John 19:38-

Recap:

vv 31-37) The spear

[31] Again we see how careful these religious Jews were about the details when they were committing cold-blooded murder.

They “strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel.”

They thought it would not be proper to allow the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath. There would be religious feast in the city. So they requested Pilate to have the legs of the three broken to hasten death.

The religionist were more concerned about their ceremonies and customs than a suffering man.

Not so with Jesus Christ: He was hanging there because He was concerned for eternal welfare of men and women. He had given his life for them.

Hebrews 2:16–18 ESV

16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

[32] Why do you suppose the legs were broken?

The Romans typically left decaying bodies on crosses long after death. However on certain ceremonial occasions, they could take the bodies down early, and breaking the legs would facilitate a quick death by preventing a person from prolonging his life by pushing up with his legs to be able to breathe.Are strength soon failed and asphyxiation ensued.

One of the reasons Rome chose crucifixion as the State’s method of execution was its slow, lingering death. By law the criminal was to hang upon the cross until he died from thirst, hunger, and exposure. Sometimes a man lingered for days under the heat of the broiling sun or the cold of winter night. suffering struck fear into the hearts of the captured populace and restrained severe crime.

The excavated bones of a crucified man from Givat ha-Mivtar (discovered near jerusalem in 1968), whose legs had been broken, provide confirmation of this practice.

[33] These soldiers were well experienced in such matters. They knew that Jesus was dead. There was no possibility of His being in a faint.

[34] No one knows for certain what the significance of blood and water means.

Any suggestions?

Maybe it pictures the two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Titus 3:4–5 ESV

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Or perhaps: Blood speaks of the cleansing from the guilt of sin; whereas water typifies cleansing from the defilement of sin through the Word.

Believer’s Bible Commentary K. Piercing of the Savior’s Side (19:31–37)

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy riven side which flowed

Be of sin the double cure,

Save me from its guilt and power.

—Augustus Toplady

[35-37] Prophecy being fulfilled.

Exodus 12:46 ESV

46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones.

Verse 36 speaking of the Passover lamb. God’s decree was that the bones were to be maintained unbroken. Christ is the true Passover Lamb, fulfilling the type with great exactness.

Verse 37 looks back to verse 34. Although the soldier did not realize it, his action was another wonderful fulfillment of Scripture: Zech. 12:10

Zechariah 12:10 ESV

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Zechariah’s prophecy refers to a future day when believing Jews will see the Lord coming back to the earth.

v 38) Joseph of Arimathaea

What we are going to see in this little section of we have left of this chapter the conquest of fear in Joseph and Nicodemus’ lives.

Joseph of Arimathaea was a secret disciple. He was a counselor, a senator, a member of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of Israel meaning:

Highly educated

Highly esteemed

Well liked

Very responsible

Capable of leadership

He was a decent and just man, meaning: He was a man...

Of good quality

of high morals

Of Compassion

Of justice

Of decision

Of truth

Of law

As the other gospel’s give us more clues about him. Matthew 27, Mark 15, and Luke 23. He was a man that was looking for the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. He did, however, feared to stand up for Jesus. His position and prestige were at stake. His peers, the other rulers, opposed Jesus. He as John tells us He believed in Jesus but was not open about it.

How many are like him? Do you see any similarities between him and us?

I want to make a clear point: Indecisiveness is a decision of rejection. Praise the Lord for repentance. Was there no hope for Peter to repent after denying Jesus 3 times before the rooster crowed? Of course there was.

Jospeh had a change of heart after the death of Jesus and this is seen in two ways:

Joseph actually went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. This had to take a tremendous amount of courage. The Romans would either dumped the bodies of the crucified criminals in the trash heaps or left the bodies hanging upon the cross.

Joseph risked disfavor and discipline, maybe even risking excommunication, persecution and violence.

What seemed to have turned this man from a secret disciple to a bold disciple seems to me… to be the phenomenal events surrounding the cross (the behavior and words of Jesus, the darkness, earthquake, and possible the torn veil). Maybe even recognizing the connections between the Messiah and Jesus’ suffering.

The point if you struggle with cowardice in proclaiming or taking a stand for Jesus. The solution is to study the cross of Christ. Coming to the cross and really understanding the significance will ultimately allow oneself to be a bold witness for Christ.

Do you see any comparison between Joseph and us?

How about Joseph wanting to take care of the physical body of Christ. Today, the body of Christ is the church. We are to step up and take care of the church. There are times within the church when special needs demand that men and women be courageous and step forward to show love. In those times a fresh look at the cross will be helpful and can be used of God to stir us. [Para-church organizations]

What I see here in Jospeh of Arimathaea is a man who cared deeply for Jesus. And the words and acts of these two men in verses 38 and 39 express care and tenderness and love and affection as well as courage and boldness:

Joseph took the body down from the cross, wrapped the body in line, placed it in a tomb wherein no man had ever been laid. He had to act quickly too. Jesus died at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon: Mark 15:33-37

Mark 15:33–37 ESV

33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

Friday day was the day of preparation for the Sabbath. Work was forbidden on the Sabbath, so if anything was to be done with Jesus’ body it had to be done immediately. So he would only have about three hours remaining for work.

One last interesting comparison: Position, power, wealth and fame cannot make you bold for Christ. Only true affection for Christ and deep love for Him will make you bold.

v 39) Nicodemus

Nicodemus has shown up a few times in this gospel. Starting in John chapter 3.

John 3:1–2 ESV

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

The same fear that was in Joseph was in him: his position, authority, livelihood and security were at stake; so he kept quiet, refusing to openly confess and take a stand for Jesus.

What emboldened Nicodemus?

It was the events of the cross that stirred His heart and allowed him to start making connection between the prophecies and the words and work of Jesus. Now of course he didn’t fully understand, but he knew that Jesus was the Messiah. He had failed Jesus, while Jesus was still alive… He would not fail Him in His death.

He now joins Joseph, bringing with him about 75 pounds worth of spice. These spices were probably powdered form and were spread on the body. The amount of spices purchased would be fit for a king.

Why is that important?

He wishes to give honor to his Lord which he should have given when his lord was alive. He had been a proud man, but now he was a broken man. He had been a worldly man, a man who had chosen the world over the Lord, but no more. Broken in heart over his Lord’s death, he would now step forth in faith and love to do what he could.

vv 40-42) A decision of commitment

I find it so incredible to see these two men demonstrating a love for Jesus, an unashamed commitment to Jesus, and they did it when the apostles themselves deserted Jesus.

Openly took the body of Jesus from the cross.

Openly cared for Jesus’ body.

Openly gave Jesus the best.

Openly buried Jesus just before the Sabbath.

How might we emulate Joseph’s and Nicodemus’ courage?

The courage to make an unashamed commitment to Christ: How?

The courage to risk all for Christ: How?

even if it cost us our position, esteem, wealth, and life.

The courage to unashamedly care for the body of Christ: Which is what? How?

The courage to be an unashamed witness for Christ, no matter the cost.

Matthew 10:32–33 ESV

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Luke 12:8 ESV

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God,

2 Timothy 2:12 ESV

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

Chapter 20:1-2) Mary Magdalene

vv 3-6) The great race

vv 7-10) The discovery