His Pierced Side

Fulfillment of so much

Expository Thoughts on John, Vol. 3 John 19:28–37: Scripture Fulfilled in Every Part of the Crucifixion,—It Is Finished,—Reality of Christ’s Death

It really requires more unreasoning faith to be an infidel than to be a Christian. The man who regards the repeated fulfilments of minute prophecies about Christ’s death, such as the prophecies about His dress, His thirst, His pierced side, and His bones, as the result of chance, and not of design, must indeed be a credulous man.

The piercing

Small as this may seem, it proves the fact that Christ hadn’t merely fainted, or in a trance but that his heart had been pierced. No human could survive such a wound .

We must know that He died. Without an actual death there could be no real sacrifice or no real resurrection. Without these no atonement, if no atonement Christianity is a hopeless religion built on sand.

Blood and Water

Zechariah 13:1 ““On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.”

This well was opened up when Christ died.

Atonement and purification was very well known to the Jews in the form of blood and water

Expository Thoughts on John, Vol. 3 John 19:28–37: Scripture Fulfilled in Every Part of the Crucifixion,—It Is Finished,—Reality of Christ’s Death

should we hesitate to believe that the flow of “blood and water” from our Lord’s side was a significant declaration to the Jewish nation, that the true fountain for sin was at length thrown open, and that henceforth sinners might come boldly to Christ for pardon, and wash and be clean? This interpretation, at any rate, deserves serious thought and consideration.

Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

Heb 9: 13-22

Water was used in the purification in the Levitical law.

Numbers 8:7 ESV

Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

We understand the blood and the water as our justification and our sanctification.

The blood and water signified the two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ—justification and sanctification. Blood stands for remission, water for regeneration; blood for atonement, water for purification. The two must always go together.

Joseph and Nicodemus

Joseph a man who was never mentioned along with Nicodemus finally come out and show their loyalty to Christ . Nicodemus who once came by night in secret seeking the truth is now ministering to Christs dead body. We should be careful not to condemn those who don’t see the truth right away.

A man who is ignorant in understanding the things of the Lord and seeks him under the cover of night can one day after grown and seen the full light of the truth, stand and boldly proclaim Him as Lord