John 19 - it is finished

 

It is finished!  (John 19:30)

Read the passage - John 19:1-30

We will never realise the true horror of crucifixion.  It's something most of us will probably never witness, and it's been sanitised.  It's become the glorious and dignified martyrdom of a significant and generally respected historical figure.  It's depicted in paintings where we see his attractive and westernised face in dignified suffering.

But nothing about Jesus' death was tame.  

First, he was flogged (John 19:1) - his skin probably resembling a ploughed field.   Not only that, but insult was literally added to injury as the soldiers mocked him, twisting a crown on thorns onto his head and hurling insults at him.

Then Jesus bore his own cross (John 19:17) - having been beaten to a pulp, he dragged a heavy piece of wood through the streets for all to see.  It's a far cry from the triumphal entry to Jerusalem a few days earlier on Palm Sunday.   One can only imagine the physical pain as well as the humiliation.  This was not a dignified martyrdom - it was a criminal's death.  If we were to believe in the necessity of a death penalty today for the worst of criminals we would not even chose this - but a private and quick way out.

I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads. (Psalm 22:6-7)

As he was crucified, Jesus was stripped naked - again, unlike the classical pictures where his possibly bleeding but still muscular and toned form preserves its modesty with a loincloth (John 19:23).  

All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.  (Psalm 22:17-18)

If we go to the other gospel accounts, we learn that Jesus also refused the narcotic drink given to those facing crucifixion (see Matthew 27:34 - There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.).  It was not the bitter taste that meant that Jesus refused it, but because he refused to take anything less than the full cup of suffering.   It is only after knowing that the end is coming that Jesus accepts a drink (John 19:29).

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death. (Psalm 22:14-15)

Finally, what John does not mention but Matthew does, is Jesus' cry before he dies:

‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?, Matthew 27:46/Psalm 22:1).

Because whatever pain Jesus went through physically, at that moment he was torn apart spiritually.  The Father was not there - he had turned his face away.  The Trinity was ripped apart.  The deepest anguish of the soul, the blackest darkness, a torment we can only imagine.

~~

Why dwell on Jesus' sufferings? Should the focus not be on the glory of his resurrection?  Yes - of course we should not stay here but read on to John 20 and 21, and then on to Acts, through the Epistles  and to Revelation.  But it is essential to acknowledge the true nature of Jesus' sufferings, because without looking at the life of the person of Jesus all we have is intellectual theology. 

It's all very well to say that "God is love", and that "Jesus died to pay the price for our sins", but what does that actually mean?  What does that look like?  The Bible rarely gives us direct lessons on the Trinity (although as we've read over the last few weeks, John comes close) - God shows us through the person on Jesus.

How much does God love you?  He loves you enough to tear himself apart physically, mentally and spiritually, in a way that we could only ever imagine.

There are many on this earth who have suffered terribly.  Could I look them in the eye, and tell them that I truly understand?  That I truly walk with them and feel their pain?  No, I could not.  But Jesus can.  This is what it means to go to the very ends of the earth to seek and save the lost.  And this was the price for our souls - the price God was willing to pay.

Previous: John 18: What would we have done?

Next: Mary's tale: "I have seen the Lord!"