Gospel of John
Chapter XIX

King James Bible Text

Study Notes Commentary

1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
 

Verse 1 Scourged means whipped! Maybe Pilate thinks that if he has Jesus whipped, it will satisfy the Jews and they will let Jesus go free!

2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

Verse 2 The soldiers put a purple robe on him and crown of thorns to mock Him!
 

3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Verse 3 They make fun of Him and hit him. Jesus "seems" to be in big trouble now! The key word here is "seems!"

4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.


 

Verse 4 Now Pilate goes back out to the crowd, and says okay, here He is, but I find no fault in Him!

Why does the crowd want Jesus killed? Why does the world attack the message that you are perfect as God created you? Do you welcome your innocence? Or do you insist that you are guilty and deserve punishment?

5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

Verse 5 Jesus is brought out! Pilate says, "Look at Him!"

 

Verse 6 Again, Pilate finds no reason to have Jesus killed! But the chief priests want Him crucified to stop the people from following Him!

7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.


 

Verse 7 The Jews say, "By our law He deserves to die, because he calls Himself the Son of God!" Yes! Jesus does say He is the wholly innocent Son of God! Good News! – He also says you are God’s Son along with Him! And to any church that believes in guilt as deserving, being innocent is blasphemy!

8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

Verse 8 What do you think Pilate is afraid of? Remember – nothing can destroy truth!

9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
 

Verse 9 Can you see it is impossible to defend yourself in a world of fear? Fear cannot see innocence! You are as God created you. You are under no laws but God’s! Ask God for help right now!

10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Verse 10 Pilate begs Jesus to answer his questions, "Where are you from? Don’t you know I have the power to have you killed or to set you free?"
 

11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

Verse 12 There is nothing more insane with hate than a mob! Look at the mob of thoughts in your own mind! Do you feel threatened? Do you want revenge? Do you want to kill? Don’t be afraid to look at your thoughts! Then, ask God for help!

13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Verse 13 Pilate is the governor, and his job is to keep the peace! Of course, if he frees Jesus, the "King of the Jews," then it’s seen as uprising against Caesar! So he’s not going to sell his security over one man’s life! What a story, eh?
 

14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

Verse 14 Friday is the day of preparation for the Sabbath, and it’s Passover week as well! Remember, Pilate has the power to "turn back" (change his mind) anytime he wants! So do you!

15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Verse 15 Again, the chief priests are urging the crowd on by saying, "We have no king but Caesar – crucify Jesus!"

16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Verse 17 Golgotha means "place of a skull," so-called either from the shape of the hill or from the skulls left there after crucifixion! What an idea!

Verse 18 You do not have to frighten yourself anymore with the "story" of Jesus’ crucifixion! How often do you scare yourself with "stories" in your mind? "What is going to happen to me?" etc., etc. Just be still and rest in God!

19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Verse 19 Jesus knows He is God’s Son! All Jesus ever teaches is, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!"
 

20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Verse 20 In Jesus’ time it was the "mob entertainment" to watch crucifixions! Has anything changed?
 

21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

 

Verse 21 Can vengeance ever be satisfied? The chief priests avoid the truth by attacking it! What does it get them?

The question is, What do you want? To avoid the truth – or accept it? Remember: You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free! (John 8:32)

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, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

Verse 23 It was common for the soldiers to "divide up the loot!" While they waited for Jesus to die, the soldiers divided up his clothing among them! But his coat was woven as one whole piece!

 

Verse 24 They said, "Let’s not tear it up, but throw dice to see who gets it!" This was foretold in the scriptures! (Psalms 22)

This is a whole story, already written – over, past, and gone! Why? Because Jesus has resurrected! Thank God! His story is yours! God’s Son is One! You are resurrected! You are God’s Son! You cannot die! What must you do? It’s easy! You can say, "Yes, it’s true!" right now!

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Verse 25 Three Marys all watched over Jesus! They loved Him very much!

 

26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Verses 26-27 The disciple "whom He loved" is John! Jesus tells his mother, "Look at your son!" And to John, he says, "Behold your mother!" He’s asking John to look after His mother! "Take care of her, John. I am about My Father’s business!" The business of resurrection!

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Verse 28 The scripture describing Jesus’ "death experience" has already been written! Now He is merely playing it out!
 

29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

Verse 29 Hyssop is a plant often used for its detergent qualities as well as purification! The "vinegar" they are giving Jesus is a thin sour wine, often drunk by the soldiers!
 

Verse 30 Bowing His head, he offered up His spirit (gave up the ghost)! Jesus has completed his mission! "It is finished," is Jesus’ way of "giving up" His humanness! "Can you see that Jesus is not fighting His own spiritual awakening? Are you?

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

Verses 32-33 They broke the legs of the other two who were crucified with Jesus! Seeing that Jesus was dead already, they didn’t break His legs!

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Verse 34 Instead, a soldier stabbed Him in the side with a spear!
 

Verse 35 John reports this story as an eye witness, so that all will believe that Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament! (Psalms 22)

Stop right here, human! Look at the cruelty contained in this prophecy! It is the idea that the Messiah must be sacrificed! The Savior must be killed to satisfy an angry God! And cruelty is a necessary part of salvation and redemption! No! This is human belief – not the will of God!

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Verse 36 Somewhere you just have to believe Jesus’ New Teaching in the New Testament, so that you can know God through your own experience!

37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Verse 37 Can you see that Jesus’ story is all part of the big plan? All of it has already been written about in the scripture!
 

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

Verse 38 Joseph of Arimathaea, a rich Israelite and probably a member of the Great Council or Sanhedrin, is secretly afraid of the other Jews! They rule with violence! Where are Jesus’ followers? Have they all fled the scene? And are you going to "split" when the going gets tough? Or are you going to speak up for Jesus?

39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

Verse 39 Myrrh is called the "oil of holy ointment." It was often used for embalming, or preserving a body. Remember Nicodemus? He’s the one who secretly followed Jesus!
 

40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Verse 40 Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus loving-ly prepare Jesus’ body for burial!
 

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

Verse 41 Sepulchre means a burial place! The grave-yard is "the garden!" The burial site belonged to Joseph of Arimathaea and so it had never been used!
 

42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.