John 19:31

John 19:31-37 . That the bodies should not remain on the cross — It was customary among the Romans to let the bodies of persons who had been executed continue on the crosses, or stakes, till they were devoured by birds or beasts of prey. But the law of Moses expressly prohibited the Jews from suffering the bodies of those who were hanged to remain all night on the trees, Deuteronomy 21:22 ; for that reason, as well as because the sabbath was at hand, which would have been profaned by their remaining, especially as that sabbath was a day of peculiar solemnity, being the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, (from whence they reckoned the weeks to pentecost,) and also the day for presenting and offering the sheaf of new corn; therefore, the Jews besought Pilate that the legs of the three crucified persons might be broken, to hasten their death; and Pilate consented, and gave the order they desired. Then came the soldiers — Who guarded the execution; and brake the legs of the first — Malefactor, or of him that hung nearest the place where they had been sitting; and then, passing by Jesus, who hung in the middle, they went and brake the legs of the other, who was crucified with him.

But when they came to Jesus, perceiving that he was dead already — They did not take the trouble of breaking his legs; but one of the soldiers — Had so much boldness and inhumanity that, with a spear, which he had in his hand, he pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water — Real blood and real water; the spear having pierced both the pericardium and heart, the water issuing from the former and the blood from the latter; a wound which must inevitably have killed him, had he been living when it was given, and which consequently put it out of all doubt that he was really dead, before he was taken down from the cross; a point of infinite importance to be ascertained. For the grand evidence of Christ’s mission is his resurrection, which implies the certainty of his death. On that account, crucifixion might have seemed, on a slight view, a less proper execution than some others, such as beheading, burning, and the like; but this wound, which pierced his heart, would effectually exclude all pretences of his having been taken down alive by his friends; and hence, false and malicious as his enemies were, we do not find that they ever had recourse to such an evasion.

{10} The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (10) The body of Christ which was dead for a season (because it so pleased him) is wounded, but not the least bone of it is broken: and such is the state of his resurrection body.

Joh 19:31-42. Burial of Christ. 31-37. the preparation—sabbath eve. that the bodies should not remain—over night, against the Mosaic law (De 21:22, 23). on the sabbath day, for that sabbath day was an high day—or "great" day—the first day of unleavened bread, and, as concurring with an ordinary sabbath, the most solemn season of the ecclesiastical year. Hence their peculiar jealousy lest the law should be infringed. besought Pilate that their legs might be broken—to hasten their death, which was done in such cases with clubs.

It was the preparation; not to the passover, (for that was celebrated the night before), but to the weekly sabbath; and they judged according to the law, Deu 21:23 , that the land would be defiled if the persons executed were not buried that day, but their bodies should remain on the tree all night, especially on the sabbath, which began immediately after sunset. And this sabbath was a more than ordinary sabbath, for it was not only the weekly sabbath, but also their second day of unleavened bread; which, and the last day, were both very solemn days, as may be seen, Leviticus 23:1-44 . This makes them come and beseech Pilate that the bodies might be taken down, and in order to it, that their legs might be broken, lest any life remaining in them they should revive and escape.

John 19:31 . Ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ , on the Sabbath ) This special reason includes that general reason, of which Deuteronomy 21:23 speaks: The criminal’s “body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him on that day (for he that is hanged is accursed of God), that thy land be not defiled.”— γὰρ , for ) This assigns the reason why the Preparation ( παρασκευή ) urged them to make haste.— μεγάλη , a great ) inasmuch as the Sabbath and the Feast met together on the same day: add, that the Rest of the Lord in the sepulchre was an accessory circumstance of its greatness [though this was not perceived by the Jews].— ἐκείνου ) This is a more appropriate reading than ἐκείνη ;[393] for the word σαββάτῳ precedes, and ἐκείνου is to be referred to it.— κατεαγῶσιν , might be broken ) Thomas Magister denies that the augment has place here, and reads κατεάγωσιν , like τετύφωσιν [the Middle Perf. Subjunctive], from κατἑχαγα , viz. in the verb καταγῆναι . But even ἀνεῳχθῆναι is used in Luke 3:21 , the ε remaining beyond the Indicative even in the case of the Aorist.[394] The breaking of the legs was formerly effected by means of a club, as in our days by the wheel.— ἈΡΘῶΣΙΝ , might be taken away ) viz. the bodies . [393] Nevertheless the margin of Ed . 2 prefers ἐκείνη ; whilst the Germ. Version follows the decision of the Gnomon.—Again, the Harm.

Ev ., pp. 579, 580, gives the preference to ἐκείνη , subjoining moreover this, “John has throughout such readers in his mind as are not Jews, but need instruction on Jewish subjects: ch. John 2:13 , John 4:9 , John 5:1 , John 6:4 , John 7:2 , John 11:55 , John 19:40 ; John 19:42 . It is for this reason that he generally marks the ‘greatness’ of the Sabbath as surpassing all other festivals whatever ( Deuteronomy 23:3 ) [This, though given both in Ern. Bengel’s Ed. of the Gnomon, and in the Germ. Harmony, seems to me a mistake for Leviticus 23:3 .—E. and T.]: although that day of the Sabbath had in it something peculiar, because it both entered among the days of unleavened bread, and was the first of the seven Sabbaths which divided the Passover from Pentecost, and, on account of the ‘handful’ or ‘sheaf of the first fruits’ to be waved before the Lord on the following day ( Leviticus 23:10 ), was observed with more than common reverence.”—E. B. [394] So κατεαγῶσιν here is the 2d Aor. Subjunctive, not the Perfect Subj.—E. and T. Ἐκείνη is the reading of Vulg. c and the Elzevir Rec. Text. But the weight of authorities is for ἐκείνου , ABL ab .—E. ana T.

31–42 . The petition of the Jews and the petition of Joseph 31 . As in John 18:28 , the Jews shew themselves to be among those ‘who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.’ In the midst of deliberate judicial murder they are scrupulous about ceremonial observances. The Jews therefore ] The ‘therefore,’ as in John 19:23 , probably does not refer to what immediately precedes: it looks back to John 19:20-21 . The Jews still continue their relentless hostility. They do not know whether any one of the three sufferers is dead or not; their request shews that; so that ‘therefore’ cannot mean in consequence of Jesus’ death. In order to save the Sabbath, and perhaps also to inflict still further suffering, they ask Pilate for this terrible addition to the punishment of crucifixion. Certainly the lesson ‘I will have mercy and not sacrifice,’ of which Christ had twice reminded them, and once in connexion with the Sabbath ( Matthew 12:7 ; Matthew 9:13 ), had taken no hold on them. the preparation ] The eve of the Sabbath; and the Sabbath on this occasion coincided with the 15th Nisan, the first day of the Passover. This first day ranked as a Sabbath ( Exodus 12:16 ; Leviticus 23:7 ); so that the day was doubly holy. that … high day ] Literally, the day of that Sabbath was great (comp. John 7:37 ). legs might be broken ] The crurifragium , like crucifixion, was a punishment commonly reserved for slaves. The two were sometimes combined, as here.