Good Friday: The Cross and the Crown

JOHN 19:16-30

¹⁶Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

²²Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them 
     and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

²⁸Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

REFLECTION

Jesus walks the road to Golgotha bearing His cross, crowned with thorns, lifted up between criminals (John 19:17-19). It is a scene of humiliation. It is also the fulfillment of everything the prophets had spoken, the suffering Servant bearing sin and carrying sorrow for the sake of others (Isaiah 53:4-6).

From the cross, He speaks forgiveness, shows care, and entrusts His spirit to the Father (Luke 23:34, John 19:26-27, Luke 23:46). He is not a victim of these circumstances. He is Lord over them.

Then three words: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Not simply relief. An announcement. The final offering has been made, the debt paid, and the way to the Father is open (Hebrews 10:10-14). In this darkest hour, His humility and His glory meet.

PRAYER POINTS

FAMILY CONVERSATION

On the cross, Jesus took our sin so we could be forgiven.