The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus According to the Gospel of John Preliminary Remarks  Last week we discussed how the Passion fits into the Gospel of John.  We studied how John presents the Last Supper, Arrest, and the Trial of Jesus. o The Last Supper is the occasion for a Farewell Discourse (chaps 13-17). o At his arrest Jesus is supremely in charge (“I AM”). o John introduces a hearing before Annas and only alludes to the trial before Caiaphas.  While John and Mark narrate similar events, each presents these events in a distinctive manner to answer the question: What was the meaning of what happened at Jesus’s Passion?  This week we turn to “the great trial” before Pilate and examine how John presents the death of Jesus. The Great Trial before Pilate  Whereas Mark presented the trial before the Sanhedrin as the main trial, John presents the trial before Pilate as the main trial.  The trial before Pilate unfolds in seven scenes that alternate between outside the praetorium where the crowd is and inside the praetorium with Pilate.  As the trial progresses, Pilate grows weaker and desperate, and it seems that he rather than Jesus is on trial.  Scene One, Outside (18:28-32) o Jesus is brought from Caiaphas to the governor’s residence o It is the morning before the Passover, according to John o Pilate must come out to them so that they don’t defile themselves o The charge against Jesus is not yet specified o The leaders acknowledge they don’t have the right to put someone to death o By asking Pilate to put Jesus to death, the leader’s fulfill Jesus’s prophecy that the Son of Man will be “lifted up,” that is, crucified  Scene Two, Inside (18:33-38a) o Jesus goes inside to speak with Jesus privately o King of the Jews occurs for the first time o Jesus affirms he has a kingdom but not of this world o Jesus affirms he has come into the world to testify to the truth o Pilate does not know what Jesus means by the truth  Scene Three, Outside (18:38b-40) o Pilate goes out to the Jewish leaders o He affirms Jesus’s innocence for the first time o He tries to free Jesus by offering Barabbas  Scene Four, Inside (19:1-3) o Pilate brings Jesus inside to be scourged o Jesus is mocked as the king of the Jews  Scene Five, Outside (19:4-8) o Pilate brings Jesus outside and affirms his innocence a second time o Pilate presents Jesus, “Behold the man” o The chief priest and guards call for Jesus’s crucifixion o Pilate affirms Jesus innocence a third time o The Jewish leaders insist Jesus must die; he has made himself the Son of God, see John 5:18  Scene Six, Inside (19:9-12) o Pilate goes back inside and asks Jesus: Where do you come from? o For the first time Jesus refuses to answer o Pilate asserts his power o Jesus explains the origin of Pilate’s power and the greater guilt of those who handed him over o Pilate tries again to release Jesus, but the leaders warn him if he does he is not a “friend of Caesar”  Scene Seven, Outside (19:13-16a) o Pilate brings Jesus out o John notes it was noon of preparation day, the moment the Passover lambs were being slain in the temple o Pilate presents Jesus as the King of the Jews o The leaders call for Jesus’s crucifixion o Pilate asks if he should crucify their king o The chief priests affirm that only Caesar is their king o Jesus is led to crucifixion The Crucifixion and death of Jesus (19:16b-37)  Jesus carries the cross by himself and is led to Golgotha  Two others are crucified with him  The inscription on the cross in Hebrew, Latin (INRJ), Greek  Some object to the inscription but Pilate insists on the inscription  The soldiers divide Jesus’ garments (Psalm 22:19); but the tunic is not torn  Jesus’s mother is present, his mother’s sister, another Mary, and Mary of Magdala  Jesus entrusts his mother (ancient Israel) to the Beloved Disciple (the new community of faith)  Jesus cries “I thirst”  Jesus dies by saying “It is finished” and hands over the Spirit, see John 4:34 The Body of Jesus  The Jews want the legs of the crucified broken to hasten their death, and their bodies taken down from the cross, because the next day, Passover, is a holy day  But Jesus is already dead, so his legs are not broken  The testimony of the eye witness; and two scripture passages fulfilled Psalm 34:21, Exod 12:46, Zechariah 12:10 The Burial is Jesus (19:38-42)  Joseph of Arimathea and the reappearance of Nicodemus, see John 3  The burial of Jesus’s body  Jesus laid in a “garden” in a new tomb, see John 18:1  It is the eve of Passover, the next day, Saturday will be Passover