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      "The Brokenness of Jesus"
      John 19:31-37
      Theme: Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins.

        1. The Cause of His Anguish – 19:31

          1. The Legalism of the Lost

            1. We are now introduced to the tragic reality that had prompted the death of Christ – the sanctimonious, self-absorbed obsession of man – "Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day) …"
            2. Here they were, consumed with ceremonial purity (a standard they felt that they could maintain) while morally displaying tremendous corruption by murdering the Son of God.
            3. Indeed the Law had required that the bodies of executed criminals be buried the day of execution, lest the land be defiled – cp. Deuteronomy 21:22-23
            4. It is the constant attempt and resulting failure of men to fulfill the Law of Righteousness that necessitated the atonement by Christ – cp. Romans 3:20

          2. The Loss of Legitimacy

            1. Consequently, "the Jews … asked Pilate that their [those being crucified] legs might be broken and that they might be taken away."
            2. They completely annul whatever gain they associated with their legalisms by exhibiting a desire for additional brutality against the condemned.
            3. The term "be broken" literally means to "shatter to pieces" and conveys that they were smashed – most likely by a mallet or club.
            4. The consequence of this would be systemic shock as well as debilitating the man from being able to lift himself up in order to get an adequate breath – meaning that the man would suffocate.
            5. This clearly illegitimatizes whatever righteousness they thought attainable by their legalism.
            6. All such human attempts at attaining our own righteousness finds the same fate – an illegitimization by means of men’s deepest debilitation – depravity.
            7. This is what caused the great anguish of Christ – the provision of full propitiation of God’s wrath toward sinful man.

        2. The Credibility of His Anguish – 19:32-34

          1. The Fact of His Death – vv. 32-33

            1. Did Jesus truly satisfy all the wrath of God toward sin? The great issue is the matter of death – since "the wages of sin is death …" – cp. Romans 3:23
            2. There are three kinds of death that resulted from sin described in Scripture – all are essentially defined as separation:
              1. Spiritual Death – the separation of the sinner from a relationship with God while on this earth – Genesis 2:17.
              2. Physical Death – the separation of the soul from the body – Genesis 3:19
              3. Second Death – the eternal separation of the sinner’s soul and body from God in judgment – Revelation 20:14-15.
            3. If Jesus fulfilled all that was necessary to completely satisfy the wrath of God – then He must have experienced the essence of death – all three forms on the cross.
            4. Thus, those who attempt to explain the resurrection by stating that Jesus did not actually die, but merely swooned or simulated death of the cross take away the entire basis of the atonement.
            5. As soldiers did their duty in breaking the legs, they saw that Christ had already died: "So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs."
            6. Thus, Jesus did suffer to the furthest degree possible and died for our sins.

          2. The Forensics of His Death – v. 34

            1. This is proven by what happens: "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out."
            2. This does not kill Him – He had already died; however, it does prove that He had already died.
            3. At the immediate point when Jesus "gave up His spirit," His suffering and anguish under the load of our sin reached a crescendo – literally rupturing His heart.
            4. The result of which was that blood rushed into the pericardium sac around the heart ultimately causing this unusual mixture of blood and water, the evidence of His inestimable anguish.
            5. We are told that this was the circumstance of the death of Christ in prophecy – cp. Psalm 69:20
            6. This proves inarguably that Jesus had already died and was not simply "swooning" – He took upon Himself the immeasurable wrath of God for the sins of the entire world – a burden unbearable by any human being and the duress of such anguish literally ruptured His heart!

        3. The Confirmation of His Anguish – 19:35-37

          1. The Testimony of the Witness – v. 35

            1. John, the Apostle, served as an eyewitness of Jesus death – "And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true."
            2. Did these things really happen? – John indicates that he is able to give solid witness because he was there – cp. v. 26
            3. John’s motive in sharing these things is that he wants to provide the record necessary so that people would believe – "and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe."
            4. This account is written long after the events – after having heard all of the attempts to discredit the reality of the resurrection – John is proving from what he actually say, that Jesus did die.
            5. Under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, he provides this account so that we might believe.

          2. The Testimony of the Word – vv. 36-37

            1. The significance of these things is now given to us – Jesus had to died before His legs were broken – "For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, ‘not a bone of Him shall be broken’."
            2. This is a reference to the prophecy of Psalm 34:20, but also fulfills God’s requirement for qualified sacrifices – cp. Numbers 9:12
            3. This further explains for us the timing of Jesus’ death – confirming divine control of all the events surrounding the atonement.
            4. In addition, these events set up other passages of Scripture for ultimate fulfillment – "And again another Scripture says [but is not fulfilled], ‘they shall look upon Him whom they have pierced’." – cp. Zechariah 12:10
            5. Thus, God’s Word also clearly confirms the reliability of John’s eye-witness account of Jesus’ death – making what John testifies inarguably reliable.
            6. Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins!

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