Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.
The Death of Jesus
28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”[a] 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
31 It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. 34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35 (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.[b]) 36 These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,”[c] 37 and “They will look on the one they pierced.” [d]
Footnotes:
- a. John 19:28 See Pss 22:15; 69:21.
- b. John 19:35 Some manuscripts read can continue to believe.
- c. John 19:36 Exod 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20.
- d. John 19:37 Zech 12:10.
I usually remove the footnotes but today, the footnotes are the point I want to drive home. In these brief nine verses from the Apostle John, we find six Old Testament references from the Law (Exodus and Numbers), from the poetic books (Psalms – 3), and from the prophets (Zechariah).
We refer to ourselves as New Testament churches, living in the dispensation of grace. How true! The best proofs of the truths of our New Testament faith are found in the Old Testament scriptures. The odds that one man, Jesus, could fulfill the 315 Old Testament references to Him and His life, death and resurrection, is a tremendously big number. If He only fulfilled eight of these prophesies, the number would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power or 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000.
Jesus loves me, this I know because the Old Testament tells me so! Of course … the New Testament too.
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