What does "count all my bones" reveal about Jesus' suffering on the cross? Opening Passage Psalm 22:17: “I can count all my bones; they gaze and gloat over me.” Unpacking the Phrase • “Count” conveys full consciousness—every injury is felt, noted, and remembered. • “All my bones” paints a picture of total emaciation and exposure; nothing is hidden, nothing protected. • The onlookers “gaze and gloat,” adding public humiliation to physical pain. Physical Realities at Calvary • Scourging (Matthew 27:26) tore flesh to the point that ribs and joints could be seen and “counted.” • Crucifixion stretched the body so severely that shoulders and elbows often dislocated, making every bone painfully distinct. • Stripped garments (John 19:23-24) left Jesus exposed, intensifying the visibility of His frame. • Severe dehydration and blood loss (John 19:28-34) drained the body of strength, highlighting skeletal outlines beneath tight, swollen skin. Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy • John 19:36 cites Exodus 12:46, “Not one of His bones will be broken,” directly tying Jesus to the Passover lamb and confirming Psalm 22:17 by contrast: every bone is felt, yet none is broken. • Zechariah 12:10 and Revelation 1:7 speak of onlookers “looking on” the pierced One—mirroring the crowd that stared at Jesus while He suffered. • The exact match between David’s centuries-old description and the Gospel accounts underscores the reliability and foresight of Scripture. Spiritual Significance • Total exposure: On the cross, Jesus bore sin openly (Hebrews 12:2), taking the shame we deserved. • Unbroken bones: His intact frame declares the perfection of the sacrificial Lamb whose body needed no fracture to accomplish redemption (1 Peter 1:19). • Endurance of conscious pain: Salvation cost nothing less than fully experienced, unmitigated suffering (Isaiah 53:5). • Public spectacle: Colossians 2:15 notes that the cross made a spectacle of evil powers, even as evil powers tried to make a spectacle of Him. Takeaway for Believers • The phrase “count all my bones” reminds us that Jesus’ agony was not abstract—it was bodily, visible, and complete. • Every blow He felt, every joint Heaved, and every stare He endured testifies to a love willing to suffer to the uttermost (Romans 5:8). • Because His bones remained unbroken, our broken relationship with God is fully restored. |
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