Series on "The Message of the Cross" ? (16)
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 12308 |
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January 7, 2007 |
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 {The Order of Publication}
The Crucifixion
1.God's Providence Found in Jesus' Clothes
2.The Reason Jesus was Nailed in His Hands and Feet and the Differences in Recording of the Two Robbers
3.God's Providence in Not Breaking Jesus' Legs and the Spiritual Significance of Jesus' Shedding of His Blood and Water
The Crucifixion (3)
"But coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water" (John 19:33-34).
Knowledge of God's Providence in Jesus' suffering will help each of us understand His great love and enable us to lead a more dedicated life in Christ. In this edition, I will explain the spiritual significance of Jesus' legs not having been broken and His shedding of all His blood and water.
1.God's Providence in Not Having Jesus' Legs Broken
After suffering from the cruelest means of punishment for hours on the cross, Jesus finally breathed His last. For His death on the cross took place on Friday and the following day was the Sabbath, which the Jews kept holy, Jesus' body could not remain hung on the cross. This is why the Jews asked Pontius Pilate to have the bodies of the criminals hung on crosses to be removed (John 19:31).
Roman soldiers removed the corpses of criminals on either side of Jesus by breaking their legs. The breaking of the legs of a criminal hanging on a cross hastens his death because he will not be able to support his body weight with his legs. Yet, when the soldiers noticed and confirmed that Jesus had already passed away, they did not break His legs.
In Psalm 34:19-20 we find, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; Not one of them is broken." Although Jesus took upon the sins of all mankind and died on a tree, for He was no sinner but blameless, spotless, and righteous, God made certain that Jesus' legs remained unbroken.
During the time of the Exodus, God told the Israelites in Numbers 9:12 and Exodus 12:46, "They shall eat [lamb] but not break any bone of it." Throughout the Bible, "the lamb" symbolizes Jesus (John 1:29). Therefore, God commanded against the breaking of a lamb, which signifies Jesus Himself, and precisely according to this word of prophecy, Jesus' bones remained unbroken.
2.The Reason Jesus Shed His Blood and Water
As we read in John 19:34, "[B]ut one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water," a Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus who had already passed away. Jesus hanging on a cross ? with a crown of thorns, His body shredded from flocking, and blood streaming from His hands and feet at which the nails pierced His body ? was a gruesome sight. From this scene, we know just how evil man really is as the Roman soldier, who confirmed that Jesus had breathed His last, nevertheless pierced His side with a spear.
What is the spiritual significance behind Jesus' side being pierced by a spear and His shedding of blood and water?
First, these events testify to the face that Jesus came into this world as a human being. Reading John 1:14 tells us exactly who Jesus is. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…" In other words, Jesus, God Himself who is spirit, donned flesh and came into this world. Jesus was not conceived through the combination of a man's sperm and a woman's egg, but by the Holy Spirit. Yet, because He was born in flesh and underwent a normal growth process just like any other human beings, Jesus satisfies the qualifications to be the Savior of all mankind.
According to "The Four Qualifications to be Satisfied in order to become the Savior of Mankind," the Savior must first be a man, not be a descendant of Adam who had committed the sin of disobedience, possess the power to overcome the enemy devil, and have love by which He can sacrifice His own life for others.
Therefore, Jesus came into this world with a body consisting of bones and flesh ? just like ours ? felt pain when He was flogged, and suffered from exhaustion, thirst, and hunger (Matthew 4:2; John 4:6). In order to validate the fact that Jesus came into this world in flesh, the Bible reads that when "one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water."
Second, these events attest to the fact that a man with flesh can partake in the divine nature. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus tells us, "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect," and God Himself reminds us again in 1 Peter 1:16, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
Furthermore, in Philippians 2:5 we are urged to "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus," while 2 Peter 1:4 tells us, "For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."
While Jesus donned flesh like other men and women, He committed no sin and lived a sanctified life. While He also experienced a variety of emotions for He also had the nature of man, Jesus only lived by the truth. By the same token, like Our Jesus, we can also become sanctified and perfect, and partake in the divine nature with the heart of Jesus Christ.
Anyone who believes in the Lord, prays fervently, and makes every effort, can rid himself of all sin and evil as he will surely receive and experience God's grace and strength as well as the help of the Holy Spirit. None of us will be able to give an excuse, "Jesus could live a sanctified life because He was the Son of God but since I am a mere man, I could not do that."
Third, these events prove to us that by the blood and water of Jesus, we gain true life and enjoy eternal life. Truly precious is the blood of Jesus, who had no original sin within Him and committed no sins of His own. By this precious blood of Our Jesus, we can, by faith, receive forgiveness of our sins and live forever. Moreover, water spiritually symbolizes "the Word"; as much as we hear God's Word and live by it, we can rid ourselves of sin and evil and become much more righteous.
The blood and water Jesus shed are the blood and water of strength by which we can be transformed, and are the blood and water of life that deliver us from death. The fact that Jesus was pierced on His side with a spear and shed all His blood and water testifies to how we have received forgiveness because of Jesus, and that we have gained true life as we received the strength by which we can live by God's Word.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus rejoiced and gave thanks in the midst of His suffering because He thought of how countless souls would receive salvation through His suffering. Keep in mind that Jesus suffered and shed all His water and blood to save us.
May each of you, as you fathom the love of Our Lord deep in your heart, quickly rid yourself of sin and evil, recover the image of God, and enjoy eternal joy and blessing in the glorious heavenly kingdom, in the name of Our Lord I bless!
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