Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20000426.htm

JOHN: TRIUMPHING IN LIFE'S MOST CRITICAL ISSUE
Part V: The Atonement Of The Messenger Of Salvation
D. Christ's Credibility Seen In His Death
(John 19:17-37)
  1. Introduction
    1. The witness of a dying man who is aware He is near death is often used by a court of law to define just what are the dying man's true views.
    2. John records events surrounding Jesus' death that reveal in no uncertain terms many evidences that not only did Jesus Himself consider He came from God, but other events signaled the same.
  2. Christ's Credibility Seen In His Death, John 19:17-37.
    1. Events surrounding Jesus' death over which He would have had no apparent human influence indicate He was God's Messiah and Son (as follows):
      1. First, the "criminal" notice attached to Jesus' cross indicates God the Father viewed Him as His Son:
        1. Criminals on crosses in Jesus' day had the inscription of their crime attached to their cross, Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 339.
        2. However, Jesus' inscription was the title that He was the King of the Jews, a fact that the Jewish leaders wanted Pilate to change to read: "He said, I am King of the Jews.'" (John 19:19-21)
        3. Thinking it was one more way to needle his Jewish opponents, Pilate stoutly refused to change the inscription to their liking. This event argues for divine sovereign involvement, indicating God the Father had thus worked to reveal Jesus had been unjustly crucified as the true Messiah! (Ibid.)
      2. Second, the soldiers both parted up the clothes of Jesus and cast lots for an indivisible tunic, fulfilling exactly the prophecy about Messiah's crucifixion in Psalm 22:18, cf. John 19:23-24.
      3. Third, when Jesus was given vinegar on a sponge for His thirst, it was lifted up on an unusual piece of vegetation, on hyssop, Jn. 19:29, Ibid., p. 340. Since hyssop appears in the Passover Lamb feast (cf. Ex. 12:22), John includes this detail as evidence that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God, cf. Jn. 1:29.
      4. Fourth, after death, Jesus' bones were not broken to hasten death as He was deceased, so His side was pierced to see if He was dead. Both of these actions fulfill two different prophecies: (a) His bones were not to be broken as Messiah in accord with Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12 and Ps. 34:20 as the Passover Lamb of God, and (b) those who pierced Him would look upon Him, Zechariah 12:10, Jn. 19:32-37.
      5. Fifth, when Jesus' side was pierced, red corpuscles came out largely separated from the colorless blood serum, indicating Jesus was not only dead, but had not died of suffocation via crucifixion; rather, He had died "of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium", cf. , Dr. C. Truman Davis, M. D., "The Crucifixion of Jesus," Arizona Medicine, March 1965, p. 186 as cited in Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, p. 224. This would indicate an unusual cause of death led to Christ's expiration, implying supernatural involvement as Jesus had claimed, Jn. 10:17-18.
    2. Events at His death over which Jesus had human control show He still felt He was the Messiah and Son of God at death as He had claimed throughout His ministry (as follows):
      1. First, Jesus indicated He was aware death was imminent in transferring the care of His mother, Mary over to the Beloved Disciple, John, John 19:26-27.
      2. Then, after this transfer, Jesus mentioned His thirst, which by this stage of suffering would have been an understatement, Jn. 19:28. He was trying to see Scripture fulfilled regarding the death of Messiah, meaning by this consciously near-death statement revealed He felt was Himself, Jn. 19:28f; Ps. 69:21.
      3. Finally, Jesus declared "It is finished!" and bowed His death right before expiring, indicating that He knew He was dying, and was consciously NOT retracting His Messianic or deity claims, Jn. 19:30.
Lesson: Both with those events and circumstances around His death that Jesus could NOT HUMANLY control as well as with those around His death that He COULD control, there is only every indication that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son and Lamb of God as He had claimed all during His life.

Application: (1) We can believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God and Messiah from God because of the overwhelming and significant testimonies of His own DYING witness along with events of His death over which He had no human control. (2) As such, we can proclaim His Gospel to all.