series: “John: Life in Christ’s Name” #101 Text: John 19:17–30
By: Shaun Marksbury Date: May
4, 2025
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: AM Service
I.
Introduction
In our culture, there are countless opinions about who Jesus
is. Some see Him as a moral teacher,
others as a social justice warrior, and still others as a myth. But, what does God’s Word reveal about Him?
The Bible as a whole, and John’s Gospel in particular,
presents Jesus as the Son of God.
Consider that Jesus predicted His own death; in Mark 9:31, He said, “The
Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him;
and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” Jesus’s predictions were not in vague terms,
but with precise detail — He repeatedly spoke of being “lifted up” (John 3:14;
8:28; 12:32), a phrase the people eventually understood as referring to His
crucifixion (John 12:33–34). He even
specified that His death would come at the hands of Gentiles, not Jews, through
crucifixion (Matt. 20:18–19). Jesus said
it in a number of ways: He would die by the hands of the Gentiles through
crucifixion.
All four Gospels record the crucifixion (Matt. 27:35–54;
Mark 15:25–39; Luke 23:33–49; John 19:16–37), providing independent testimonies
to this pivotal event. Angels confirmed
it (Matt. 28:5), the resurrected Jesus explained its fulfillment of Scripture
(Luke 24:25–27), and the apostles, like Peter (Acts 2:23) and Paul (1 Cor.
2:2), preached the centrality of the crucifixion. To deny the crucifixion is to deny the good
news of the gospel.
This is important to note.
Just as there are different ideas about who Jesus is today, there are
different ideas about the crucifixion.
Some, like the Muslims, deny that Jesus was crucified. Atheists and skeptics usually affirm that
Jesus died on the cross, but deny the reasons for it, as well as Christ’s
subsequent resurrection. And liberalized
Christians from mainline denominations usually elevate a secondary
accomplishment of Jesus on the cross.
Scripture demonstrates that Jesus willingly laid down His
life as a compassionate, substitutionary sacrifice for believers. While it’s tempting to break this passage
into parts and take our time studying everything the Gospels reveal about the
crucifixion, we will stay primarily with John’s Gospel account this
morning. He records the events of the
crucifixion in such a way to prove who Jesus is and what He was doing on that
cross, eliminating any confusion that we might have.
Using John’s account as an outline, we can note five facts
about Jesus’s death on the cross that show what Jesus did on the cross. We’ll see, first, Jesus died a sacrificial
death, He died as the King, He died bearing shame (vv. 23–25a), He died while showing
compassion, and He died fulfilling Scripture.
This is a lot of ground to cover, so let’s begin with the first point.
II.
First, Jesus Died a Sacrificial Death (vv.
17–18)
They took Jesus,
therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the
Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two
other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
The previous verse (v. 16) records that Pilate turned Jesus
over to the soldiers (and ultimately, to the will of the Jewish leaders) to be
crucified. So, here, John records Jesus is
carrying His own cross. The literal
rendering of this phrase is that Jesus is bearing
the cross for Himself.”[1] This
was unlikely to be the whole cross like we are used to seeing in artwork;
rather, it was probably just the cross beam which would later be inserted into
the standing structure.
John doesn’t always
repeat what the other writers include, and goes for the incident with a man
named Simon of Cyrene. As one study
notes, “Presumably, Jesus started out carrying it, but the weight of the wood
could have made it difficult for Jesus, weakened by the flogging, to walk far
with it.”[2] That would have been when the Romans conscripted
Simon to help (Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). This wasn’t out of mercy to Jesus, but to
avoid the embarrassing, anti-climatic scenario of having a condemned man die on
the way to the execution.
Jesus went out of
the city, and the path is memorialized as the Via Dolorosa (“Way of Sorrows”).[3] This vivid image echoes several images in
Scripture. First, Jesus is like Isaac
here, carrying the wood for His own sacrifice, where God provides the offering (Gen.
22:1–6);[4]
second, Jesus is like the sin offering taken outside the camp or city (cf. Heb.
13:11–13);[5]
third, Jesus becomes a picture of carrying one’s own cross. Jesus was made sin, a sacrifice for us, and
that is what we see here (2 Cor. 5:21).
He heads to Topon Cranion, The Place of the Skull,
called Golgotha in Hebrew. It was
a hill which likely derived its name from its skull-like appearance, and it’s
called Calvary in Latin. While
the exact location is uncertain, tradition points to a site now within the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, outside Jerusalem’s Second Temple wall but inside
the third wall of the time.[6] There, Jesus is crucified between two
criminals, described as “robbers” (Matt. 27:38) or “malefactors” (Luke 23:32),
possibly associates of Barabbas.
John doesn’t focus on the gory details here; he instead
devotes ink to words that indicate what Christ fulfilled. In Isaiah 53:12, the Messiah is “numbered
with the transgressors.” John’s
placement of Jesus “in the middle” highlights His centrality, even in shame, not
only between these two criminals but as the one who takes the place of all sinners.
Jesus is both the sacrificial lamb and the high priest,
offering Himself willingly (John 10:11, 17).
His death shows His willingness to bear the weight of our sin. He carried the cross purposefully, knowing it
was the path to our redemption. He
carried His blood to be shed out of the camp (cf. Lev. 6:30; 16:27), where He
would willingly be hanged on a “tree” and become accursed for us (cf. Deut. 21:23). He was laying down His life in the place of
His sheep, for all who would believe in His name.
Are you trusting in His sacrifice alone for your salvation? If you trust in Him, you can know that He paid
it all. His death was not a tragedy; it
was a triumph, planned from eternity to atone for your sins.
His triumph is noted in the irony of the next verses:
III.
Second, Jesus Died as the King (vv. 19–22)
Pilate also wrote
an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE,
THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Therefore many of
the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was
near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 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.’ ” Pilate answered,
“What I have written I have written.”
All the Gospels note, with little variation, the words
placed above Jesus’s head (Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38). Pilate, perhaps out of spite toward the
Jewish leaders who pressured him, wrote this sign as the official Roman
accusation against Jesus. His inscription,
“Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews,” was written in Hebrew (or Aramaic),
Latin, and Greek, ensuring all could read it.[7]
And we read here that many Jews did read
the inscription.
While such a notice was standard for Roman executions,[8]
Pilate’s wording was provocative. He is
most likely mocking the Jewish leaders, as he did in v. 14, saying he has
crucified their “king.” Of course, the
Jewish chief priests, led by Caiaphas and Annas, objected. As one study notes, “They did not want a
messianic designation connected with Him.”[9] So, they requested the inscription read that
Jesus only claimed to be King, thus not giving the Jewish faithful
anything to consider. Pilate’s curt
response, “What I have written I have written,” reflects his stubbornness and a
bit of leadership that would have been helpful to see earlier!
Pilate is, however, unwittingly proclaimed the truth of
Jesus’s kingship. All who read the sign
could know the truth if they considered the divine irony in God’s providence. As John Calvin remarks, “Pilate, though he
was a reprobate man, and, in other respects, an instrument of Satan, was
nevertheless, by a secret guidance, appointed to be a herald of the Gospel,
that he might publish a short summary of it in three languages.”[10] It’s a shame that the Jewish leaders were not
the ones to proclaim the truth about Christ.
This begins fulfilling Jesus’s prediction that His being
“lifted up” would draw all to Him (John 12:32). The world may mock Him, He reigns as King, and
God ensures His truth is proclaimed. Do
you recognize Jesus as your King? He
reigns even in humble circumstances, as we see next.
IV.
Third, Jesus Died Bearing Shame (vv. 23–25a)
Then the soldiers,
when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a
part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in
one piece. 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 lots.” Therefore
the soldiers did these things.
After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers divided His clothes, a
customary perk for executioners. Of
course, the condemned would watch from the cross, naked, as the soldiers make a
game of their possessions. In Jesus’s
case, the soldiers split His outer garments — likely His cloak, belt, sandals,
and head covering — into four parts.[11] The seamless tunic, however, was too valuable
to tear for division, so they cast lots for it.
One might read this and wonder how we could walk away seeing
God’s providence in all this. John sees
this as fulfilling Psalm 22:18: “They divide my garments among them, and for my
clothing they cast lots.” Psalm 22,
written by David, describes an execution scene David never witnessed, making it
a typological prophecy of the Messiah’s suffering. Note, too, that the text here indicates that
the soldiers did these things to fulfill Scripture, though they did not know
it.
Moreover, the seamless tunic may have had added
significance. Such was “the type of
garment which the high priest wore.”[12] Though John doesn’t go into detail on this,
it is reminiscent of the high priest’s garment (Exod. 28:31–32), and other
passages emphasize Jesus’s priestly role (cf. Heb. 7, 10). He is, as a priest in this moment, standing
in the gap between the people and God.
Jesus’s nakedness on the cross was part of His humiliation,
though, a point we can’t overlook. As one
study notes, “That Jesus died naked was part of the shame which He bore for our
sins. At the same time He is the last
Adam who provides clothes of righteousness for sinners.”[13] As Isaiah 61:10 says, “He has clothed me with
garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.” He covers our nakedness.
Jesus bore the ultimate shame to clothe us with His
righteousness. As you struggle with the
shame of your sin, know that Jesus became shame for you, and He now offers you robes
of righteousness to cover you. Find
freedom from your shame in Him, for He is compassionate. That brings us to the next point:
V.
Fourth, Jesus Died Showing Compassion (vv.
25b–27)
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 then 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!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own
household.
Jesus did not only have enemies at the cross. Contrasting the crass actions of the soldiers[14]
are four women who stood in love and grief.
The first of these are Mary, Jesus’s mother. As one study notes, “The anguish of Jesus’ mother fulfilled a prophecy of Simeon:
‘A sword will pierce your own soul too’ (Luke 2:35).”[15] The other women are Mary’s sister (likely
Salome, mother of James and John), then Mary, wife of Clopas, and finally, Mary
Magdalene. They had all been changed by
Jesus in some way.
They stand courageously, though all His disciples are
scattered. That is, except for one — the
only apostle present choses not to name himself here. It is the author of this Gospel, the Apostle
John, who refers to himself with some perhaps self-comfort in this moment as
“the disciple whom He loved.” May we who
find comfort in the cross also know that Jesus loves us, as well.
Jesus also loved His mother.
So, He addresses her as “Woman;” that may seem odd to our ears,
especially those of us raised to say “ma’am,” but this was a term of respect in
that culture (cf. John 2:4). If there is
any confusion about that, we read here that He entrusts her to John’s care. His brothers, unbelievers at this time (John
7:5), were not present, and Joseph was likely deceased, so Jesus, as the eldest
son,[16]
ensures that she has a place to stay and mourn with believers. Mary would stay with John in Jerusalem, and
we later see her in the Upper Room praying near the time of Pentecost (Acts
1:13). Jesus’s act fulfills the fifth
commandment (Exod. 20:12) and shows His selfless love, present even in His
agony.
Jesus’s whole work on the cross was compassion. Of course, He is an example to us, teaching
us to love others even in the midst of our suffering. Where we find that we fall short, we should
know that we can draw spiritual strength from Him and let His love define us.
He did all of this to save us in fulfillment of
Scripture. That brings us to our final
point:
VI.
Fifth, Jesus Died Fulfilling Scripture (vv.
28–30)
After this, Jesus,
knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the
Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” 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. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour
wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
After caring for His mother, Jesus had to endure the three
hours of darkness (Matt. 27:45). As
tempting as it is to explore that, let’s consider now that He remains fully
conscious on the cross. He knew “all
things had already been accomplished,” for instance. He knew His work on the cross was in
fulfillment of the Father’s will outlined in Scripture.
We then read that He says, “I am thirsty.” His thirst was real as His body was human,
and as one commentary notes, “Thirst is one of the severest agonies of
crucifixion.”[17] It’s true that Jesus is God, but He is also incarnate,
and in regards to the flesh, He is completely human. For instance, when traveling with His
disciples through Samaria, He was weary and asked the woman at the well for a
drink (John 4:6–8). Just like then, though,
He maintains an eternal focus here and demonstrates that His greatest goal is
to fulfill Scripture.
So, says He is thirsty here to “fulfill the Scripture, and
in this case, it was Psalm 69:21; “And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to
drink.” There happened to be a “vessel
of sour wine was sitting there,” also translated “wine vinegar” (NIV) or “cheap wine”
(GNB). As the MacArthur Study Bible
notes, don’t confuse this “with the ‘wine mixed with myrrh’ offered to
Him on the way to the cross (Matt. 27:34) intended to help deaden pain. The purpose of this drink (cf. Mark 15:36)
was to prolong life and increase the torture and pain.”[18] It is a liquid made from wine or beer, sour
from over-fermenting. In the Old
Testament, it could serve as a condiment during meals into which one would dip
bread. Because it was fermented,
Nazirites were forbidden from consuming it.[19] This was something that the poor or soldiers
would sometimes drink.
So, they soaked a sponge with it and offered it to Jesus on
a hyssop branch. That was also an
interesting choice in the providence of God, evoking the Passover lamb’s blood
applied with hyssop (Exod. 12:22).[20] Jesus is the Lamb of God, and the people in
this moment can’t help but fulfill Scripture!
Jesus’s thirst was real, and He needed His mouth and throat
moistened for one final statement from the cross. So, after receiving the wine, Jesus cried out,
“It is finished!” (see Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46). This is from a single word in Greek, tetelestai,
meaning “paid in full.” This means that
Jesus did all that was required; as He said in John 17:4, “I glorified You on
the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” This also means that the work of salvation is
“paid in full.”
So, finally, Jesus “bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” This doesn’t mean He was overcome by the
tortures of Rome; Jesus said in John 10:18, “No one has taken [My life] away
from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.” The verb here indicates an active
choice to “hand over” His spirit to the Father.
Luke 23:46 records His final prayer, “Father, into Your hands I commit
My spirit,” showing His voluntary submission to death.
Jesus’s cry, “It is finished,” is the victory shout of our
salvation. He fulfilled every Scripture,
paid every debt, and secured our redemption. Do you rest in His finished work, not adding
your good works to it or your sense of personal atonement? Trust Him, for His
death was not defeat but the triumph that brings you life.
VII.
Conclusion
Note how much this tells us about Jesus! John’s account of the crucifixion reveals
Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb, the reigning King, the shame-bearing Savior, the
compassionate Son, and the Scripture-fulfilling Messiah. He was in control, even in death, dying at
God’s appointed hour to accomplish our salvation.
If you don’t believe, will you draw near to the cross today?
If you’ve never trusted Christ, believe
in His finished work for your salvation. If you’re a believer, let the cross renew your
love for Him. He died for you — live for
Him.
[1] New American
Standard Bible: 1995 Update, (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).
[2] Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, E. Ray Clendenen, Paul
Copan, J. P. Moreland, and Doug Powell, The
Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith,
(Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1612.
[3] Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, The New American Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 2002), 25B:260–261.
[4] Note, “This carrying of his own cross may be
reminiscent of the story in Gen 22:6, when Abraham laid the wood on Isaac which
the boy carried and which was to be the means of his own sacrifice. The rabbis loved this story, which is
reflected in the Jewish Haggadah and in the Genesis Rabbah 56 concerning the
above text.” Ibid.
[5] Edwin A. Blum, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1985, 2, 339.
[6] Borchert, John
12–21, 25B:262.
[7] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne
House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King
James Version, (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Jn 19:20.
[8] Ibid., Jn 19:19.
[9] Ibid., Jn 19:21.
[10] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, (Bellingham, WA: Logos
Bible Software, 2010), 2:229.
[11] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1624.
[12] Blum, 339.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid., 339–340.
[15] Ibid., 340.
[16] Borchert, John
12–21, 25B:269.
[17] A. T. Robertson, Word
Pictures in the New Testament, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn
19:28.
[18] MacArthur, The
MacArthur Study Bible, 1625.
[19] John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel
Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot
Ritzema, and Wendy Widder, Eds., The
Lexham Bible Dictionary, 2016.
[20] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jn 19:29.