What does John 19:31 reveal about Jewish customs during Jesus' crucifixion? The Setting: Day of Preparation and High Sabbath - John 19:31: “Now it was the Day of Preparation, and the next day was a high Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.” - “Day of Preparation” refers to the hours before sunset on Friday, when food and other needs were readied so no work would be required on the Sabbath (cf. Mark 15:42). - “High Sabbath” points to a Sabbath coinciding with the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread following Passover (Leviticus 23:6–7). This heightened the day’s sacredness and strict observance. Respect for the Sabbath: Removing Bodies - Work was forbidden on any Sabbath (Exodus 20:8–11). - Leaving a corpse exposed would be considered defiling, especially on such a holy day. - The leaders’ request shows how seriously they treated Sabbath purity, even amid the extraordinary circumstances of a Roman crucifixion. Scriptural Basis for Rapid Burial - Deuteronomy 21:22-23: “If a man has committed a sin deserving death and is hanged on a tree… you must not leave the body on the tree overnight; you must be sure to bury him that same day.” - This requirement protected the land from ceremonial defilement and upheld the dignity of burial. - The Jewish authorities therefore sought to fulfill Torah by ensuring all three crucified men were taken down before sunset. Practical Measures: Breaking the Legs - Roman crucifixions could last days. Breaking legs (crurifragium) hastened death by preventing the victim from pushing up to breathe. - The leaders asked Pilate to authorize this so the men would expire and be buried before the Sabbath commenced at dusk. - John 19:33-36 notes Jesus’ legs were not broken, fulfilling Psalm 34:20 and Exodus 12:46 concerning the Passover Lamb. Implications for Understanding the Crucifixion Timeline - Jesus died on Friday afternoon, shortly before sunset. - His burial was completed quickly—Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus labored “because it was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby” (John 19:42). - These customs align the prophetic “three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40) with Friday burial before sunset, Saturday in the tomb, and resurrection early Sunday. Spiritual Takeaways - God’s Law was meticulously fulfilled even in the details surrounding Jesus’ death. - The urgency to keep the land undefiled highlights sin’s seriousness and the need for cleansing—ultimately answered in Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 9:14). - Jesus, the true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), was spared bone-breaking, underscoring the perfection of God’s redemptive plan. |
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