John 19:17-42- It Is Finished

Explanation- We have come to our Lord’s final hour. All of His earthly ministry has led to this moment. The Lord of Glory was now to be crucified.

Let us first notice that while Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention Simon of Cyrene helping Christ carry His cross, the Gospel of John does not. This is fitting considering that John writes in such a way as to place Christ’s Godhood on full display. The cross was Christ’s to bear alone. There was a symbolic weight to this carrying of the cross that represented the guilt, shame, and sin that Christ was to carry for the sheep of His flock. No other man could share in this burden and I believe that could be partially why John chose to leave Simon out of His narrative. To bear a wooden cross is considered an insignificant matter compared to the weight that Christ currently holds on His shoulders. No one but Him was able to bear this burden.

Let us also notice John’s lengthy description of the soldiers who casted lots for His garments, as well as the Pharisees dispute over the sign that should stand above Christ’s cross. This shows the descriptiveness that John used when describing the scene of the crucifixion. John was an eyewitness of what happened on this day and as such, he is able to provide us with details that the other Gospel writers do not. Can we think of what it must have meant to him for Christ to give him His very mother? Or what must have been John’s thoughts as he watched Christ take His very last breath? John puts the reality of the crucifixion is put on graphic display and sheds a light on some of the more intricate details that we do not get elsewhere.

In verse 28 we witness as Christ considers the completion of His work. His life would not be taken from Him but He would offer it up at the precise moment. How amazing it is to that that despite the suffering-anguish that our Lord was facing, He still had all things in total control. Not a moment of this horrific event was outside of His grasp. He understood completely that He must remain alive until every aspect of the law was fulfilled, and once He saw fit, He gave up the ghost and finished what He has started. Even His burial was part of the plan.

Application- The Lord’s work was perfectly executed in the exact fashion that it was meant to. Even here at the place of the skull, there was a bright shining glory Jesus Christ completed His earthly mission. What hope this should bring us! Did Christ suffer in vain? Was His work not sufficient for you and me? Why then do we doubt and fear? This same Christ who willingly gave up His life did so for those who were foreknown as His people. His death was sufficient for every single on that it was intended and He will not lose a single sheep. Our salvation is secure because of the completed work of Jesus Christ and if we ever need proof of that, let us turn quickly to this passage and remember what our Lord accomplished!