John Chapter 19, John Chapter 20, John Chapter 21

John 19
"Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.  And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.  They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  and struck him with their hands.  Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him."  So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.  Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!"  When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!"  Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him."  The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God."  When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.  He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?"  But Jesus gave him no answer.  So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me?  Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?"  Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.  Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend.  Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."  So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.  Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover.  It was about the sixth hour.  He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"  They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!"  Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?"  The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."  So he delivered hiim over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.  There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.  Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross.  It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."  Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.  So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'"  Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

When the soldieres had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic.  But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be."  This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

    "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!"  Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"  And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."  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.  When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished,"  and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  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.  For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled:  "Not one of his bones will be broken."  And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.  So he came and took away his body.  Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.  So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.  So becaue of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there."  John Chapter 19 ESV

Explanation for John 19:26, and John 19:36-37 page 1582 from The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV
"19:26 the disciple whom he loved.  This is a reference to John (see note on 13:23; cf. introduction: Author and Date).  Jesus, as firstborn and breadwinner of the family before he started his ministry, did not five the responsibility to his brothers because they were not sympathetic to his ministry nor did they believe in him (7:3-5) and they likely were not present at the time (i.e., their home was in Capernaum--see 2:12)"

"19:36-37  John quoted from either Ex. 12:46 or Num. 9:12, both of which specify that no bone of the Passover lamb may be broken.  Since the NT portrays Jesus as the Passover Lamb that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29; cf. 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:19), these verses have special typologically prophetic significance for him.  The quote in John 19:37 comes from Zech. 12:10, which indicates God himself was pierced when his representative, the Shepherd (Zech. 13:7; cf. Zech. 11:4, 8-9, 15-17), was pierced.  The anguish and contrition of the Jews in the Zechariah passage, becaues of their wounding of God's Shepherd, is typologically prophetic of the time of the coming of the Son of God, Messiah, when at his return, Israel shall mourn for the rejection and killing of their King (cf. Rev. 1-7)."

John 20
"Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."  So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.  Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb.  He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head  and one at the feet.  They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"  She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."  Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you seeking?"  Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."  Jesus said to her, "Mary."  She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"--and that he had said these things to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If y ou forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord."  But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."  John Chapter 20, ESV

Explanation for John 20:1-31 from The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV,page 1583
"20:1-31  This chapter records the appearances of Jesus to his own followers:  1) the appearance to Mary Magdalene (vv. 1-18);  2) the appearance to the 10 disciples (vv. 19-23);  3) the appearance to Thomas (vv. 24-29).  Jesus did not appear to unbelievers (see 14:19; 16:16, 22) because the evidence of his resurrection would not have convinced them, as the miracles had not (Luke 16:31).  The god of this world had blinded them and prevented their belief (2 Cor. 4:4).  Jesus, therefore, appears exclusively to his own in order to confirm their faith in the living Christ.  Such appearances were so profound that they transformed the disciples from cowardly men hiding in fear to bold witnesses for Jesus (e.g., Peter, see John 18:27; cf. Acts 2:14-39).  Once again John's purpose in recording these resurrection appearances was to demonstrate that Jesus' physical and bodily resurrection was the crowning proof that he truly is the Messiah and Son of God who laid down his life for his own (John 10:17-18; 15:13; cf. Rom. 1:4)."

John 21
"After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.  Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.  Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."  They said to him, "We will go with you."  They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?"  They answered him, "No."  He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."  So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.  That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.  The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.  Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."  So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them.  And although there were so many, the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."  Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.  This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"  He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."  He said to him, "Feed my lambs."  He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"  He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."  He said to him, "Tend my sheep."  He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"  Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.  Truly, Truly I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."  (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." 

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?"  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow me!"  So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.  Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself cound not contian the books that would be written."  John Chapter 21, ESV

Explanation for John 21:1-25 and John 21:15-17, from The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV, page 1585
"21:1-25 The epilogue or appendix of John's Gospel.  While 20:30-31 constitutes the conclusion of the body of the fourth Gospel, the information here at the end of his work provides a balance to his prologue in 1:1-18.  The epilogue essentially ties up five loose ends that were unanswered in ch. 20.  1) Will Jesus no longer directly provide for his own (cf. 20:17)?  This question is answered in 21:1-14.  2) What happened to Peter?  Peter had denied Christ three times and fled.  The last time Peter was seen was in 20:6-8 where both he and John saw the empty tomb but only John believed (20:8).  This question is answered in 21:15-17.  3) What about the future of the disciples now that they are without their Master?  This question is answered in vv. 18-19.  4) Was John going to die?  Jesus answers this question in vv. 20-23.  5) Why weren't other things that Jesus did recorded by John?  John gives the answer to that in vv.24-25."

"21:15-17  The meaning of this section hinges upon the usage of two synonyms for love.  In terms of interpretation, when two synonyms are placed in close proximity in context, a difference in meaning, however slight, is emphasized.  When Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, he used a word for love that signified total commitment.  Peter responded with a word for love that signified his love for Jesus, but not necessarily his total commitment.  This was not because he was reluctant to express that greater love, but because he had been disobedient and denied the Lord in the past.  He was, perhaps, now reluctant to make a claim of supreme devotion when, in the past, his life did not support such a claim.  Jesus pressed home to Peter the need for unswerving devotion by repeatedly asking Peter if he loved him supremely.  The essential message here is that Jesus demands total commitment from his followers.  Their love for him must place him above their love for all else.  Jesus confronted Peter with love because he wanted Peter to lead the apostles (Matt. 16:18), but in order for Peter to be an effective shepherd, his overwhelming drive must exemplify supreme love for his Lord."

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus,  Thank You for what You did for us on the cross.  I lift up those reading about Your death and resurrection and I pray that You would touch their hearts so they would believe.  I say these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

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