John 19:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

NASB: Now then, since it was the day of preparation, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath ( for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away.

CSB: Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men's legs broken and that their bodies be taken away.

NLT: It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.

KJV: The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

NKJV: Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should 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.

John mentioned once before that Jesus' sham trials and execution happened on a day of preparation (John 19:14). This seems to mean that day on which preparations were made for the "Passover Week." This is another name for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which commemorates Israel's rescue from Egypt. That rescue was heavy with symbolism of Jesus' sacrificial death, including the sacrifice of a perfect lamb (Exodus 12:5), with unbroken bones (Exodus 12:46).

Roman crucifixion practices usually involved leaving the victim's corpse to rot. Though this triple crucifixion (John 19:18) is being performed by Roman executioners, it is happening just outside of Jerusalem. Jewish law condemns leaving a crucified body out overnight (Deuteronomy 21:23). Pilate has no pressing reason to keep these men displayed, and this is a major religious season for Israel. So, he agrees to accelerate the process and ensure all is done before the start of the sabbath.

Crucifixion was designed to maximize pain and extend the process of death. A victim could languish for days before succumbing to exposure, thirst, animals, disease, or shock. In most cases, they simply lost the strength to lift themselves on their own nailed limbs, which was the only way to properly breathe. Slow suffocation was the eventual end of most crucifixion victims. To speed this up, executioners would sometimes break the shin bones of the condemned. Not only would this add to shock and blood loss, it also made it impossible to lift one's self to breathe. Death would come in minutes, rather than hours or days.

The two men alongside Jesus were most likely in normal health before they were crucified, and likely nowhere near death when this request was made (John 19:32). Jesus, however, was viciously scourged by Pilate (John 19:1), drastically accelerating His death on the cross (John 19:33).

John 19:31–37 graphically confirms Jesus was dead before being taken from the cross. To speed up the execution, allowing the bodies to be buried before the Sabbath, soldiers break the legs of the other condemned men. Jesus, however, is clearly dead already. This is verified when a soldier stabs Jesus through the side with a spear. John notes two Old Testament references which allude to this as part of the Messiah's death. Only John, a direct eyewitness to this part of the crucifixion, includes this detail.

Pilate recognizes Jesus' innocence, but fears the mob assembled by Jewish religious leaders. He attempts to satisfy them by having Jesus viciously whipped and mocked. This only results in more cries for Jesus' death. The governor then shifts to protect his own reputation, ordering Jesus to be crucified on a charge of being "King of the Jews." John is directly present as Jesus is executed. He notes the fulfillment of several prophecies as Jesus dies. Once He is confirmed to be dead, Jesus' body is taken by two friendly members of the ruling council. They hastily bury Him in the borrowed crypt of a rich man.

When Jesus was first brought to Pilate, His innocence was obvious (John 18:36–38). However, the mob refuses to be satisfied with anything less than crucifixion. Pilate gives in to these demands. John, who is present for the entire gory spectacle, notes several instances of fulfilled prophecy (Psalm 22:18; Psalm 69:21; Exodus 12:46; Zechariah 12:10). Jesus is then buried in the borrowed tomb of a rich man (Isaiah 53:9) to complete yet another Old Testament prediction. A guard will be posted to ensure no one steals the body (Matthew 27:62–68), which will only serve to confirm that Jesus' eventual resurrection was a true miracle (John 20:1–8).

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.