16 Then they took Jesus and led Him away. 17 And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, 18 where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.
The other Gospels fill in many details that John omits. Since John had access to the other Gospels, guided by the Holy Spirit, he must have made the decision to include only these details. The only ones that are repeated is the location, two others were crucified with him, the wording of the accusation against Jesus, and the soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments. Since John repeated these, there must be some significance to them.
The Place of the Skull or Golgotha is the first significant point as it is outside of Jerusalem. Jesus is portrayed as the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is the sacrifice that appeases the wrath of God, and this is modeled in the Old Testament sacrifice (Lev 16:15-16). But this rite also includes a second animal, the scapegoat. “The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness” (Lev 16:21). By being crucified outside the city, Jesus also fulfils the role of the scapegoat as he carries the burden of our sins outside the city.
Golgotha also has some historical significance that raises much speculation. It can be traced back to Genesis 3:15 where we are given a cryptic prophecy about the coming Messiah (the seed of the woman) who will bruise the seed of Satan’s head while Satan bruises the Messiah’s heal. Then comes David and Goliath. Goliath has been considered by some as a seed of Satan who believe that Goliath and other giants were the offspring of demons and women (Gen 6:2-4). David is also considered as an offspring of Eve. The connection to Golgotha occurs when David cuts off Goliath’s head. “And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem” (1 Sam 17:54). The speculation is that Golgotha is the spot where David buried Goliath’s head and that when Jesus bled on the cross, his blood seeped into the ground and touched Goliath’s skull. This may be speculation, but the imagery is potent. The blood of Jesus conquers the work of Satan according to Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Thus, the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled in Jesus’ death on the cross.
Jesus being crucified between two criminals is absolutely critical as it fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 that says he was numbered with the transgressors. He had to be crucified with at least two others. But John leaves out the conversation with the one thief who repented and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus’ answer is significant, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). It tells us that immediately after death we will be with Jesus in his kingdom. There isn’t going to be a delay or soul sleep and any such nonsense. We will be with Jesus and recognize him and he will recognize us. It tells us that Jesus’ human spirit didn’t go to hell or any other place.
19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'" 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
Writing the charges for a person’s crucifixion and posting them om the cross was a warning to others who would attempt to violate Roman law. The third fact that is included in other Gospels is the charges for Jesus’ crucifixion saying that Jesus is King of the Jews. This is obviously not a legal charge deserving of death. Pilate may have put the charges on the cross just to spite the Jewish leaders and he may have put it up there because he really believed it. It doesn’t matter what his motive was, the truth of the fact is that Jesus is the King of the Jews and was crucified.
Of course, the chief priests complained to Pilate which is a detail the other Gospel do not mention. They wanted a subtle change to the wording that would make it seem like a legitimate charge and not a statement of the truth. However, Pilate wasn’t about to change it. The charge against Jesus has been proclaimed for all to see for all succeeding generations that Jesus is, indeed, King of the Jews.
He is King of the Jews, but the question for us today is, is he your King? Does he rule over our lives and hearts? If he doesn’t then we are no better than Pilate who proclaimed the truth but didn’t do anything about it. Or, we are no better than the chief priests who only saw it as Jesus’ claim and therefore not binding on ourselves.
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
"They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots."
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
Each of the Gospels records the soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ clothes. John is the only one that adds the details that his tunic was without a seam and that this specifically fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18. John must have added these details because the seamless robe is important as well as it is an exact fulfilment of prophecy. If the robe had not been seamless, they probably would not have cast lots but would have torn it into four parts as is suggested that they did with the other clothes. Most translations specify that they made four parts, not simply making four piles of clothes. When God fulfills prophecy, he doesn’t leave out details.
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
Luke says that the women who had been following Jesus from Galilee along with Jesus’ acquaintances were watching (Luke 23:49). Mark 15:40 mentions only three women by name who were “at a distance.” Matthew doesn’t mention any of Jesus’ followers being near Jesus during his crucifixion. So, this encounter with Mary and John is only provided in John’s Gospel. It is significant that John is the only one of the Apostles that dared stay so close to Jesus so that he could hear and record this very tender moment as Jesus entrusted his mother into John’s care.
In the upper room, Jesus had fully informed his closest disciples of his departure, but they didn’t completely understand what was about to happen. Mary had been informed shortly after Jesus’ birth that something would happen that would cause a sword to pierce her heart (Luke 2:34-35). This cloud had been with her all her life. It informed her understanding of what the Messiah would as she pondered these things (Luke 2:19). Jesus doesn’t forget her. Jesus doesn’t forget any of us.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"
One thing is clear, Jesus couldn’t die until everything is accomplished that must happen to him and by him. What things must be accomplished? It starts with Jesus fulfilling the Law as he said in Matthew 5:18, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Jesus had to live a life in perfect obedience to the Law in order to live a righteous life. He had to do what Adam didn’t do so that his death could not be for any sin of his own. It is his righteous life that he now gives to those who believe in him for salvation.
Jesus also said in Luke 18:31, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” If you want to see many of the things that had to be accomplished, read Psalm 19 and Isaiah 53. Many of these things occurred while Jesus was on the cross and are recorded in the other Gospels.
Jesus also said in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” In John 5:36 he said, “For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” So, Jesus had to do the miracles that testify to the fact that Jesus is the Mesiah. Ultimately, the work that Jesus was sent to do was to have us believe in him as he told inquirers in John 6:29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
Of course, the final thing that had to be accomplished was Jesus being a propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). We don’t use this word very often because most people don’t know what it means. It means to appease a “god’s” anger with a sacrifice. Old Testament people knew exactly what it meant because it was always there before them in the animal sacrifices. Today, people can’t imagine that God would require his own Son to die to appease his wrath. But that is exactly what Jesus did on the cross. But his wrath was against us, not Jesus until “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).
29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
The final prophecies are fulfilled in these last two verses. Psalm 69:21 says, “For my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” This isn’t the same wine mixed with gall, which he refused (Matt 27:34) because it would have deadened his senses. It may seem minor, but every prophecy had to be fulfilled. Finally, Jesus had to die, and he uttered those famous words, “It is finished.”
It is finished means that for you and me, the doorway into the presences of God is made available by Jesus’ sacrifice. This was signified by the curtain in the temple being torn in two from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). The Law was accomplished by Jesus for us all.
This word, finished, was used by merchants when a debt had been paid in full. Jesus paid our debt in full. The Old Testament sacrifices could not pay the debt for our sins, they could only cover our sins. But Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away our sins (John 1:29, Heb 9:24-28).[1]
Jesus gave up his spirit. He decided when he was going to die. This highlights Jesus’ own statement in John 10:17-18:
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
This demonstrates that Jesus’ death and resurrection is a trinitarian work, which we will discuss in chapter twenty.
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, “John 19:28-30,” The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1989).
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