April 9
JOHN 19
28 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. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”– John 19:28-37
JOHN 19 FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS
According to science, a dead person’s body doesn’t “shed” blood in the way a living person would; instead, blood pools in the lowest parts of the body due to gravity, a process called livor mortis. Verse 34 says that when Jesus’ dead body was pierced on his side with a spear, blood and water came out. How was it possible that he squirted water and blood when his dead body was pierced? Why did John write about this in this gospel? I think John emphasized this so that we could all be reminded that Jesus was truly man and was also truly God. If he was just human, blood and water wouldn’t come out of his dead body. I also think that it signifies the finished work of Christ on the cross. With his blood, he accomplished being the perfect sacrifice to appease the wrath of God on our sinfulness. The water represents that through him, we will be cleansed and have life. Studylight.com comments on this as a symbol of the two great sacraments of the Church. There is one sacrament which is based on water-baptism; and there is one which is based on blood–the Lord’s Supper with its cup of blood–red wine. The water of baptism is the sign of the cleansing grace of God in Jesus Christ; the wine of the Lord’s Supper is the symbol of the blood which was shed to save men from their sins.
REFLECTION
• How can we meditate on the finished work of Christ through our daily lives?
