John 19:28-37
Psalm 31:5 Into Your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
Exodus 12:46 “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.”
Zechariah 12:10b They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Our reading today fulfills three of the prophecies given about Jesus and His death. The first one was prophesied more than 800 years before it happened, the second more than 1,200 years before and the last one more than 500 years before.
Jesus is the only one that would be able to say that He committed His spirit to the Father and have it happen immediately. This was actually proof of His divinity and showed how much He was in control even at the moment of death. They didn’t take His life, He gave it for us. He had suffered the hell of separation from the Father as He bore our sins and was declaring that He was once again going to the Father.
Our second fulfillment of the passage is fulfilling the law regarding the Passover lamb. The chosen lamb was to have no defects including broken bones. When fixing and preparing the lamb they had to take care not to break any of its bones. Jesus was sacrificing Himself to fulfill this need for a sacrifice to abolish all other sacrifices for sin according to the law.
The Jewish leaders were all of a sudden concerned about law-keeping and their righteousness. They asked Pilate to help them keep a law given to Moses in Deuteronomy 21:23, “…you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.”
Our third fulfillment of this passage was a way of proving death. While the breaking of the legs would hasten death, Jesus was already dead. He had done what He had come to do. Our debt was paid in full!
Making It Personal
What does Jesus’ death mean to you? How does His death change the way you live? What about His death do you need to thank Him for today?
Making It Personal Kids
Why was it important that Jesus died for your sins? Does knowing He died to pay for your sins make you want to live the way He wants you to? What do you need to thank Him for?
Closing Prayer
Father, there are no words to express our thanks for Your sacrifice. The darkest day in Your life removed any need for the same darkness in our lives. Help us live to please You always. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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