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Luke 23:32-49; John 19:31-37 "A SPECIAL REQUEST FROM THE JEWS TO PILATE"

Day 332 – Luke 23

Text: Luke 23:32-49; John 19:31-37

A SPECIAL REQUEST FROM THE JEWS TO PILATE

If it seemed that Jesus was rushed through the legal process of being judged by both the Sanhedrin Council and the Roman Court of Law, He was! If it seemed as if the crucifixion process was also done in an awful hurry, it was too!

John recorded for us a special request made by the Jews, concerning this particular crucifixion.

“Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day,
that the bodies should not remain on the cross
on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day),
the Jews asked that their legs might be broken,
and that they might be taken away.”
John 19:31

The Jews were determined that they would keep their celebration of the Passover as well as their Sabbath! These were ancient ordinances that came from the days of Moses! They were meant to be spiritual exercises for the nation of Israel to worship the Lord! But what was the point of keeping these things when they had sinned so grievously against the Lord Jesus Christ? (Cf. Isaiah 1:10-17).

The Jews knew of an ancient Mosaic law that dealt with this matter.

“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death,
and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
his body shall not remain overnight on the tree,
but you shall surely bury him that day, so that
you do not defile the land which the Lord your God
is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged
is accursed of God.”
Deuteronomy 21:22-23

To the Jews, Jesus was “accursed of God”. His death on the Cross could be likened to being “hanged on a tree”. His body and those of the robbers must be taken down and not remain overnight, or the land would be “desecrated”.

The Apostle Paul shed much light on the theological significance of Christ’s death on the Cross.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law,
having become a curse for us (for it is written,
‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)…”
Galatians 3:13

Jesus bore the curse of God for us when He died on the Cross of Calvary! The Jews saw only the religious and ceremonial aspect of His crucifixion. Thus they missed the whole point of Christ dying on Calvary!

THE BREAKING OF LEGS

The request for the breaking of the legs was understood to hasten death. In normal circumstances, the Romans would allow the person crucified to die very slowly on the cross. In some circumstances the dying process could take days! The Jews knew about this and thus they requested that those crucified at this particular crucifixion be removed from their crosses.

The breaking of the legs would of course be a very painful thing to experience. The sharp traumatic pain, the further loss of blood – these would hasten death.

John described how the soldiers went about doing their duty.

“Then the soldiers came and broke the legs
of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
John 19:32

The robbers were still alive when the soldiers came to them. Their legs were broken, and soon they expired.

However, John noted that when the soldiers came to Jesus, they were surprised.

“But when they came to Jesus and saw
that He was already dead, they did not
break His legs.
But one of the soldiers pierced His side
With a spear, and immediately blood and water
Came out.”
John 19:33-34

Was Jesus really dead? The soldier needed confirmation that He had died! There was one sure way of ascertaining that He had died. He took his spear and thrust it into Jesus’ side. The soldier was a professional. He was trained to kill. He knew exactly where he should make that thrust! Even if Jesus had not died, that thrust into his side, reaching into chest cavity, hitting the cardiac area, would have caused the death of Jesus!

FULFILMENT OF YET ANOTHER PORTION OF SCRIPTURE

John was able to record this incident so clearly because he was an eyewitness. He wrote and explained that even these acts of the soldiers were predicted in the Scriptures!

“And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true;
and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.
For these things were done that the Scriptures should be fulfilled.
‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ (Psalm 34:20)
And again another Scripture says,
‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’ ” (Zechariah 12:10)
John 19 :35-36

The extent to which the Scriptures addressed these details is a breath-taking phenomenon! They serve to do something very important! They serve to highlight an important truth! Nothing was outside the purview of God, and certainly nothing was out of His control! How we must learn to appreciate the Scriptures so much more!