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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers John 19:19–30. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Christ's dying more fully related than before, which those will take special notice of who covet to know Christ and him crucified.
I.The title set up over his head. Observe,
1.The inscription itself which Pilate wrote, and ordered to be fixed to the top of the cross, declaring the cause for which he was crucified, Joh 19:19. Matthew called it, aitia - the accusation; Mark and Luke called it epigraphē - the inscription; John calls it by the proper Latin name, titlos - the title: and it was this, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, Pilate intended this for his reproach, that he, being Jesus of Nazareth, should pretend to be king of the Jews, and set up in competition with Caesar, to whom Pilate would thus recommend himself, as very jealous for his honour and interest, when he would treat but a titular king, a king in metaphor, as the worst of malefactors; but God overruled this matter,
(1.)That it might be a further testimony to the innocency of our Lord Jesus; for here was an accusation which, as it was worded, contained no crime. If this be all they have to lay to his charge, surely he has done nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
(2.)That it might show forth his dignity and honour. This is Jesus a Saviour, Nazōraios, the blessed Nazarite, sanctified to God; this is the king of the Jews, Messiah the prince, the sceptre that should rise out of Israel, as Balaam had foretold; dying for the good of his people, as Caiaphas had foretold. Thus all these three bad men witnessed to Christ, though they meant not so.
2.The notice taken of this inscription (Joh 19:20): Many of the Jews read it, not only those of Jerusalem, but those out of the country, and from other countries, strangers and proselytes, that came up to worship at the feast. Multitudes read it, and it occasioned a great variety of reflections and speculations, as men stood affected. Christ himself was set for a sign, a title. Here are two reasons why the title was so much read: - (1.) Because the place where Jesus was crucified, though without the gate, was yet nigh the city, which intimates that if it had been any great distance off they would not have been led, no not by their curiosity, to go and see it, and read it. It is an advantage to have the means of knowing Christ brought to our doors. (2.) Because it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin, which made it legible by all; they all understood one or other of these languages, and none were more careful to bring up their children to read than the Jews generally were. It likewise made it the more considerable; everyone would be curious to enquire what it was which was so industriously published in the three most known languages. In the Hebrew the oracles of God were recorded; in Greek the learning of the philosophers; and in Latin the laws of the empire. In each of these Christ is proclaimed king, in whom are hid all the treasures of revelation, wisdom, and power. God so ordering it that this should be written in the three then most known tongues, it was intimated thereby that Jesus Christ should be a Saviour to all nations, and not to the Jews only; and also that every nation should hear in their own tongue the wonderful works of the Redeemer. Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, were the vulgar languages at that time in this part of the world; so that this is so far from intimating (as the Papists would have it) that the scripture is still to be retained in these three languages, that on the contrary it teaches us that the knowledge of Christ ought to be diffused throughout every nation in their own tongue, as the proper vehicle of it, that people may converse as freely with the scriptures as they do with their neighbours.
3.The offence which the prosecutors took at it, Joh 19:21. They would not have it written, the king of the Jews; but that he said of himself, I am the king of the Jews. Here they show themselves,
(1.)Very spiteful and malicious against Christ. It was not enough to have him crucified, but they must have his name crucified too. To justify themselves in giving him such bad treatment, they thought themselves concerned to give him a bad character, and to represent him as a usurper of honours and powers that he was not entitled to.
(2.)Foolishly jealous of the honour of their nation. Though they were a conquered and enslaved people, yet they stood so much upon the punctilio of their reputation that they scorned to have it said that this was their king.
(3.)Very impertinent and troublesome to Pilate. They could not but be sensible that they had forced him, against his mind, to condemn Christ, and yet, in such a trivial thing as this, they continue to tease him; and it was so much the worse in that, though they had charged him with pretending to be the king of the Jews, yet they had not proved it, nor had he ever said so.
4.The judge's resolution to adhere to it: "What I have written I have written, and will not alter it to humour them."
(1.)Hereby an affront was put upon the chief priests, who would still be dictating. It seems, by Pilate's manner of speaking, that he was uneasy in himself for yielding to them, and vexed at them for forcing him to it, and therefore he was resolved to be cross with them; and by this inscription he insinuates,
[1.]That, notwithstanding their pretences, they were not sincere in their affections to Caesar and his government; they were willing enough to have a king of the Jews, if they could have one to their mind.
[2.]That such a king as this, so mean and despicable, was good enough to be the king of the Jews; and this would be the fate of all that should dare to oppose the Roman power.
[3.]That they had been very unjust and unreasonable in prosecuting this Jesus, when there was no fault to be found in him.
(2.)Hereby honour was done to the Lord Jesus. Pilate stuck to it with resolution, that he was the king of the Jews. What he had written was what God had first written, and therefore he could not alter it; for thus it was written, that Messiah the prince should be cut off, Dan 9:26. This therefore is the true cause of his death; he dies because the king of Israel must die, must thus die. When the Jews reject Christ, and will not have him for their king, Pilate, a Gentile, sticks to it that he is a king, which was an earnest of what came to pass soon after, when the Gentiles submitted to the kingdom of the Messiah, which the unbelieving Jews had rebelled against.
II.The dividing of his garments among the executioners, Joh 19:23, Joh 19:24.
Four soldiers were employed, who, when they had crucified Jesus, had nailed him to the cross, and lifted it up, and him upon it, and nothing more was to be done than to wait his expiring through the extremity of pain, as, with us, when the prisoner is turned off, then they went to make a dividend of his clothes, each claiming an equal share, and so they made four parts, as nearly of the same value as they could, to every soldier a part; but his coat, or upper garment whether cloak or gown, being a pretty piece of curiosity, without seam, woven from the top throughout, they agreed to cast lots for it. Here observe,
1.The shame they put upon our Lord Jesus, in stripping him of his garments before they crucified him. The shame of nakedness came in with sin. He therefore who was made sin for us bore that shame, to roll away our reproach. He was stripped, that we might be clothed with white raiment (Rev 3:18), and that when we are unclothed we may not be found naked.
2.The wages with which these soldiers paid themselves for crucifying Christ. They were willing to do it for his old clothes. Nothing is to be done so bad, but there will be found men bad enough to do it for a trifle. Probably they hoped to make more than ordinary advantage of his clothes, having heard of cures wrought by the touch of the hem of his garment, or expecting that his admirers would give any money for them.
3.The sport they made about his seamless coat. We read not of any thing about him valuable or remarkable but this, and this not for the richness, but only the variety of it, for it was woven from the top throughout; there was no curiosity therefore in the shape, but a designed plainness. Tradition says, his mother wove it for him, and adds this further, that it was made for him when he was a child, and, like the Israelites' clothes in the wilderness, waxed not old; but this is a groundless fancy. The soldiers thought it a pity to rend it, for then it would unravel, and a piece of it would be good for nothing; they would therefore cast lots for it. While Christ was in his dying agonies, they were merrily dividing his spoils. The preserving of Christ's seamless coat is commonly alluded to to show the care all Christians ought to take that they rend not the church of Christ with strifes and divisions; yet some have observed that the reason why the soldiers would not rend Christ's coat was not out of any respect to Christ, but because each of them hoped to have it entire for himself. And so many cry out against schism, only that they may engross all the wealth and power to themselves. Those who opposed Luther's separation from the church of Rome urged much the tunica inconsutilis - the seamless coat; and some of them laid so much stress upon it that they were called the Inconsutilistae - The seamless.
4.The fulfilling of the scripture in this. David, in spirit, foretold this very circumstance of Christ's sufferings, in that passage, Psa 22:18. The event so exactly answering the prediction proves,
(1.)That the scripture is the word of God, which foretold contingent events concerning Christ so long before, and they came to pass according to the prediction.
(2.)That Jesus is the true Messiah; for in him all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah had, and have, their full accomplishment. These things therefore the soldiers did.
III.The care that he took of his poor mother.
1.His mother attends him to his death (Joh 19:25): There stood by the cross, as near as they could get, his mother, and some of his relations and friends with her. At first, they stood near, as it is said here; but afterwards, it is probable, the soldiers forced them to stand afar off, as it is said in Matthew and Mark: or they themselves removed out of the ground.
(1.)See here the tender affection of these pious women to our Lord Jesus in his sufferings. When all his disciples, except John, has forsaken him, they continued their attendance on him. Thus the feeble were as David (Zac 12:8): they were not deterred by the fury of the enemy nor the horror of the sight; they could not rescue him nor relieve him, yet they attended him, to show their good-will. It is an impious and blasphemous construction which some of the popish writers put upon the virgin Mary standing by the cross, that thereby she contributed to the satisfaction he made for sin no less than he did, and so became a joint-mediatrix and co-adjutrix in our salvation.
(2.)We may easily suppose what an affliction it was to these poor women to see him thus abused, especially to the blessed virgin. Now was fulfilled Simeon's word, A sword shall pierce through thy own soul, Luk 2:35. His torments were her tortures; she was upon the rack, while he was upon the cross; and her heart bled with his wounds; and the reproaches wherewith they reproached him fell on those that attended him.
(3.)We may justly admire the power of divine grace in supporting these women, especially the virgin Mary, under this heavy trial. We do not find his mother wringing her hands, or tearing her hair, or rending her clothes, or making an outcry; but, with a wonderful composure, standing by the cross, and her friends with her. Surely she and they were strengthened by a divine power to this degree of patience; and surely the virgin Mary had a fuller expectation of his resurrection than the rest had, which supported her thus. We know not what we can bear till we are tried, and then we know who has said, My grace is sufficient for thee.
2.He tenderly provides for his mother at his death. It is probable that Joseph, her husband, was long since dead, and that her son Jesus had supported her, and her relation to him had been her maintenance; and now that he was dying what would become of her? He saw her standing by, and knew her cares and griefs; and he saw John standing not far off, and so he settled a new relation between his beloved mother and his beloved disciple; for he said to her, "Woman, behold thy son, for whom henceforward thou must have a motherly affection;" and to him, "Behold thy mother, to whom thou must pay a filial duty." And so from that hour, that hour never to be forgotten, that disciple took her to his own home. See here,
(1.)The care Christ took of his dear mother. He was not so much taken up with a sense of his sufferings as to forget his friends, all whose concerns he bore upon his heart. His mother, perhaps, was so taken up with his sufferings that she thought not of what would become of her; but he admitted that thought. Silver and gold he had none to leave, no estate, real or personal; his clothes the soldiers had seized, and we hear no more of the bag since Judas, who had carried it, hanged himself. He had therefore no other way to provide for his mother than by his interest in a friend, which he does here.
[1.]He calls her woman, not mother, not out of any disrespect to her, but because mother would have been a cutting word to her that was already wounded to the heart with grief; like Isaac saying to Abraham, My father. He speaks as one that was now no more in this world, but was already dead to those in it that were dearest to him. His speaking in this seemingly slight manner to his mother, as he had done formerly, was designed to obviate and give a check to the undue honours which he foresaw would be given to her in the Romish church, as if she were a joint purchaser with him in the honours of the Redeemer.
[2.]He directs her to look upon John as her son: "Behold him as thy son, who stands there by thee, and be as a mother to him." See here, First, An instance of divine goodness, to be observed for our encouragement. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, perhaps where we looked not for it. We read of children which the church shall have after she has lost the other, Isa 49:21. Let none therefore reckon all gone with one cistern dried up, for from the same fountain another may be filled. Secondly, An instance of filial duty, to be observed for our imitation. Christ has here taught children to provide, to the utmost of their power, for the comfort of their aged parents. When David was in distress, he took care of his parents, and found out a shelter for them (Sa1 22:3); so the Son of David here. Children at their death, according to their ability, should provide for their parents, if they survive them, and need their kindness.
(2.)The confidence he reposed in the beloved disciple. It is to him he says, Behold thy mother, that is, I recommend her to thy care, be thou as a son to her to guide her (Isa 51:18); and forsake her not when she is old, Pro 23:22. Now,
[1.]This was an honour put upon John, and a testimony both to his prudence and to his fidelity. If he who knows all things had not known that John loved him, he would not have made him his mother's guardian. It is a great honour to be employed for Christ, and to be entrusted with any of his interest in the world. But,
[2.]It would be a care and some charge to John; but he cheerfully accepted it, and took her to his own home, not objecting the trouble nor expense, nor his obligations to his own family, nor the ill-will he might contract by it. Note, Those that truly love Christ, and are beloved of him, will be glad of an opportunity to do any service to him or his. Nicephoras's Eccl. Hist. lib. 2 cap. 3, saith that the virgin Mary lived with John at Jerusalem eleven years, and then died. Others, that she lived to remove with him to Ephesus.
IV.The fulfilling of the scripture, in the giving of him vinegar to drink, Joh 19:28, Joh 19:29. Observe,
1.How much respect Christ showed to the scripture (Joh 19:28): Knowing that all things hitherto were accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, which spoke of his drinking in his sufferings, he saith, I thirst, that is, he called for drink.
(1.)It was not at all strange that he was thirsty; we find him thirsty in a journey (Joh 4:6, Joh 4:7), and now thirsty when he was just at his journey's end. Well might he thirst after all the toil and hurry which he had undergone, and being now in the agonies of death, ready to expire purely by the loss of blood and extremity of pain. The torments of hell are represented by a violent thirst in the complaint of the rich man that begged for a drop of water to cool his tongue. To that everlasting thirst we had been condemned, had not Christ suffered for us.
(2.)But the reason of his complaining of it is somewhat surprising; it is the only word he spoke that looked like complaint of his outward sufferings. When they scourged him, and crowned him with thorns, he did not cry, O my head! or, My back! But now he cried, I thirst. For,
[1.]He would thus express the travail of his soul, Isa 53:11. He thirsted after the glorifying of God, and the accomplishment of the work of our redemption, and the happy issue of his undertaking.
[2.]He would thus take care to see the scripture fulfilled. Hitherto, all had been accomplished, and he knew it, for this was the thing he had carefully observed all along; and now he called to mind one thing more, which this was the proper season for the performance of. By this it appears that he was the Messiah, in that not only the scripture was punctually fulfilled in him, but it was strictly eyed by him. By this it appears that God was with him of a truth - that in all he did he went exactly according to the word of God, taking care not to destroy, but to fulfil, the law and the prophets. Now, First, The scripture had foretold his thirst, and therefore he himself related it, because it could not otherwise be known, saying, I thirst; it was foretold that his tongue should cleave to his jaws, Psa 22:15. Samson, an eminent type of Christ, when he was laying the Philistines heaps upon heaps, was himself sore athirst (Jdg 15:18); so was Christ, when he was upon the cross, spoiling principalities and powers. Secondly, The scripture had foretold that in his thirst he should have vinegar given him to drink, Psa 69:21. They had given him vinegar to drink before they crucified him (Mat 27:34), but the prophecy was not exactly fulfilled in that, because that was not in his thirst; therefore now he said, I thirst, and called for it again: then he would not drink, but now he received it Christ would rather court an affront than see any prophecy unfulfilled. This should satisfy us under all our trials, that the will of God is done, and the word of God accomplished.
2.See how little respect his persecutors showed to him (Joh 19:29): There was set a vessel full of vinegar, probably according to the custom at all executions of this nature; or, as others think, it was now set designedly for an abuse to Christ, instead of the cup of wine which they used to give to those that were ready to perish; with this they filled a sponge, for they would not allow him a cup, and they put it upon hyssop, a hyssop-stalk, and with this heaved it to his mouth; hussōpō perithentes - they stuck it round with hyssop; so it may be taken; or, as others, they mingled it with hyssop-water, and this they gave him to drink when he was thirsty; a drop of water would have cooled his tongue better than a draught of vinegar: yet this he submitted to for us. We had taken the sour grapes, and thus his teeth were set on edge; we had forfeited all comforts and refreshments, and therefore they were withheld from him. When heaven denied him a beam of light earth denied him a drop of water, and put vinegar in the room of it.
V.The dying word wherewith he breathed out his soul (Joh 19:30):
When he had received the vinegar, as much of it as he thought fit, he said, It is finished; and, with that, bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. Observe,
1.What he said, and we may suppose him to say it with triumph and exultation, Tetelestai - It is finished, a comprehensive word, and a comfortable one. (1.) It is finished, that is, the malice and enmity of his persecutors had now done their worst; when he had received that last indignity in the vinegar they gave him, he said, "This is the last; I am now going out of their reach, where the wicked cease from troubling." (2.) It is finished, that is, the counsel and commandment of his Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled; it was a determinate counsel, and he took care to see every iota and tittle of it exactly answered, Act 2:23. He had said, when he entered upon his sufferings, Father, thy will be done; and now he saith with pleasure, It is done. It was his meat and drink to finish his work (Joh 4:34), and the meat and drink refreshed him, when they gave him gall and vinegar. (3.) It is finished, that is, all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished and answered. He speaks as if, now that they had given him the vinegar, he could not bethink himself of any word in the Old Testament that was to be fulfilled between him and his death but it had its accomplishment; such as, his being sold for thirty pieces of silver, his hands and feet being pierced, his garments divided, etc.; and now that this is done. It is finished. (4.) It is finished, that is, the ceremonial law is abolished, and a period put to the obligation of it. The substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. Just now the veil is rent, the wall of partition is taken down, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, Eph 2:14, Eph 2:15. The Mosaic economy is dissolved, to make way for a better hope. (5.) It is finished, that is, sin is finished, and an end made of transgression, by the bringing in of an everlasting righteousness. It seems to refer to Dan 9:24. The Lamb of God was sacrificed to take away the sin of the world, and it is done, Heb 9:26. (6.) It is finished, that is, his sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul and those of his body. The storm is over, the worst is past; all his pains and agonies are at an end, and he is just going to paradise, entering upon the joy set before him. Let all that suffer for Christ, and with Christ, comfort themselves with this, that yet a little while and they also shall say, It is finished. (7.) It is finished, that is, his life was now finished, he was just ready to breathe his last, and now he is no more in this world, Joh 17:11. This is like that of blessed Paul (Ti2 4:7), I have finished my course, my race is run, my glass is out, mene, mene - numbered and finished. This we must all come to shortly. (8.) It is finished, that is, the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed, at least the hardest part of the undertaking is over; a full satisfaction is made to the justice of God, a fatal blow given to the power of Satan, a fountain of grace opened that shall ever flow, a foundation of peace and happiness laid that shall never fail. Christ had now gone through with his work, and finished it, Joh 17:4. For, as for God, his work is perfect; when I begin, saith he, I will also make an end. And, as in the purchase, so in the application of the redemption, he that has begun a good work will perform it; the mystery of God shall be finished.
2.What he did: He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. He was voluntary in dying; for he was not only the sacrifice, but the priest and the offerer; and the animus offerentis - the mind of the offerer, was all in all in the sacrifice. Christ showed his will in his sufferings, by which will we are sanctified.
(1.)He gave up the ghost. His life was not forcibly extorted from him, but freely resigned. He had said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit, thereby expressing the intention of this act. I give up myself as a ransom for many; and, accordingly, he did give up his spirit, paid down the price of pardon and life at his Father's hands. Father, glorify thy name.
(2.)He bowed his head. Those that were crucified, in dying stretched up their heads to gasp for breath, and did not drop their heads till they had breathed their last; but Christ, to show himself active in dying, bowed his head first, composing himself, as it were, to fall asleep. God had laid upon him the iniquity of us all, putting it upon the head of this great sacrifice; and some think that by this bowing of his head he would intimate his sense of the weight upon him. See Psa 38:4; Psa 40:12. The bowing of his head shows his submission to his Father's will, and his obedience to death. He accommodated himself to his dying work, as Jacob, who gathered up his feet into the bed, and then yielded up the ghost.
Historical interpretation
Eight Centuries of Reception
12 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
The sour wine perhaps signified the sharp turn and change that happened to Jesus—freedom from suffering instead of suffering, immortality instead of death, incorruption instead of corruption, judging instead of being judged, reigning as king instead of suffering from tyranny. For the sponge, as I think, signified the entire and complete infusion of the Holy Spirit that was in him. The reed implied the royal scepter and the divine law. The hyssop showed his living and saving resurrection through which he restored us also to health.
Jesus says, “I thirst”—he who had brought forth water for them out of the craggy rock. Then he asked for fruit of the vine that he had planted. But what does the vine do? When the Lord was thirsty, this vine … having filled a sponge and put it on a reed, offers him vinegar. “They gave me also gall for my food, and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.” See how clear the prophet’s description is. But what sort of gall did they put into my mouth? “They gave him,” it says, “wine mingled with myrrh.” Now myrrh tastes a lot like gall, and very bitter. Are these things how you reward the Lord? Are these your offerings, O vine, for your master? The prophet Isaiah was right when in times past he wailed, “My beloved had a vineyard in a hill in a fruitful place … and I waited for it to bring forth grapes.” I thirsted, and it should have given me wine “but sprouted thorns instead.”
He is given vinegar to drink mingled with gall. Who? He who turned water into wine, the destroyer of the bitter taste who is sweetness and altogether desire.
"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished." That is, "that nothing was wanting to the Dispensation." For He was everywhere desirous to show, that this Death was of a new kind, if indeed the whole lay in the power of the Person dying, and death came not on the Body before He willed it; and He willed it after He had fulfilled all things. Therefore also He said, "I have power to lay down My life; and I have power to take it again." (c. x. 18.) Knowing therefore that all things were fulfilled, He saith, "I thirst." Here again fulfilling a prophecy. But consider, I pray, the accursed nature of the bystanders. Though we have ten thousand enemies, and have suffered intolerable things at their hands, yet when we see them perishing, we relent; but they did not even so make peace with Him, nor were tamed by what they saw, but rather became more savage, and increased their irony; and having brought to Him vinegar on a sponge, as men bring it to the condemned, thus they gave Him to drink; since it is on this account that the hyssop is added.
"Having therefore received it, He saith, It is finished." Seest thou how He doth all things calmly, and with power? And what follows shows this. For when all had been completed, "He bowed His head, (this had not been nailed,) and gave up the ghost." That is, "died." Yet to expire does not come after the bowing the head; but here, on the contrary, it doth. For He did not, when He had expired, bow His head, as happens with us, but when He had bent His head, then He expired. By all which things the Evangelist hath shown, that He was Lord of all.
And they gave Him gall to drink, and this to insult Him, but He would not. But another saith, that having tasted it, He said, "It is finished." And what meaneth, "It is finished?" The prophecy was fulfilled concerning Him. "For they gave me," it is said, "gall for my meat, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." But neither doth that evangelist indicate that He drank, for merely to taste differs not from not drinking, but hath one and the same signification.
(Hom. lxxxv) They were not softened at all by what they saw, but were the more enraged, and gave Him the cup to drink, as they did to criminals, i. e. with a hyssop.
(Hom. lxxxv) He did not bow His head because He gave up the ghost, but He gave up the ghost because at that moment He bowed His head. Whereby the Evangelist intimates that He was Lord of all.
He then adds: "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and fixed it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost." Who has the power of so adjusting what he does, as this Man had of arranging all that He suffered? But this Man was the Mediator between God and men; the Man of whom we read in prophecy, He is man also, and who shall acknowledge Him? for the men who did such things acknowledged not this Man as God. For He who was manifest as man, was hid as God: He who was manifest suffered all these things, and He Himself also, who was hid, arranged them all. He saw, therefore, that all was accomplished that required to be done before He received the vinegar, and gave up the ghost; and that this also might be accomplished which the scripture had foretold, "And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink," He said, "I thirst:" as if it were, One thing still you have failed to do, give me what you are. For the Jews were themselves the vinegar, degenerated as they were from the wine of the patriarchs and prophets; and filled like a full vessel with the wickedness of this world, with hearts like a sponge, deceitful in the formation of its cavernous and tortuous recesses. But the hyssop, whereon they placed the sponge filled with vinegar, being a lowly herb, and purging the heart, we fitly take for the humility of Christ Himself; which they thus enclosed, and imagined they had completely ensnared. Hence we have it said in the psalm, "Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed." For it is by Christ's humility that we are cleansed; because, had He not humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross, His blood certainly would not have been shed for the remission of sins, or, in other words, for our cleansing.
Nor need we be disturbed with the question, how the sponge could be applied to His mouth when He was lifted up from the earth on the cross. For as we read in the other evangelists, what is omitted by this one, it was fixed on a reed, so that such drink as was contained in the sponge might be raised to the highest part of the cross. By the reed, however, the scripture was signified, which was fulfilled by this very act. For as a tongue is called either Greek or Latin, or any other, significant of the sound, which is uttered by the tongue; so the reed may give its name to the letter which is written with a reed. We most usually, however, call those tongues that express the sounds of the human voice: while in calling scripture a reed, the very rareness of the thing only enhances the mystical nature of that which it symbolizes. A wicked people did such things, a compassionate Christ suffered them. They who did them, knew not what they did; but He who suffered, not only knew what was done, and why it was so, but also wrought what was good through those who were doing what was evil.
(Tr. cxix.) He who appeared man, suffered all these things; He who was God, ordered them: After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished; i. e. knowing the prophecy in the Psalms, And when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink, (Ps. 68) said, I thirst:As if to say, ye have not done all (minus): give me yourselves: for the Jews were themselves vinegar, having degenerated from the wine of the Patriarchs and the Prophets. Now there was a vessel full of vinegar: they had drunk from the wickedness of the world, as from a full vessel, and their heart was deceitful, as it were, a spunge full of caves and crooked hiding places: And they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
The hyssop around which they put the spunge full of vinegar, being a mean herb, taken to purge the breast, represents the humility of Christ, which they hemmed in and thought they had circumvented. (ὑσσώπῳ περιθέντες) For we are made clean by Christ's humility. Nor let it perplex you that they were able to reach His mouth when He was such a height above the ground: for we read in the other Evangelists, what John omits to mention, that the spunge was put upon a reed.
(Tr. cxix) viz. what prophecy had foretold so long before.
(Tr. cxix) Then as there was nothing left Him to do before He died, it follows, And He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost, only dying when He had nothing more to do, like Him who had to lay down His life, and to take it up again.
(Tr. cxix) For who ever had such power to sleep when he wished, as our Lord had to die when He wished? What power must He have, for our good or evil, Who had such power dying?
When he said, "I thirst," he was looking for faith from his own people. But because "he came to his own possessions, but his own people did not receive him," instead of the sweetness of faith, they gave him the vinegar of faithlessness—and that in a sponge! They are indeed comparable to a sponge, a thing not solid but swollen; not open with straight access of confession but hollow with the tortuous twists and turns of treachery. It is true that that drink also contained hyssop, which is a lowly herb, said to have an extremely strong root with which to cling to the rock. There were some, that is to say, among that people, for whom this dark deed was kept as a means of humbling their souls by their repudiation of it later on and their repentance. The one who accepted the hyssop with the vinegar knew who they were. After all, as the other Evangelist bears witness, he even prayed for them when hanging on the cross. He said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing."
The blessed Evangelist John says that they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on hyssop, and so brought it. Luke makes no mention of anything of the kind, but merely declares that they brought Him vinegar. Matthew and Mark say that the sponge was put on a reed. Some may perhaps think there is a discrepancy in the accounts of the holy Evangelists; but no one who is right-minded will be so persuaded. We must rather try to search, and see by every means in our power, in what way the act of impiety was effected. The inspired Luke, then, disregarding the way in which the vinegar was brought, says, in brief, that vinegar was brought to Him when He was athirst. And there can be no question, that the Evangelists would not have disagreed with each other in these trifling and unimportant details, when, in all essential matters, they are in such perfect harmony and concord. What, then, is the difference between them? and of what treatment is it susceptible? There is no doubt, that the officers who executed the impious crime against Christ were many in number, I mean the soldiers who brought Him to the Cross; several also of the Jews shared in their cruelty, some putting the sponge on a reed, others on a stick of what is called hyssop----for the hyssop is a kind of shrub----and gave Jesus to drink of it; doing this, purblind wretches that they were, to their own condemnation. For, unawares, they were proving themselves utterly undeserv-ing of compassion, when they thus altogether discarded mercy and humanity, and with unparalleled audacity vied with each other in impiety alone. Therefore, by the mouth of the Prophet Ezekiel, God thus spake unto the mother of the Jews, I mean Jerusalem: As thou hast done, so shall it be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head; and by the mouth of Isaiah, to lawless Israel: Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. This completed the measure of all the crimes that had been committed against Christ; but here, too, we may find a lesson to our profit. For hereby we may know that those who are of a God-loving temper, and who are firmly rooted in the love of Christ, shall wage, as it were, a ceaseless war with those who are of a different spirit; who will not, even to their latest breath, desist from raging against them, preparing for them severe temptations from every quarter, and eagerly devising every sort of thing that may hurt them. But, just as the wicked cease not from troubling them, so also shall their courage be continually sustained; and just as their trials, and the tribulation of temptation, have no abatement, so also the blessedness of the Saints shall have no end, and the joy of their state of glory shall remain for evermore, and world without end.
Some say that the hyssop is put here for reed, its leaves being like a reed.
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Summary
John 19:29 captures a pivotal moment during the crucifixion, immediately following Jesus' declaration, "I thirst." This verse meticulously details the provision of sour wine on a hyssop branch, highlighting the profound suffering of Christ while simultaneously underscoring the precise fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the divine orchestration of every detail leading to the culmination of His redemptive work. It serves as a poignant reminder of His complete humanity and His unwavering commitment to the Father's will even in His final, agonizing moments.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated at the climax of Jesus' earthly ministry, specifically within the crucifixion narrative in John's Gospel. It follows directly after Jesus' declaration, "I thirst," which John explicitly states was uttered "that the scripture might be fulfilled." The immediate preceding verses (John 19:23-27) describe the soldiers dividing Jesus' garments and Jesus entrusting His mother to John's care, emphasizing both the brutality of the scene and Jesus' continued concern for others. Following John 19:29, Jesus declares, "It is finished," bows His head, and gives up His spirit, signifying the completion of His redemptive work. Thus, the offering of sour wine is the penultimate act before His death, a final prophetic fulfillment.
Historical & Cultural Context
Crucifixion was a torturous Roman method of execution designed to inflict maximum pain, humiliation, and a slow, agonizing death. Extreme thirst was a common and excruciating symptom due to dehydration, blood loss, and exposure. The "vinegar" (Greek: oxos) mentioned here was not a pure, undiluted vinegar but a common, inexpensive sour wine, often mixed with water, which was a staple drink for Roman soldiers and laborers. Unlike the drugged wine mixed with gall offered earlier (as noted in Matthew 27:34), which Jesus refused because it would dull His senses and interfere with His conscious suffering for sin, this sour wine appears to have been offered as a practical, albeit meager, relief for intense thirst, possibly with some degree of compassion. The "hyssop" is a small, bushy plant with stiff stems, historically used in Israelite ritual purification and sprinkling ceremonies, most notably for applying the blood of the Passover lamb to doorposts (see Exodus 12:22). Its appearance here, at the moment of the ultimate Passover Lamb's sacrifice, carries profound symbolic weight, connecting Jesus' death to the cleansing and redemptive power of His blood.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in John's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the Fulfillment of Prophecy, as Jesus' thirst and the subsequent offering of vinegar directly align with Old Testament predictions, particularly Psalm 69:21. Secondly, it highlights the Humanity of Christ, demonstrating that Jesus fully experienced the physical agony of crucifixion, including the intense pain of thirst, affirming His true human nature alongside His divinity. Thirdly, it emphasizes Divine Purpose and Control, revealing that even in His deepest suffering, Jesus was not a helpless victim but was actively orchestrating the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. His request for water and the subsequent action were part of a divinely orchestrated sequence leading to His declaration, "It is finished," signifying the completion of His mission.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to a common, inexpensive sour wine, often diluted with water, consumed by soldiers and laborers. In the context of the crucifixion, it signifies not only a common beverage but also the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah's suffering, where He would be given "vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:21). Its sourness contrasts sharply with the "living water" Jesus offers (see John 4:10-14).
A small, bushy plant with stiff stems, hyssop held significant ritualistic importance in ancient Israel. It was used for sprinkling blood in purification ceremonies, most notably during the Passover (see Exodus 12:22) and for cleansing from defilement (e.g., Leviticus 14:4-7). Its presence here, at the sacrifice of the ultimate Passover Lamb, profoundly links Jesus' atoning death to the Old Testament sacrificial system and the theme of purification.
Verse Breakdown
"Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar:"
This clause sets the scene, indicating the immediate availability of the sour wine. The presence of such a vessel was typical at Roman crucifixion sites, as soldiers often had their common drink nearby. It also highlights the readiness for the fulfillment of the prophetic word.
"and they filled a spunge with vinegar,"
This describes the practical action taken in response to Jesus' cry of "I thirst." A common sponge was used to soak up the liquid, a pragmatic way to administer it to someone in a crucified position.
"and put [it] upon hyssop,"
This detail is highly significant. Instead of a spear or a longer stick, the sponge was placed on a hyssop branch. This specific choice of plant, despite its seemingly small and brittle nature, carries deep symbolic weight, connecting this moment to ancient Israelite rituals of cleansing and the Passover.
"and put [it] to his mouth."
This final action directly addresses Jesus' thirst, bringing the sour wine to His lips. It marks the final physical act of suffering and prophetic fulfillment before Jesus' ultimate declaration of completion.
Literary Devices
John's account in this verse employs several powerful literary devices. Symbolism is prominent, particularly with the mention of "hyssop." This humble plant, deeply embedded in Old Testament rituals of purification and the Passover, symbolizes the cleansing power of Jesus' sacrifice and His identity as the true Passover Lamb. The "vinegar" itself, a bitter and common drink, stands in stark irony as the final drink offered to the One who is the source of "living water" (John 4:10), highlighting the depths of His self-emptying and suffering. Furthermore, the meticulous detail of this scene, especially when read in conjunction with John 19:28, emphasizes Fulfillment of Prophecy, portraying Jesus' actions and experiences not as random events but as divinely orchestrated steps in God's redemptive plan, echoing prophecies like Psalm 69:21.
Theological and Thematic Connections
John 19:29 is a verse rich in theological significance, connecting the physical suffering of Jesus to profound spiritual truths and the overarching narrative of redemption. It underscores the meticulous fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, demonstrating that every detail of Jesus' passion was part of God's sovereign plan. The offering of sour wine, while a moment of intense human suffering for Jesus, simultaneously serves as a powerful symbol of His complete identification with humanity in its weakness and His willingness to endure all things to accomplish salvation. The hyssop, in particular, bridges the Old Covenant sacrificial system with the New Covenant reality, signifying that Jesus' blood is the ultimate means of purification and atonement, far surpassing the temporary cleansing rituals of the past.
Reflection and Application
John 19:29 invites us to gaze upon the cross with deeper understanding and profound gratitude. It reminds us that Jesus' suffering was not a mere historical event but a divinely purposed act, meticulously detailed and prophetically foretold. His cry of "I thirst" reveals His full humanity, His real pain, and His solidarity with our frailties. Yet, even in this moment of vulnerability, He was actively fulfilling Scripture, demonstrating His unwavering obedience to the Father and His commitment to completing the work of salvation. This verse challenges us to consider the immense cost of our redemption and the depth of God's love. It encourages us to trust in God's sovereign control, recognizing that even in the darkest moments, His purposes are being perfectly accomplished. Just as Jesus endured the sour wine for our sake, we are called to embrace His sacrifice as the source of our spiritual life, finding in Him the true living water that satisfies our deepest thirst.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Jesus given vinegar (sour wine) instead of water?
The "vinegar" (Greek: oxos) was a common, inexpensive sour wine, often diluted with water, regularly consumed by Roman soldiers and laborers. It was likely the most readily available liquid at the crucifixion site. While it would offer some relief from intense thirst, it was not a refreshing drink. The offering of this sour wine also directly fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, specifically Psalm 69:21, which foretold that the Messiah would be given "vinegar to drink" in His thirst. This contrasts with the drugged wine Jesus refused earlier (Matthew 27:34), which was meant to dull pain, as He chose to fully experience the suffering for humanity's sins.
What is the significance of the hyssop branch?
The hyssop branch carries profound symbolic meaning, connecting Jesus' crucifixion to key Old Testament rituals. Hyssop was used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to the doorposts in Egypt (Exodus 12:22), signifying protection from judgment. It was also used in various purification ceremonies for cleansing from defilement and sin (Leviticus 14:4-7; Psalm 51:7). By placing the sponge with sour wine on a hyssop branch and lifting it to Jesus' mouth, John subtly but powerfully links Jesus, the ultimate Passover Lamb, to the themes of atonement, cleansing, and redemption through His shed blood.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
John 19:29, though seemingly a minor detail in the crucifixion narrative, is profoundly Christ-centered, revealing the depth of Jesus' redemptive work. His cry of "I thirst" underscores His complete humanity, demonstrating that the Son of God fully entered into human suffering, experiencing the agonizing physical realities of crucifixion. This thirst, satisfied by sour wine, stands in stark contrast to the "living water" that Jesus offers to those who believe in Him, as He declared to the Samaritan woman, "whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst" (John 4:14). The very act of Him thirsting and receiving this bitter drink fulfills prophecy (Psalm 69:21), showcasing His perfect obedience and His deliberate movement towards the completion of God's plan. Furthermore, the use of the hyssop branch is a powerful typological link, identifying Jesus as the true Passover Lamb whose blood provides ultimate purification and atonement, far surpassing the temporary cleansing offered by Old Covenant rituals (1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 9:13-14). Thus, in this moment of His deepest suffering, Jesus, the obedient Son (Philippians 2:8), was fulfilling His mission to become the source of eternal life and spiritual cleansing for all humanity.