Jesus Already Dead - John 19:33

John the apostle wrote, “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 the ghost. 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 an 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 which was crucified with him”, and in chapter nineteen and verse thirty-three of his book John wrote what the soldiers did, “when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already” where we read:

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs:

The verse reads, “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, ...” John began with the words, “But when” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover at the time and moment” “they came to Jesus” or “the Roman soldiers arose and appeared to the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”, “and saw that he was dead already” which means “and observed, noticed, discovered and discerned that he, Jesus, was even at that time lifeless, without breath and mortally expired”, they acted in the following way. John shared how the “Roman soldiers” approached Jesus' body after braking the legs of the two malefactors who were crucified with Jesus, but discover Jesus had “already” died.

The verse continues, “... they broke not his legs:” John added the words, “they broke not” or “the Roman soldiers did not rend in pieces or crack apart” “his legs” which means “his, Jesus', physical legs”. John shared how the Roman soldiers did not render in pieces the “physical legs” of Jesus.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we learn that another scripture of prophesy concerning the death of Jesus was fulfilled. Psalm 34:20 says, “He keeps all his bones: not one of them is broken”, and when the Roman soldiers observed Jesus “already” being dead, there was no need to break His legs. God cares so much for every person in the world that He employed prophet after prophet to tell in advance who His Son Jesus as Messiah would be, and everyone who yields their life to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and receive everlasting life with God. Those who are wise will understand there are so many fulfilled scriptures concerning Jesus as Messiah, and when they are examined carefully, everyone who discovers His bones were not broken for them, should yield their lives unto Him.

Next time John shares how, “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".