DIV2/6: PILATE AND THE JEWS

PILATE AND THE JEWS CHAPTER 19: 1-16

Pilate took Jesus and discouraged him. The reason for doing this is not very clear. Perhaps Pilate wanted to appeal to the sympathy of the Jews so that they could not let Jesus go. Jesus was mocked by the soldiers, dressed him like a king etc. Ironically they were confirming that Jesus is king. Indeed a king he was but not of this world. Jesus’ appearance must have been marred hence fulfilling Isaiah 53 about the suffering servant of God.

In presenting Jesus to the Jews they still demand his crucifixion. The Jews brought in two other charges against Jesus:

1. That he made himself son of God. This is a religious issue which would be punishable by death (stoning) if convicted according to the Jewish law. The 2^nd one was that he called himself a king which was a political accusation and revolutionary. Confused the move Pilate asked Jesus again in verse 8 where are you from?
2. The last accusation made Pilate a prey to the Jews. They had managed to black mail him. As a Roman governor he must not allow sedition in his region.

THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS VERSE 17-30

Here there is reference to Exodus 28, 32, palms 22:18, 69:12 and Isaiah 53. The account here slightly differs from that of Mark. By omitting Simon of Cyrene John indicates that Jesus goes to the cross entirely on his own. He is moving majestically and he is not taken off guard. The messiah ship here is open Jesus is strong, he is not collapsing as in Mark. After all Jesus is logos. The word “INRI” written on the cross has a theological significance in verse 22. Pilate asserts that what he has written will not be changed. So by the strange irony of events Jesus dies with a true statement of his nature proclaimed upon his cross by a Roman official who didn’t believe in him. “Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews” it read.

All the gospel reward the division of the garments a fulfillment of Palm 22:18, palms 22 was regarded as a messianic chapter  so John uses it here to indicate that again quite unconsciously even the soldiers are caught up in the messianic complex of events. In verse 27 Jesus says to Mary “woman behold your son” “son behold your mother” there are two implications from this statement.

(a). The concern and love a dying son has for his mother. He entrusts the mother to be the son for protection.

(b). theologically he was saying “church” as son remember Judaism your mother and Judaism should remember is the mother of Christianity (church).

In verse 28 when Jesus said “it is finished” it implies, he had accomplished his mission he had done it. Then “I thirst was a fulfillment of palms 22:15, 69:3.

      Watch the video below to know more about Jesus crucifixion

DIED AND BURRIED VERSE 31-42

The section fulfills Exodus 12:16, Deuteronomy 21:23, Zachariah 12:10. The day for cricification was a Friday and bodies were not supposed to hang outside beyond 6:00 pm. The next day was not only a Sabbath but also the first day of the feast of unleavened bread so according to John Jesus was crucified on the day the Passover lamb was slaughtered in the temple.

This implies that Jesus became a new Passover lamb replacing the old one. When the soldier pieced the side of Jesus, blood and water came out. This implies that Jesus was a human being who could breed. Furthermore, the blood signifies the Eucharist and the water is a symbol for baptism.

Jesus’ legs were not broken fulfilling the idea of the Passover lamb. In exodus 12 where the bones were not be broken. Joseph of Aromathea is evidently one of those leaders of the Jews who acknowledged Jesus as messiah. It also implies that Jesus is not only a friend to the poor and sinners but also the rich like Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus is also given a respectable burial in a new tomb fit for the messiah.