Tag: Jesus

  • A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

    A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

    The Son of Man is Slain

    From the day the Son of Man is delivered into the world and laid in a manger the shadow of the Cross foretold Christ’s Sacrifice.

    And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.. For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

    For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

    John 1:14,16-17 NASB

    וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה לְכָל־זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם מִֽשְׁכ֗וּ וּקְח֨וּ לָכֶ֥ם צֹ֛אן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם וְשַׁחֲט֥וּ הַפָּֽסַח׃

    Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb.

    Exodus 12:21 WLC; NASB http://blb.sc/002lS2

    Jesus has prepared unwilling ears of the Disciples for this shabbath of the pecach, which takes away the sins of the world.

    silhouette of Jesus on Cross in front of sunset

    “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up..

    John 3:13 NASB

    The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’?

    Who is this Son of Man?”

    John 12:34 NASB

    By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

    Hebrews 11:28 NASB

    Now the body of the Son of Man lays lifeless and bloodied, partially wrapped in the shrouds of burial and entombed in darkness sealed away from the living by a guarded stone door.

    Jesus the ROCK of Salvation

    The Song of Moses

    “Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
    And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!
    2 May my teaching drip as the rain,
    My speech trickle as the dew,
    As droplets on the fresh grass,
    And as the showers on the vegetation.
    3 For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
    Ascribe greatness to our God!

    4 The Rock! His work is perfect,
    For all His ways are just;
    A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
    Righteous and just is He.
    5 They have acted corruptly against Him,
    They are not His children, because of their defect;
    But are a perverse and crooked generation.
    6 Is this what you do to the Lord,
    You foolish and unwise people?
    Is He not your Father who has purchased you?
    He has made you and established you.

    הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

    2 יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃

    3 כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

    4 הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃

    5 שִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל׃

    6 הֲ־לַיְהוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ׃

    The Messiah & the Pharisees

    Philip found Nathanael and said to him,

    “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

    Gospel of John 1:45 NASB

    The Pharisees had often come to Jesus before they crucified Him and now faithful men have laid their Messiah in a grave. Joseph, Nicodemus and a remnant of influential Jews believe and follow the Messiah secretly out of fear of their own lives.

    “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

    John 5:25
    painting of Christ and the Pharisees by Earnst Zimmerman

    “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

    “I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves…

    The Pharisees had tested Jesus. Yet most continued to give glory to each other rather than the Messiah who came to teach truth in their midst.

    Jesus preached the truth of Scripture to the Jews who claimed to be teachers.

    “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father;

    the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.

    For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

    John 5: NASB

    The Writings of Moshe

    Deuteronomy 32:
    New American Standard Bible

    .. And you drank wine of the blood of grapes..

    18 You forgot the Rock who fathered you,
    And forgot the God who gave you birth.

    19 “The Lord saw this, and spurned them
    Because of the provocation by His sons and daughters.

    20 Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,
    I will see what their end will be;
    For they are a perverse generation,
    Sons in whom there is no faithfulness.

    39 See now that I, I am He,
    And there is no god besides Me;
    It is I who put to death and give life.
    I have wounded and it is I who heal,
    And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand.
    40 Indeed, I raise My hand to heaven,
    And say, as I live forever,
    41 If I have sharpened My flashing sword,
    And My hand has taken hold of justice,
    I will return vengeance on My adversaries,
    And I will repay those who hate Me.

    דברים 32
    Westminster Leningrad Codex

    18 צ֥וּר יְלָדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹלְלֶֽךָ׃

    19 וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו׃

    20 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם׃

    39 רְא֣וּ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֙צְתִּי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל׃

    40 כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶל־שָׁמַ֖יִם יָדִ֑י וְאָמַ֕רְתִּי חַ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י לְעֹלָֽם׃

    41 אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי֙ בְּרַ֣ק חַרְבִּ֔י וְתֹאחֵ֥ז בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט יָדִ֑י אָשִׁ֤יב נָקָם֙ לְצָרָ֔י וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י אֲשַׁלֵּֽם׃

    Prophesy: Curses on Disobedience

    Deuteronomy 28 :: HNV / WLC

    20 The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me.

    33 The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always..

    45-46 All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his mitzvot and his statutes which he commanded you: and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever.

    יְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בְּךָ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָה אֶת־הַמְּהוּמָה וְאֶת־הַמִּגְעֶרֶת בְּכָל־מִשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה עַד הִשָּֽׁמֶדְךָ וְעַד־אֲבָדְךָ מַהֵר מִפְּנֵי רֹעַ מַֽעֲלָלֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עֲזַבְתָּֽנִי׃

    פְּרִי אַדְמָֽתְךָ וְכָל־יְגִיעֲךָ יֹאכַל עַם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדָעְתָּ וְהָיִיתָ רַק עָשׁוּק וְרָצוּץ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

    וּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָלוֹת הָאֵלֶּה וּרְדָפוּךָ וְהִשִּׂיגוּךָ עַד הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ כִּי־לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֺתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר צִוָּֽךְ׃

    וְהָיוּ בְךָ לְאוֹת וּלְמוֹפֵת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

    “In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’

    And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’

    because of the fear which terrifies your heart,

    and because of the sight which your eyes see.

    Deuteronomy 28:67 NKJV – curse of the LORD on Israel for breaking His Covenant

    Judgment by a Savior

    “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth;

    those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life,

    those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

    The words of Jesus – John 5:28-29 NASB
    So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” - John19:15 - collage of Jesus and Pilate with first and 21st century crowds

    As the crowds had approached Jerusalem for the seven-day celebration they laid palms before Jesus at the gates atop the holy hill.

    Now as Jesus lay in the grave, His broken and bloodied Body partially prepared for burial, the public mourning of the faithful must wait for a sacred celebration of the final feast of pecach.

    As Jesus lay on a slab of stone in a tomb sealed by a rock rolled before its entrance, faithful Jews knew well the curses of their own disobedience and separation from the Lord their God.

    The Prophet Hosea (~755–710 B.C)

    Hosea’s name means: salvation, as did that of Moses’ successor Joshua and as does that of the Son of Man known of Nazareth, Jesus.

    From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them,

    From death I redeem them,

    Where is thy plague, O death?

    Where thy destruction, O Sheol?

    Repentance is hid from Mine eyes.

    Hosea 13:14 YLT

    After this day of irony in the festival feast would come the sorrowful day of mourning on the first day of the week.

    Yet the words of Jesus before summoning Lazarus from the grave surly resounded in the hearts of their recent memory.

    Lazarus come forth - photo of sunrise and Bible

    Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

    Do you believe this?”

    the Good News of John 11:25-26 NASB

    She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.” – John 11:27 Hebrew Names Version

    The Silence of this Shabbat

    two Roman soldiers standing by fire at night by Jesus' tomb

    There, as Jesus’ loved ones, family and followers mourned silently during the final feast of the Passover, the preparations of their hearts found no solace in His upcoming burial on the first day of the week.

    For they had witnessed the brutality of sin against the Sinless One on the Cross of Calvary.

    The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. One who believes in the Son has eternal life,

    but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

    the Good News of John 3:35-36 Hebrew Names Version

  • It is finished.. + Death’s witnesses

    It is finished.. + Death’s witnesses

    The Sorrow of Souls Severed from each other

    Have you experienced it — the death of a loved one?

    Death pierces the flesh of those left to mourning in unspeakable ways, but most of all it severs from our soul that of another to which we have clung.

    Roman soldier spears the body of Jesus on the cross

    Having breathed His last some time before, Jesus’ crucified body receives yet another piercing by a Roman spear as John and others remain nearby.

    .. and having come to Jesus, when they saw him already having been dead, they did not break his legs; but one of the soldiers with a spear did pierce his side, and immediately there came forth blood and water..

    John 19:34-35 YLT

    The Lord had loved these so much, the ones remaining at the foot of the Cross for six arduous hours, witnessing His life pouring out before them.

    The Centurion in effect pierced their own hearts, severing their souls from the One they loved – Jesus, the One who loved them so much.

    Witnesses to Emmanuel’s Death!

    John records these events of the day of preparation and Passover feast, as we noted earlier in Crucifixion! – The Spirit of Grace, and retells the Good News to a generation near the time of his own death nearly sixty years later.

    John 19:

    23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes between them…

    25-27 While the soldiers were doing this, Jesus’ mother was standing near the cross with her sister, and with them Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala…

    ..“Look, there is your son!” And then he said to the disciple, “And there is your mother!”

    38-42 After it was all over, Joseph (who came from Arimathaea..).. came and took his body down. Nicodemus also ..

    The short list of witnesses:
    • Jesus’ mother Mary
    • Mary’s sister, Salome
    • Mary, the wife of Clopas
    • Mary of Magdala
    • The Apostle John (of course)
    • (and let’s not forget) Roman Soldiers (not named here, but present)
    Other Witnesses:

    Although their meeting with Pilate likely took place during the time Jesus remained on the Cross, John records that two important Jewish officials succeeded in lobbying Pilate to allow Jesus’ body to be buried in the new tomb of Joseph. They may have witnessed His death and most certainly could confirm His mortal wounds.

    • Joseph of Arimathea
    • Nicodemus the Pharisee
    What about Matthew?

    The Apostle Matthew also records Jesus’ crucifixion and was, in fact, a tax collector with political connections to Roman and Jewish authorities. Matthew records earlier events of the evening preceding Jesus’ trial:

    Matthew 26: Complete Jewish Bible
    As reminder that John, Matthew and the Apostles are ALL Jewish,
    I offer this cultural religious look of the CJB version of Matthews's Gospel about the Messiah Jesus (in Greek, Christ).

    30 After singing the Hallel, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Yeshua then said to them,

    “Tonight you will all lose faith in me, as the Tanakh says, ‘I will strike the shepherd dead, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into the Galil.”

    59 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin looked for some false evidence against Yeshua, so that they might put him to death. But they didn’t find any, even though many liars came forward to give testimony…

    Matthew 27: Early in the morning, all the head cohanim and elders met to plan how to bring about Yeshua’s death. 2 Then they put him in chains, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor…

    soldier whipping Jesus Christ

    The Apostle Matthew seemingly was present not only in Gethsemane, but for Jesus’ trial by the Jewish officials who condemned their Messiah. Matthew also tells the horrific story of Jesus’ scourging.

    27 The governor’s soldiers took Yeshua into the headquarters building, and the whole battalion gathered around him. They stripped off his clothes and put on him a scarlet robe, wove thorn-branches into a crown and put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then they kneeled down in front of him and made fun of him: “Hail to the King of the Jews!” They spit on him and used the stick to beat him about the head.

    Add to the list of witnesses:
    • The Apostle Matthew

    Matthew adds detail of other witnesses to Jesus’ crucifixion:

    • a man of Cyrene named Simon
    • a Roman officer & other Roman soldiers at Golgotha

    32 As they were leaving, they met a man from Cyrene named Shim‘on; and they forced him to carry Yeshua’s execution-stake. When they arrived at a place called Gulgolta (which means “place of a skull”), they gave him wine mixed with bitter gall to drink; but after tasting it, he would not drink it…

    54 When the Roman officer and those with him who were keeping watch over Yeshua saw the earthquake and what was happening, they were awestruck and said, “He really was a son of God.”

    There were many women present

    55 And many women were there watching from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while caring for Him.

    Matthew's Gospel helps clarify who some of these women were and their importance to the Christ Jesus and His beloved friends.

    56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

    Miryam of Magdala (or from Magdala)

    Miryam the mother of Ya‘akov and Yosef, or James and Joses in some translations of common Hebrew names. She is Mary, wife of Clopas and sister of Mary, widow of Joseph.

    He also confirms the presence of James’ and John’s mother.

    Mark, referring to these same three women gives her name, Salome. Due to the importance of family in Jewish tradition she may also have been a sister of Mary, therefore confirming her sons James and John to be not only Jesus’ closest Disciples but also His cousin.

    Why do the Apostles mention these women?

    Because the women would survive as witnesses even as all of the Apostles but John were martyred for their witness of Jesus as the Christ and resurrected Messiah of God.

    It is the same reason that some Jews, even some of the house of Herod, became believers in Christ. And gentile Romans in every major city would call Jesus Christ Lord by the time John writes his Gospel.

    John 19:

    40 They took Yeshua’s body and wrapped it up in linen sheets with the spices, in keeping with Judean burial practice.

    41 In the vicinity of where he had been executed was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. So, because it was Preparation Day for the Judeans, and because the tomb was close by, that is where they buried Yeshua.

    written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Jesus king of the Jews

    παρασκευή +++ All must remember the Sabbath

    There they buried Jesus, His body taken from the Cross on the Day of Preparation for the Passover.

    “And it shall be from new moon to new moon
    And from sabbath to sabbath,
    All mankind will come to bow down before Me,”

    says the LORD.

    Isaiah 66:23 NASB
    To be continued...
    Page TWO - Please click Page 2 below for the questions.

    Pages: 1 2

  • Crucifixion! – Scripture Fulfilled

    Crucifixion! – Scripture Fulfilled

    Crucifixion! – The Spirit of Grace

    .. this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 2:23
    And how is this the Spirit of Grace?

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that He might suffer and die on a Cross for sinners like us, that we should not perish, but have everlasting life.

    Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com – on Christ’s Crucifixion & John 3:16

    The Apostle John presents the Good News of Jesus Christ in light of the love of God the Father.

    Yes, the LORD of Old Testament Scripture to which John will point IS the Almighty God who must judge sin! Yet John testifies of Jesus who reveals God as the Father, the One of relationship who willingly shows mercy for the sake of the Son and saves sinners like you and me by grace.

    about the Author the Gospel of John - photo of quill and pen & computer talkofJesus.com

    A brief reintroduction to John

    John had unique access to witness the questioning of Jesus by the High Priests of Jerusalem. At the beginning of our journey through the Gospel of John we introduced the Apostle, this youngest Son of Zebedee who we now know was also known in the house of Herod.

    It is important to note here that the Apostle John later became the last surviving Disciple of Jesus Christ, living more than fifty years more until nearly the next century.

    John wrote the gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia Minor when he was advanced in age (Against Heresies 2.22.5; 3.1.1) – source

    מָשִׁיחַ מָשִׁיחַ talk of jesus dot com

    John’s Good News is NOT a News Alert to our phone, a BREAKING NEWS HEADLINE interrupting our life at home or even a well-researched story for an Ephesus News Courier.

    The Apostle, therefore, has not written the Gospel of John as events unfolded at the horrific scene of the crime of Jesus’ Crucifixion.

    In Conclusion

    The beloved Apostle and recognized authority of witness to these historical events some decades ago will soon assure the reader of John’s Good News (Gospel): Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

    .. but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

    John 20:31 ESV

    John now begins the conclusion of his Gospel even before the climax of the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection.

    Intermingled with John’s conclusive evidence, he includes reporter-like facts (which we will address in a later post), but his purpose now is to reveal why Jesus did some of what the Lord came to accomplish.

    Every mention of Scripture (of course) refers to the Old Testament. John links the events of Jesus’ crucifixion to Old Testament prophesy.

    John 19:

    Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe. 3 And they kept coming up to him and saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” and were slapping his face.

    Isaiah 50:

    6 I gave My back to those who strike Me,
    And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard;
    I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.
    7 For the Lord God helps Me,
    Therefore, I am not disgraced;
    Therefore, I have made My face like flint,
    And I know that I will not be ashamed.

    14 It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon…

    17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

    23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.

    This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, John tells us.

    Scripture includes more than the Law, which Jesus promises will be satisfied; but also the Psalms (or songs of worship), historical scrolls and also writings of the Prophets who Jerusalem’s religious leaders seldom heeded and like now, rarely taught.

    Here is this Scripture, a Psalm most descriptive of Jesus’ crucifixion.

    Psalm 22:

    READ ALL of Psalm 22, if you dare. And looking upon the scene of the Place of the Skull, with Jesus’ Blood pouring forth from His broken Body on the middle Cross, know His suffering for our sin endured for the grace of God’s love.

    18 אֲסַפֵּ֥ר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑י הֵ֥מָּה יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִֽי׃

    18 They divide my garments among them,
    And they cast lots for my clothing.

    This is what the soldiers did, John tells us.

    John 19:

    28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I’m thirsty.”

    Psalm 69:

    21 They also gave me a bitter herb in my food,
    And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

    30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

    31 Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath…

    32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him.

    33 When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead.

    John 19:

    Jesus’s Side Pierced

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

    Isaiah 53:

    The Suffering Servant

    Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
    Struck down by God, and humiliated.
    5 But He was pierced for our offenses,
    He was crushed for our wrongdoings;
    The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him,
    And by His wounds we are healed.

    John’s Testimony is True

    Christ on the Cross from movie The Passion of the Christ

    Jesus replied [to Pilate]. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

    “What is truth? ” said Pilate.

    John 18:37b-38 CSB

    The Apostle here answers Pilate’s earlier question before he pronounced the sentence of DEATH ON A CROSS for Christ Jesus.

    John 19:35 He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.

    John 19:

    36 For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken.

    37 Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.

    Psalm 34:

    But the Lord rescues him from them all.
    20 He protects all his bones,
    Not one of them is broken.

    Zechariah 12:

    12:10 וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עַל־בֵּית דָּוִיד וְעַל יוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם רוּחַ חֵן וְתַחֲנוּנִים וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דָּקָרוּ וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל־הַיָּחִיד וְהָמֵר עָלָיו כְּהָמֵר עַֽל־הַבְּכֽוֹר׃

    Here is John’s Gospel GOOD NEWS of Scripture fulfilled.

    “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced;

    and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

    Zechariah 12:10 NASB

    The Spirit of Grace

    John began his Good News speaking of grace. He begins his conclusion by quoting Zechariah’s imagery of the Spirit of grace and of supplication.

    judge's gavel - quote: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment

    For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

    John 1:16-17 NASB

    Yet rather than supposing that we know what grace is, let’s look at grace through John’s eyes.

    Technical NOTE on Strong's Concordance linked here.
    H-#'s = Hebrew equivalent & G-#'s = Greek equivalent 

    χάρις – charis

    Even Pilate would share some understanding of this Greek concept of grace.

    • that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
    • of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
      • (This, of course, is that love of the Lord Jesus which John frequently shares freely as grace.)

    John later greets his fellow beloved believers in his second letter (mailed in about A.D. 90–95):

    Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

    About 5-10 years earlier in about A.D. 80–90 John would have had his Gospel delivered to these same saints of the churches where he quotes Zechariah (from about 520 BC, five centuries after David and before Christ), whose name means: “The LORD remembers.”

    “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace..,” John encourages from Scripture, as one who witneesed and had mourned for his beloved friend Jesus near the foot of the Cross.

    chen – חֵן

    The Hebrew meaning of grace from Zechariah understood by Jews is:

    • favour, grace, elegance, kindness, acceptance, (even beauty, preciousness or gratitude)
      • But Noah found favor H2580 in the eyes of the LORD.
      • The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor H2580 in My sight and I have known you by name.”

    You are fairer than the sons of men;
    Grace H2580 is poured upon Your lips;
    Therefore God has blessed You forever.

    Psalm 45:2 – A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage.

    The Spirit of Supplication

    .. and of supplication, which John adds from the prophet Zechariah,

    Do we even know what that is?

    ἱκετηρία –hiketēria

    • an olive branch
    • supplication

    Hebrews 5:

    In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

    tachanuwn– תַּחֲנוּן

    • earnest prayer:—intreaty, supplication.
    • supplication for favour

    Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

    And give heed to the voice of my supplications!

    Grace by God in the Person of Christ Jesus

    John began his Gospel by hope in the Messiah who was hung on a Cross.

    No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.

    John 3:13-15 NASB

    As Jesus gave up His Spirit while John and other witnesses sat beneath the Bloodied Cross with the corpse of their Messiah and Savior they must have wondered why.

    John 3:3536 “.. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand.

    The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

    “It is finished.”

    Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit…

    They will look at the one they pierced.

    The Gospel of John 19:30b,37b NASB
    To be continued...