Important Details

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 2, 2024

Important Details

So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.

John  19:24

John doesn’t supply just incidental details about Jesus. John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial is full of specific details that point to the fulfillment of scripture that Jesus is God’s Messiah. As you read John 19, pay close attention to the details and ponder the significance John wants you to see. Here are two of the details that stand out to me.

First, when Jesus was crucified, Pilate placed a sign on the cross, proclaiming Jesus as King of the Jews. John tells us the sign was in three languages: Hebrew, Latin and Greek. These languages covered a vast part of the known world, fulfilling the prophecy that Israel’s Messiah would be proclaimed to the entire world.

Secondly, the soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes. This was prophesied in Psalm 22:18. According to both Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels, Jesus prayed from Psalm 22:1 when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” It is not just Jesus’ cry of anguish or the soldiers gambling for his clothes that connects Psalm 22 to the crucifixion of Jesus. The psalmist also mentions the people gathered around Jesus, the crowd scorning Jesus, and his thirsting. 

By connecting the crucifixion to Psalm 22, John wants us to know that Jesus, who was crucified, dead and buried, was the Messiah of God: the One the scriptures promised would come and save Israel, save the world. Psalm 22 also points to the coming again of Jesus in final victory. (Psalm 22:27-28) As followers of Jesus, it is important for us to always be mindful that Jesus isn’t finished with His work. He will complete the restoration of God’s Kingdom on earth, and we get to be co-laborers with him in that work.

My Takeaway: Jesus is our model when we experience difficult times. Like Jesus, we can turn to scriptures like Psalm 22 for guidance and comfort. For me, in the times of my greatest trials, I turned to Psalm 23:4, “. . . for thou art with me . . .” (KJV)

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.