John 19:28-42

(John 19:28-42)

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.  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.  Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.  And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.  For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

 

Jesus, whose Word became flesh and came to this earth, was the one who made the words of the Bible answered until the last moment when he died on the cross. 『After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 』 This is Psalm 69:21, They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. It was to fulfill the word. Sour wine is like vinegar. Drinking vinegar rather than water or wine when you are thirsty is more painful, so it is better not to drink it.

 

Although people gave sour wine, vinegar, to make fun of Jesus, Jesus took sour wine, vinegar, and died, saying, "It is finished," in order to fulfill the words of the Bible. “It is finished” means that the work God planned before the creation of the world has been accomplished. The spirits who sinned in the kingdom of God can descend from the first man, Adam to the world, and from the last Adam, return to the kingdom of God. Now those who enter Christ can return to the kingdom of God. The inside of Christ is inside the ark. In order to enter Christ, we must take off our physical body and put on our spiritual body (Christ's garment).

 

Also, unlike the two prisoners on the cross, the body of Jesus was not broken, and his side was stabbed with a spear. . And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. 』The Old Testament words were fulfilled. However, it was none other than the Jews, Pilate, and Roman soldiers who did not believe in Jesus and harassed them. The Jews, Roman soldiers, and Pilate who mocked and mocked Jesus were used as channels for the fulfillment of the Bible without their knowledge.

 

If so, people of faith are also used as channels for God's Word to be fulfilled. However, what really matters is that it is used as a channel through which God's word can be fulfilled. It is important that it is not the Jews or Roman soldiers who became the passage to fulfill the prophecy about the miserable situation where Jesus was teased with sour wine and pierced with a spear, but it is important to become a passage through the beautiful, sincere and hopeful word of God.

 

Also, in the Word, there are two people who were used as channels for precious funeral of Jesus. They were Joseph and Nicodemus from Arimathea who were members of the Council. 『And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. Joseph, who boldly went to Pilate for Jesus' body, no longer hides that he is a disciple of Jesus, but reveals to the world.

 

Because of this, Joseph could lose all that he had accumulated as a council member in a moment. Then, when Jesus was alive, the Jews feared that Joseph would lose all of his positions, so he did not reveal that he was a disciple of Jesus. Why did Joseph reveal that he was a disciple of Jesus after Jesus died on the cross? It was because this was the time when God used Joseph as a tool for Jesus' funeral. Although Joseph was afraid of the Jews, Luke 23:41 says, "And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." In Joseph's heart, God touched Joseph's heart and made Joseph make a decision of faith to bury Jesus preciously.

 

When Joseph reveals that he is a disciple of Jesus, whom he has been hiding, another person reveals himself. 『And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 』. This Nicodemus was also a public member like Joseph, so when Jesus was alive, Nicodemus was a person who secretly came to Jesus in the middle of the night, avoiding the eyes of others. As Joseph revealed himself, the influence had on Nicodemus, and Nicodemus also revealed to the people that he was a disciple of Jesus.

 

Joseph of Arimathea was the man who threw all the positions and possessions he had for Jesus at a time when no one dared to bury Jesus. Although it was not when Jesus was alive, but after his death, he realized for whom he really was throwing everything he had. In doing so, Joseph was used as a tool to fulfill the Lord's words that Jesus died on the cross and risen from the tomb.

 

It wasn't just the twelve disciples who followed Jesus closely for three years in doing God's work. Like Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus, he hides that he is a disciple of Jesus without revealing that he is working through people who are far away. The disciples who had been following Jesus for three years eagerly thought that people like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus would not be able to follow their zeal. However, when Jesus had to be buried, none of the disciples were there. Only Joseph and Nicodemus of Arimathea came out and paid for the sale of Jesus.