Jesus, the Passover Lamb: Fulfillment of Scripture in His Death

John 19:31–37 (NKJV)

³¹ Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. ³² Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

Message

The Preparation Day (31^a) is the day before the Sabbath. On this day, people prepared for the Sabbath so they would not have to work on the Sabbath. They cooked food in advance so they could eat meals without cooking on the Sabbath.

Also, this day was the Preparation Day for the Passover Festival because the following day was both the Passover and the Sabbath at the same time. The Preparation Day was the 14^th day of the first month, called Nisan, in the Hebrew religious calendar. On the evening of Preparation Day, the Passover lambs were slaughtered in preparation for the Passover (Exodus 12:6).

John the Baptist saw Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV) Jesus is the Passover Lamb whose blood saves us from the judgment of God just as God passed over the Israelites and spared them from judgment because of the blood as written in Exodus 12:12-13.

Jesus died on the cross on the Preparation Day of the Passover just as the Passover lambs were slaughtered on that day. Jesus is our Passover lamb who saves us from God’s judgment.

The bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day) (31^b). See Deuteronomy 21:22 NKJV.

²² “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, ²³ his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

According to Deuteronomy 21:22-23 NKJV, a body hung on a tree should not remain there overnight but must be buried that same day; otherwise, the land will be defiled.

So, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away (31c). Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him (32). But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs (33). But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (34). The disciple John witnessed the event himself (35).

These things (33-35) were the fulfilment of the Scripture (37^a):

• “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” (37^b) This is written in Exodus 12:46 NKJV, Numbers 9:12 NKJV, and Psalm 34:20 NKJV.
  • Exodus 12:46 (NKJV)

    46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.

  • Numbers 9:12 (NKJV)

    12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

  • Psalm 34:20 (NKJV)
    20 He guards all his bones;
    Not one of them is broken.

• “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” (38) This is written in Psalm 22:16-17 NKJV, Zechariah 12:10 NKJV, and Revelation 1:7 NKJV.
  • Psalm 22:16–17 (NKJV)

    16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
    The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
    They pierced My hands and My feet;
    17 I can count all My bones.
    They look and stare at Me.

  • Zechariah 12:10 (NKJV)

    10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

  • Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)
    7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.