J. N. Darby.
<47019E> 347
(Notes and Comments Vol. 6.)
John 19
- 12. The fear of natural conscience.
- 15. "Away, crucify him." Most sad here the scene closed. The Jews gave up, not indeed Jesus, but themselves deserted into the hands of the Gentiles. They had now no king but Caesar, the prince of the Gentiles' power. As to them the question was between Jesus and Caesar.
- 19. Thus, while what was in Jesus was hidden, the Jews were completely rejected and humbled.
- 21. They were humbled already, but we close here.
Thus this gospel brings out all that relates to His Person in its minutest details. The same self-sufficiency which rejected His mother when He was abstracted in service, now thinks of her when every trouble and sorrow was upon Him, and shame. But it also shows the close of service, and the different character in which our Lord stood now from the time of His service (and this is important), and the simplicity of Jesus' example when not in service. It is a thing to be studied, and that much withal, the measure of the association of human care with the fellowship of divine favour, as in John.
- 30. Still the same point; not the suffering "Eli, Eli," etc., but the surrender. So before Pilate: "Thou couldest have no power," etc. And with the Jews, though rejected: "If I have spoken evil," etc. Now still the same great truth: He gave up the ghost when He said, "It is finished." Blessed word! and blessed will!
- 34. The answer of divine love to the last insult of man in Jesus, showing how this divine grace did overcome and surpass man's extreme iniquity in its uttermost character, just in Jesus' death both met, even in Him. The blood and the water came out as the shaming answer by man's sin, God glorified in it. It is the power of Jesus' death, what came out of it. The piercing of Jesus in the flesh is that which gives the blood and the water, the sanctifying and cleansing power, its cleansing power in its double aspect.
348 - 36. There seems to have been difficulty with some as to where the passage referred to was, and the paschal lamb has been brought forward. But it seems manifestly to refer to Psalm 34:20. And, what is more interesting, it leads us to the subject of the Psalm. Hence I think we have the reference of Hebrews 5:7, rather than in Psalm 22, 34:4, 6, 7. John (while Matthew seems to bring forward the official prophecies, so to speak, declaratory of the Messiah) seems here to show us the Person and sufferings of Christ, and draw from the Old Testament a testimony which (while the other confirmed the authenticity of Christ's mission) affords the most deeply interesting light to the matter of that.
How the Lord prepared a tomb for Him! This was Joseph's own new tomb, but indeed prepared for Him.