#1536 John 19 Part 2 Golgotha

 

16 So he then delivered Him over to them to be crucified.

17 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. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 And 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 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 garments and made four parts, a part to each soldier and also His tunic; now that tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 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 in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast 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 home. John 19: 16-27 LSB

John 19: 16-27

So he then delivered him over to be crucified - Pilate gives up on reasoning with the mob and turns Jesus over to them. The older you get the more you realize you never want your fate to be in the hands of other people. Even knowing the right thing to do they won't do it if the crowd yells loudly enough. 

23“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” 24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” 25All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”… Matthew 27: 23-25

V. 17 Golgotha - Bearing your cross was the horizontal beam that your hands would later be nailed to. This would then be attached to the vertical post. Golgotha is also referred to as Calvary, and it was a place outside of Jerusalem. Golgotha means bald head or skull and people aren't certain of it's exact location today, but think it was a hill that resembled a skull. 

“Since Tertullian (adv. Jud., 10) a type of this has been found in Isaac’s carrying the wood for the sacrifice.” (Dods) - E Word

Archaeologists discovered in 1968 the remains of a man crucified in Jesus’ era. The study of the remains revealed that the victim was nailed to the cross in a sitting position, both legs over sideways, with the nail penetrating the sides of both feet just below the heel. The arms were stretched out, each stabbed by a nail in the forearm. Dr. Nico Hass, Hebrew University anatomy professor described it as “a compulsive position, a difficult and unnatural posture,” meant to increase the agony of the sufferer. (Tenney and others)

iv. “There was a horn-like projection (the sedile), which the crucified man straddled. This took some of the weight of the body and prevented the flesh from tearing from the nails.” (Morris)

v. According to Dr. William Edwards in the Journal of the American Medical Association, death from crucifixion could come from many sources: acute shock from blood loss, being too exhausted to breathe any longer, dehydration, stress-induced heart attack, or congestive heart failure leading to a cardiac rupture. If the victim did not die quickly enough, the legs were broken, and the victim was soon unable to breathe and died of suffocation. - E word

…11Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. 13Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.… Hebrews 13: 11-13

…5“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.” 6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together. 7Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” “Here I am, my son,” he replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” said Isaac, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”… Genesis 22: 5-7

V. 22 What I have written, I have written - Obviously Pilate can't stand the religious leaders, and would like to pretend at still having some sort of power in this, but the Innocent is still going to suffer at the behest of the mob. He is going to be lifted up between two guilty men, and what is written there is true, He is the King of the Jews, and even more than that, King of kings. It is interesting that Pilate has it written in all three languages so that everyone can enjoy the joke, but whether Jew or Gentile, this is the highest reality, God's only provision to be made right with Him. There is no other God, no other acceptable means to salvation. The past looked forward to it, the present couldn't recognize it, and the future depended upon it. Everyone alive now that will be saved must look back on this moment and say, that was for me, He took my place, I deserved that, but His being there has paid my debt. Those that refuse this moment refuse God's grace, and they end up the subjects of His wrath. 

…28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”… Hebrews 10: 28-30

V. 23-25 Now the tunic was seamless - It was desirable, but not cut into fours, so they decided to play a game of chance for it. And just like that another thousand year old prophecy fulfilled. 

…17I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me. 18They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. 19But You, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.… Psalm 22: 17-19

V. 26-27 Woman, behold your Son...Behold, your mother - John refers to himself as the one whom Jesus loved, and wow, when you think about that, that's the way John wanted to be described, his greatest legacy, the best thing about him was, "Jesus loved me". Jesus had brothers, but they were as yet unbelievers. The level of, I don't know the right word, but to be able to disentangle one's mind from your own circumstances like this, and worry about provisions for your mom. This gospel look doesn't even detail the anguish of the One crying out, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me", that darkness, the pain, the loneliness, mocking from the soldiers, the two thieves and the bullish Pharisees and Sadducees of Bashan. 

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning? 2I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest. 3Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.…

…4In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. 5They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed. 6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.…

…7All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: 8“He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.” 9Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.…

…10From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother’s womb You have been my God. 11Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.…

…13They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul. 14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me. 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.…

…16For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet. Psalm 22: 1-16