Christ's Glorious Cross - John 19:16-30

Throughout the book of John I felt like I was constantly saying, “This is a famous passage of Scripture.” I said it when we encountered John 3:16, I said it when we encountered the “I AM” statements and those are just the ones that I remember. I’m pretty sure I said it a few other times as well, and for whatever it’s worth I meant it each time, but now, we really are at the most famous passage of Scripture aren’t we?

This is the passage that all of Scripture is centered around, in fact, it’s the event that redemptive history is centered around.

For several weeks we’ve been going through the Passion narrative. We looked at Jesus’ trial and condemnation before the Jewish Sanhedrin, and last week we looked at his trial before Pilate. During the trial Pilate is teetering back and forth as to what he’s going to do. He knows that Jesus is innocent, and yet, he eventually succumbs to the incredible pressure of the Jews and condemns Jesus to death.

I always find it interesting how the gospel of John is arranged: we’re in chapter 19 and there are only two more chapters in John’s gospel. Everything we’ve been looking at has been leading up to the crucifixion.

Because the crucifixion is the single most important event in all of human history. On the one hand, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the single greatest tragedy, but on the other, it’s the most glorious event that has ever happened.

Most of you I’m sure have spent a tremendous amount of time studying and thinking about the crucifixion, so it’s not my intention to reveal anything particularly new, but rather, what I want us to do this morning is to simply consider a few things that the Apostle John relates to us about the crucifixion this morning.

All of the gospels tell the same story just from their own unique perspective, and what we have before us this morning is John’s unique perspective.

There are five things that I want us to consider about the cross this morning: first, we should consider torment of the cross, second, the inscription of the cross, third the placement of the cross, fourth, the fulfillment of the cross, and lastly, the kindness of the cross.

The Torment of the Cross

Most of you are probably keenly aware of the torment of the cross. The cross may be the single greatest torture device ever invented.

But for Jesus it wasn’t just the cross that he endured. He was beaten by the guards when he was on trial before the Sanhedrin, he was scourged with a whip that would tear the flesh right off of a person’s back, he was beaten some more, mocked, condemned.

From there, Jesus was forced to carry the cross, most likely it was just the crossbeam to Golgotha. And he had to shoulder that crossbeam on a back that had been torn to shreds. It really shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us that Jesus was unable to make it and that, as the other gospels record, Simon of Cyrene had to carry it the rest of the way for him.

Jesus had been through a tremendous amount of torture before ever making it to the cross. And the place where he was crucified was, “...The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.”

There is some degree of controversy as to exactly where Golgotha is: some say it’s Gordon’s Calvary or the Garden Tomb - which is that famous spot that sits up on a hill and the hill outside of the Jerusalem walls that actually looks like a skull. Others claim that the church of the Holy Sepulcher is built upon both the place where Jesus was crucified and buried.

There are potential archeological problems with both sites, however, the two sites are a little over half a mile apart from one another - so it’s safe to say that somewhere in that vicinity, Jesus was crucified.

But nevertheless, the Place of the Skull is an ominous name isn’t it? It very well may have been called the Place of the Skull or Golgotha simply because it was where crucifixions took place! It would have been spot marked by perpetual death. And it was at Golgotha, they nailed Jesus’ hands and feet to the cross.

It was Roman practice to put a little platform at the bottom of the cross for prisoner’s feet to rest on, which at first, may sound like a small act of kindness in the midst of such a brutal death, but it wasn’t.

They put the platform there to prolong the agony.

The human body would reflexively push off the platform in an attempt to breathe. Many of you know this, it wasn’t the wounds that would kill people, crucifixion was death by asphyxiation. Those on the cross would slowly suffocate. And so this little platform was set at their feet so they could continue to push up every so slightly to get just enough air in their lungs in order to prolong the torture.

So Jesus’ torn up back would scrape up and down a rugged wooden cross as he struggled to take each breath.

It’s easy to hear about the brutality of the cross and simply feel bad for Jesus, but it’s important for all of us to bear in mind that this wasn’t an accident! This was by God’s design! The Son must go to the cross and suffer for his people.

The Inscription of the Cross

The next thing I want to draw your attention to is, the inscription that Pilate put over Jesus’ head: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

And of course, Pilate put that particular inscription over Jesus to mock the Jewish people. He was basically saying, “here’s your King that you all kept saying was a serious threat to the Roman Empire pinned to the cross, dying a slow agonizing death.” Which is of course why the Jewish religious leaders wanted the inscription to be altered to “This man said, I am King of the Jews.”

The distinction is clear isn’t it? Jesus isn’t actually a king, rather, he claims to be a king. To which Pilate famously responds, “What I have written I have written.”

Because of course, the inscription was accurate, wasn’t it? He was in fact, King of the Jews, but what is happening? The king of the Jews is being crucified.

I like the way one commentator put it: “...the king of the Jews is crucified in order that he may be the king of a spiritual kingdom which recognizes no national or racial distinctions, a kingdom in which the Aramic-speaking Jew, the Roman and the Greek – yes, the elect from every “tribe, tongue, people and nation” – are the citizens.”

Christ is king over a spiritual kingdom where nationality, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, family history, are all irrelevant. Which are all the things that the Jewish people took comfort in. Their ethnicity, their status, and family history was critically important to them. But those things needed to be put to death.

The Lord would raise up a redeemer to save all people from every tribe, tongue, and nation from their sins. God’s plan of redemption was always bigger than the people of Israel wasn’t it?

The King of the Jews would save the entire world, not through a feat of military strength, but through his death.

Pilate intended for his inscription to mock the people of Israel by saying, “your Messianic King is dying right here on the cross.” To which every believer exclaims, “Yes and Amen!”

The Placement of the Cross

Third, I want you all to consider the placement of Jesus’ cross. As we just read from the passage, and you probably already know, Jesus’ cross was between two criminals. And guess what? Those men deserved to be there. The gospel of Luke records one criminal as saying, “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Pilate intended for Jesus’ crucifixion to be an insult to the Jewish people: the man, Jesus of Nazareth, who the Jewish authorities wanted crucified for referring to himself as their king is going to be crucified right in the middle of heinous criminals.

The two men that were crucified with Jesus were reaping the due punishment for their crimes, while Jesus was obviously innocent. But again, this was entirely by design. Isaiah 53 prophesied centuries earlier that the Messiah would be, “numbered with the transgressors.” He was treated like a criminal even though he wasn’t one.

But again, consider the image: the criminals on either side of him beautifully illustrate the type of people that Jesus came to save! “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

We have a reminder of Jesus’ mission simply in the placement of his cross. Jesus Christ came to save sinners like you and me, and these two men on either side of him.

And one of those men is saved.

Jesus was numbered among sinners, not because he himself is a sinner, but because he came to save sinners.

The Fulfillment of the Cross

Fourth, notice is that prophecy is being fulfilled all over the place at Jesus’ crucifixion.

The soldiers cast lots over Jesus’ tunic. I think it’s worth noting that Jesus was crucified naked. That was a Roman way of humiliating their enemies. When the Romans were victorious in battle, they’d often capture their enemy's ruler and strip him naked and parade him around simply to humiliate him. And they’d obviously do the same to criminals. Those that were crucified didn’t wear a neat little loin cloth, they were completely exposed, simply to humiliate and embarrass them.

And so, the soldiers obviously had Jesus’ clothes, but didn’t want to destroy his tunic so they cast lots. John goes out of his way to tell us that these soldiers were unconsciously fulfilling Scripture, specifically Psalm 22:18,

“…they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

In fact, much of Psalm 22 was fulfilled at the crucifixion. Listen to Psalm 22 verse 1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Those words probably sound familiar to you because Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus says it on the cross, and he said it because in his human nature feels abandoned by God on the cross, but he’s quoting Scripture!

Listen to more Psalm 22:16-18:

“For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet– 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

“They pierced his hands and feet, they gloat over me?” “...they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”?

This is why I wanted us to sing Psalm 22 earlier! Hopefully, you picked up on a few of these things as we sang them. Psalm 22 is a Messianic Psalm.

King David wrote those words, and it describes Jesus’ crucifixion with incredible precision, doesn’t it?

But it’s not just Psalm 22, Psalm 69:21 is also fulfilled. Psalm 69:21, says, “... for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”

Look at John 19 beginning with verse 28 with me, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.”

Not only are Messianic prophecies and Scriptures being fulfilled all over the place, but Jesus was keenly aware of it. He knew, in real time, what was going on. He knew that the cross was the fulfillment of Scripture.

It’s my prayer that when people come to Providence they quickly realize that there are reasons for why we do what we do. We have to do things decently and in order… always… because it’s the Presbyterian way.

But in all seriousness, it’s important to know that there are reasons for things. That we didn’t just wake up one day and say, “let’s do this or that in our worship service on Sunday.”

The same is certainly true for the crucifixion.

Everything happened for a reason and it happened exactly the way God intended it to. The torment and placement of the cross were not accidental things. None of it was a random chance. It was precisely in accordance with the will of God. And of course, Jesus knew this.

Because the crucifixion was the very reason he was sent into the world! He had to die on the cross. He had to pay the punishment for sins so that we might become the righteousness of God.

It had to be this way!

The Kindness of the Cross

But there’s one more thing, I want you all to notice from this passage and that is the kindness of the cross.

One of the more interesting aspects of the crucifixion is that the bravest folks around Jesus aren’t his disciples; but a group of women. These ladies are not afraid of associating with Jesus Christ. John is obviously there, he’s the disciple whom Jesus loved, but he’s significantly outnumbered! Peter who was willing to die for the Lord is mysteriously missing in action as are the rest of the disciples for that matter.

But verses 26-27 are particularly noteworthy:

“26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that my mom wouldn’t appreciate it if I referred to her as “woman.” In fact, I’d be willing to bet most of you ladies wouldn’t take kindly to being called “woman.”

But of course, that wasn’t a term of disrespect. In fact, it was one of deep love and respect. It’s assumed that Joseph, the husband of Mary passed away at some point during the course of Jesus’ life, and that his mother had been widowed.

As if that wasn’t challenging enough, now she sees her firstborn son, hanging on the cross. Mothers, can you even imagine seeing your son like this?

But even on the cross, Jesus performed his duty as her firstborn. He honors Mary by making sure that someone is responsible for looking after her. So he assigns that duty to John.

But there is a much more important thing for us to see here: Jesus isn’t hanging there on the cross wallowing in self pity or crying out, “this isn’t fair!” In fact, Jesus isn’t thinking about himself, rather, he’s thinking about other people. Isn’t that amazing? It’s certainly not what any of us would be doing.

But it really makes sense doesn’t it? He went to the cross to bear the punishment and weight of sin, but not his sin. He was on the cross for our sin. The whole scope of what he was doing was for other people.

Even those three incredible words: “it is finished,” make that point clear. It’s one word in the Greek, “tetelestai,” but “it is finished,” wasn’t a sigh of relief, or a cry of defeat, but rather a victory shout. “Tetelestai” means to “finish, accomplish, or complete.”

And he had just finished and accomplished redemption for his people! He had done it! Right after he exclaimed “it is finished,” “...he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” He gave up his spirit, because no one took it from him. He gave it up.

He had lived a sinless life, was perfectly obedient, and bore the weight of the sins of the world on the cross.

The cross was brutal, ugly, vicious, gruesome, and unfair. But again, Jesus didn’t go to the cross so that you and I would feel sorry for all the pain, suffering, and injustice he endured. If all we do after reading about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, then we’ve really missed the point haven’t we? Sentimentality isn’t enough.

If you’re a parent at some point, one of your kids probably went through a “why” phase. Everything you did or asked them to do was questioned with, “why?” At first it’s sort of cute, but eventually it gets old real quick.

But “why” is a good question and it’s really important that we remember why Jesus went through all of this, because it’s so easy to forget. It’s easy to get caught up in the brutality and injustice of the crucifixion and forget to ask yourself, “why?”

I look around this room and I see a group of wonderful people, but I see a bunch of sinners. I see a room full of imperfect people who have been scarred and marred by their own sin. I know most of us would readily admit such a thing as well. No one here would claim to be perfect, but the reality is, your sin along with mine deserves punishment.

A judge is not just if he refuses to punish lawbreakers. God is perfectly just and must deal with those who have broken his holy laws and commands - that is what sin is after all! To ignore sin would be to deny his perfect character. He had to do something!

In fact, God takes sin so seriously that Jesus became a curse. “Cursed is any man who hangs on a tree.” You must see that your sin was what made the cross necessary. Jesus went to the cross to die for sin.

The famous painter Rembrant has one painting called “The Raising of the Cross.” And the painting depicts the Roman soldiers raising the cross up with Jesus on it, but if you look closely there is a man in a blue hat, assisting the soldiers to raise it up. That man in the blue hat was Rembrant. He painted himself into the scene. It’s as if Rembrant was simply saying, “my sin put him on the cross.”

As we read of the pain and suffering that Jesus bore on the cross our only takeaway shouldn’t be, “Wow, he suffered a tremendous amount of injustice, pain, and suffering.” If that’s all we think, then we’ve missed the point. We should see what Jesus went through on the cross and think to ourselves: That should have been me. I deserve punishment for my sin. It was my sin that put Jesus on the cross.

Before we can jump to the glorious topics like grace, and forgiveness you have to address why you need grace and forgiveness: Your own sin. In fact, there is no grace apart from first recognizing and acknowledging that you are a sinner.

But when you see the cross through that lens, that Jesus took what you and I rightly deserve, then and only then will you see the love, grace, and mercy of God.

“​​In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The word “propitiation” simply means “covering.” Jesus takes his children and covers them in the shadow of his wing. If you trust in Jesus Christ then that means he has borne your sin on the cross, and because of that you are cleansed and forgiven.

It’s what’s written in the Hymn “Before the Throne of God Above” - God looked on him and pardoned me.

That is why it’s called the gospel! That is good news! You’re a sinner, but you can experience his wonderful, sin-atoning love this day. You have to trust and commit yourself to him.

“... he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

The cross of Jesus Christ is where you and I go to experience peace and healing from our sin. If that’s new to you, I pray that you surrender to the Lord Jesus today.

But for many of you, the gospel is, as the hymn says, an old old story. It’s a message that you’ve heard many times throughout your life. But may you never outgrow it. May you never fall for the lie that the gospel message is applicable to everyone around you, but it is no longer relevant for you.

I pray that our hearts never become hardened, stale, or bored with what Christ accomplished on the cross! My prayer for all of us is that the old old story of Jesus Christ continues to bring you to your knees and stir your very soul.

May this old, glorious story of Christ on the cross never become old to us. Let’s pray together.