But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name.

John 20:31

Can you read about the awful torment and injustice Jesus endured for you and me and not feel the tears rise to your eyes? Remembering what Jesus suffered for me also reminds me of how horrible my sin is. Sometimes I think, “No one will know that I had that thought, so what’s the harm?” But if that thought did not meet the standard found in Philippians 4:8, then that thought is sin. In fact, if I doubt God’s goodness or one of His promises, that doubt is sin, according to Romans 14:23. And if I steal from my employer—even if it’s only a paper clip, or making personal copies on the office copier, or clocking in before I’m ready to start work—stealing is stealing, regardless of the dollar value, and regardless of whether I get caught. We see big sins and little sins, and we tend to look the other way when it comes to “little” sins. But did you know that if everyone in every age only committed “little” sins, Jesus would still have to die for us? Praise God He loved us enough to do that!

O Come, Let Us ADORE Him

So let’s jump into John 19 and use the ADORE Bible study method to find hidden treasure here. As you read today’s chapter, look for the answers to the following questions. My answers are recorded below, but don’t be alarmed if your answers are different from mine. What God gives you from the passage may be different from what He gave me. The main thing is to read God’s Word with the purpose of letting it change you.

A — Application — Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

D — Dependence — Are there any steps of faith I should take today?

O — Obedience — Are there any commands to obey or sins to forsake?

R — Relationship — What is God revealing to me about Himself?

E — Example — Are there any examples to follow or warnings to heed?

God’s Words to Me in John 19

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, “Behold, I bring Him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said unto them, “Behold the man!”

When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”

Pilate said unto them, “You take Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him.”

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made himself the Son of God.”

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the judgment hall, and said unto Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto Him, “Will You not speak to me? Don’t You know that I have power to crucify You, and have power to release You?”

Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it were given you from above: therefore he who delivered Me unto you has the greater sin.”

And from there on Pilate sought to release Him: but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend: whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said unto the Jews, “Behold your King!”

But they cried out, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”

Pilate said unto them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

Then he delivered Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away. And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha: Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, “Write not, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”

Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be:” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which said, “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they did cast lots.” These things therefore the soldiers did.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He said unto His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then said He to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge 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 His spirit.

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 a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and immediately came there out blood and water. And he who saw it bore record, and his record is true: and he knows that he says the truth, that you 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 says, “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 permission. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, who at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen cloths 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 sepulcher, in which was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulcher was near at hand.

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Previously, in the study of John 12, I shared with you the first several verses of Isaiah 53. Today I’d like to close with the remainder of that passage:

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to His own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:4-12

My Words to God

If you were going to talk to God about what you learned in this chapter, what would you say? Write your response in a notebook or journal in the form of a prayer.

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What God taught me

Note: As I read and study the chapter, I do not take these questions in order, but fill in my answers as the Lord shows me what He wants me to see.

A — Application — Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

When Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, “It is finished”: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.

Verse 30

The work of redemption is finished. I cannot do anything to secure my salvation because Jesus did it all!

D — Dependence — Are there any steps of faith I should take today?

Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against Me if it were not given to you from above: therefore he who delivered Me unto you has the greater sin.”

Verse 11

All leaders, even the wicked ones, get their authority from God; so I can trust God to be in control even when the wicked rule.

O — Obedience — Are there any commands to obey or sins to forsake?

And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

Verse 14

“Behold your King!” In other words, keep your eyes fixed on the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He is our supreme authority, and He is our Redeemer.

R — Relationship — What is God revealing to me about Himself?

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Many of the Jews read the title because the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.'” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

Verses 19-22

Jesus is God, He is Lord, and He is King—even if no one believes in Him.

E — Example — Are there any examples to follow or warnings to heed?

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate granted him permission. And Nicodemus, who at first had come to Jesus by night, also came and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes.

Verses 38-39

I find it interesting that in Jesus’ darkest hour, His known disciples were nowhere to be found; but these two secret disciples stepped up and identified themselves with Christ in his death. May I have that same courage.

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This week’s memory verse

“It is finished.”

John 19:30

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Photo taken at Princess Beach in Destin, Florida, 2019