John 19:31

Followeth the third part of the Chapter, containing two consequents following upon his death. The first whereof (to v. 38.) contains some passages tending to the confirmation of this truth, that he was really dead, and to clear the accomplishment of some further prophecies concerning him; In which, the Jewes, the Souldiers, and John, do each of them act their part.

In this verse we have the Jewes part in clearing up this truth, and making way for the accomplishment of these predictions. They desire Pilate (who had power of the bodies of condemned men) to have the bodies of these now crucified taken away from the crosse and buried; and lest, by this desire, they should seem to encline to the sparing of their lives, they propound that their legs may be broken to hasten their death, that so they might be removed. The reason of which desire, was, that, seeing according to the law, the land was defiled with these who were hanged, (especially if not timeously buried) Deut 21.22, 23. They judged more especially, that their continuance on the crosse on that high Sabbath, (when the ordinary Sabbath, and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, did concurre together, as is marked on John 13.2.) might pollute them and their feast: And therefore, and because of their preparations and eating the passeover that night, they would have it speedily done. And this desire, and the granting thereof by Pilate, did make way for that which followeth. Whence learn. 1. Christ our Lord was content to be made a curse for us, Gal. 3.13. and to bear the curse, that it might not be ours. He was looked upon as one who would defile all things, that he might expiate our pestiferous and infectious dispositions: And, he submitted to be accounted a polluter of their solemn feasts in his suffering, that so he might expiate our being spots in the feasts of charity, Jude v. 12. So much may we gather from his condition here, and the Jewes esteem of him, that his body (among the rest) might not remain upon the crosse on the Sabbath day. 2. It is a commendable care in all the members of the visible Church, to endeavour that curses or accursed things abide not upon their land, or, that it be not defiled by others; for, so much doth the common equity of this law, upon which they found their desire, point out in the general; And though the ceremony be ceased, yet the substance remaineth, providing it be rightly applied in particular cases. See 1 Cor. 5.2, 6, 7. 3. The Lord can make use, even of bloody enemies, to do service to his suffering people as they need, whatever their intentions and designes be; for, Christ now hanging on the crosse, with ignominy, and as a curse, his very enemies are consulting and careful to have him taken out of that condition, and that the bodies should not remain upon the crosse, though they intend him no courtesie in so doing, but do it only upon other grounds; yea, they devise to put him to further pain, and that his legs might be broken. 4. God ordereth so by his providence, as he will prevent any cruel purposes of his enemies, which might make void his purposes concerning his own; Therefore, it is said, Therefore the Jewes besought Pilate, &c. which doth not import any connexion with the former purpose concerning his death, as if they had known of it, but that God keept them off from any such purpose, till the time that he was dead, and so prevented the breaking of his bones, which would have made void a prediction. 5. Men, through formality and custome, may be strictly bound to performe the duties of ceremonial or external worship, whose consciences, notwithstanding, never scruple to violate the most weighty precepts of the law; for, they observe the ceremonial precept, that the bodies should not remain upon the crosse, and therefore, besought Pilate that they might be taken away, and yet they scruple not to crucifie the Son of God, yea, and to use him with all rigour, and besought that their legs might be broken. See Prov. 7.14, 18. 6. It is agreeable to the will of God, that special respect be had to the observation of the Sabbath, and that it be remembred and thought of aforehand, that we may prepare for it; for, this in general and in it selfe was commendable, that they so respect the ceremonial precept concerning these who were hanged, as they account it a special pollution that their bodies should remain upon the crosse on the Sabbath: And their ceremonial observance of the preparation, (not only to the feast of the passeover, but to the ordinary Sabbath) may put us in minde that we ought to remember the Sabbath-day, that we may keep it holy. 7. The more solemnities, or considerations exciting us to serve God, do, in his providence, concurre at one time, the greater should our care be to emprove that time, and to observe it according to the rule; for, so much may we learn from their care of the Sabbath, upon this consideration, that that Sabbath-day was an high day, for the reason formerly given. And albeit it was but from a tradition of their own (as hath been observed on John 13.2.) that two solemnities concurred at this time, yet when ever, in following Gods institution, the Sabbath and some extraordinary feast fell to be on one day, they did observe it the more solemnly, as their practice in this case maketh evident; and this should point out our duty unto us.