03/16/2024 – [John 19:25-30] – The Death of Jesus
1) Faith. Discussed 02/17/24;
2) Freedom. Discussed 03/02/2024
3) Family. Discussed 03/09/2024
America is the freest, most powerful, successful nation in the history of the world. We cannot maintain that status if we are led by politicians who hate the foundations that made us who we are! Many children are being taught to be ashamed of their country and themselves. The Pledge of Allegiance is being removed from our schools because it mentions God. Free speech is being censored and silenced. Most Democrats are fighting for the right to elective abortion, up to the moment of birth. Unelected, unaccountable, administrative bureaucrats are seeking to control every aspect of our lives.
We must elect leaders who make decisions based on American values with an emphasis on God, family, and country. It is the only way to preserve the blessings we have been given. We have a chance to save our country from the radical Left, but we are running out of time. I am not certain what version of America we will leave to our children if we continue on our current trajectory. The path we are on now will lead to our destruction. We have the ability to turn this country around. Are you willing? Jesus is!
Postscript from last week: Joseph Ben Caiaphas, the High Priest, 14 BC – 46AD, was appointed 18 AD by Valerius Gratus. JBC led the Sanhedrin, 71 men whom we know as the Chief Priests. His ‘trial’ of Jesus was held before them and a few elders. Jesus responds: “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” [NIV Mark 14:62] It was at that point that JBC tore his garments. It was JBC who made the deal with Judas knowing his weakness for money. JBC, driven by envy and jealousy, was terrified of Jesus. This is why we study two separate stories of Jesus confronting moneychangers in the temple. It is written in Dante’s Inferno that JBC must stay in hell forever, is a special designation for fake people.
*The gathering at the foot of the cross: Mary, her sister, Mary (wife of Clopas), Mary Magdalene and John the disciple He loved. [19:25] Even in times of all out warfare, women are often allowed to travel freely. They are seen as not threatening. That is why we see the three women at the cross. John’s presence may be due to his age, [18:15-16] not ready for conscription. This reflects the status of women in the early church. [Acts 8:3] In the period when [Acts] was written women had had a dramatic uplifting in responsibility, position and status in the early church. That is why they were persecuted. Note how rapidly this changed. Not so when Jesus was crucified. They could reveal they were members of Jesus’ entourage w/o fear, but the men had to run away. Nobody would waste time arresting women. The gathering at the foot of the cross is poignant.
This is the last time we see Mary, Jesus’ mother, in the Gospel story. Think back to Mary and the wine [2:3-4] Mary did not know His time had not yet come, but she knew; that to get things done - do what He said. She does not understand now where this is all leading; His calling to turn the water of human life into the rich wine of God’s love is being fulfilled. We assume she came to believe all this through Jesus’ resurrection; we are assured in this because John takes her home as though she were his mother. Jesus is thirsty and all they have is the soldier’s sour wine. Jesus gave the best wine. In these sad moments what should we recall? Water [Chap. 2] a sign; [Chap. 4] women of Samaria and living water; [Chap. 6] those who believe in him are hungry and thirsty; [Chap. 7] the ready availability of living water – sought by those who came to Him. Then an abundance within themselves. John remembers and is horrified that Jesus is thirsty. Has the water of life failed? Has the wine finally run out? He had saved others. Could He not save Himself? John recalls the crown of thorns and the purple robe, is this part of the truth? Jesus must do what only He could do - come to the same place of everyone else: thirsty, shamed and death. Thus, fulfilling scripture [Ps. 69:21] John wants us to return to [Chap. 2] water to wine.
John asks us to recall Jesus’ 6 significant signs, but to fulfill [Gen.1] He cannot stop there. The crucifixion itself is the 7th sign. Jesus' last cry, “It is all done!” He has finished the work His Father has given to Him. [17:4] He has loved to the end - His own who were in the world. [13:1] He has accomplished the full and final task. The price has been paid!
[John 19:31-37] – Blood and Water - John pondered why it came to pass that he was allowed to be with Mary. With prayer, teaching, meditation and revelation it became clear. He needed to be there to affirm that Jesus, his beloved Lord, died on the cross. The resurrection story is so mind blowing, so examined and so attacked that an affirmation needed to be unassailable. Looking at the world, No one, ever has easily claimed to have been crucified on Friday, thoroughly dead, and buried was alive again on Sunday with a life that death cannot reach. Some claim sightings were hallucinations, a spirit. Others claim He never died, he fainted and they took Him down quickly and He revived in the tomb. There were many sceptics, some in the church, when John’s gospel was written. John gave first hand affirming testimony.
The Judeans wanted the bodies taken down. It was Passover. The Bible insisted bodies not be left on the cross over night. [Deut. 21:23] It would pollute the earth. Pilate was asked to take them down. Some crucified people are not dead. Crucifixion was also used as torture. One usually suffocates and this process is accelerated by breaking the legs. Suffocation quickly followed. When the soldiers approached Jesus for this, He was already dead. And they speared Him to be certain. The flow of blood and water was medically typical. The Word had become flesh and Jesus was the true Passover lamb at the moment when lambs were being/are being killed in the Temple. It is also mandated that no bone should be broken in a sacrificial lamb. [Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12] John blends two themes together: Jesus dies as the true Messiah, carrying the sorrow and shame of Israel and the world. [Zec. 12:10] which describes great suffering in Jerusalem and God’s deliverance. By the piercing (Zechariah) means a fountain will open in the House of David and the people of Jerusalem will be cleansed of sin. [Zec. 13:1] John would agree: that is what blood and water mean, a real death and a real deliverance from sin. AMIN
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