P’s and Q’s : John 19
“Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and to give Him slaps in the face.” (verses 1-3)
- What did Jesus endure before going to The Cross to be crucified?
“Pilate came out again and said to them, ‘Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.’ Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Behold, the Man!’ So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, ‘Crucify, crucify!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.’” (verses 4-6)
- Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent, and, yet he still gave him over to the Jewish leaders to be crucified. How have you given into peer pressure, despite knowing the truth of what is right?
“The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.’” (verse 7)
- What was the reason the Jews claimed for Jesus to be crucified? How did Jesus prove himself to be the Son of God?
“Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, ‘You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?’ Jesus answered, ‘You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.’” (verses 8-11)
- Pilate confronts Jesus for not answering his question, and Jesus responds with an important truth. What is the truth that Jesus speaks? Why is this important in your life?
“Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold, your King!’ So they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’” (verses 14 & 15)
- Like today, many people deny that Jesus is their King. Why do some of your friends deny Jesus as Lord and Savior in their lives? How has it been hard for you to make Jesus the King of your heart?
“They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.” (verses 17 & 18)
- What was the purpose of crucifixion back in Jesus’ time? How did a person die by crucifixion?
“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, ‘JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.’ Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, ‘Do not write, “The King of the Jews”; but that He said, “I am King of the Jews.”’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’” (verse 28)
- Why do you think Pilate believed that Jesus was the King of the Jews? What is the importance of Jesus being a Nazarene?
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be’; this was to fulfill the Scripture: ‘They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things.” (verses 23-25)
- Do you believe the soldiers knew the prophecy concerning Jesus regarding His outer garments? What does this show about God’s authority even in Jesus’ crucifixion?
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.’” (verses 28-29)
- What does it mean that Jesus knew “all things had already been accomplished”? Why is it so important that Jesus’ last words were, “It is finished”?
“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body… Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” (verses 38, 41 & 42)
- Why is the empty tomb so important today in the Christian faith?
Three Takeaways:
- Jesus lived a perfect life for you.
- Jesus suffered and died for you.
- Jesus resurrected and lives for you.
