John 19:31

¶ The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away.

The Jews {G2453} therefore {G3767}, because {G1893} it was {G2258}{G2258} the preparation {G3904}, that {G3363} the bodies {G4983} should {G3306} not {G3363} remain {G3306} upon {G1909} the cross {G4716} on {G1722} the sabbath day {G4521},(for {G1063} that {G1565} sabbath day {G4521} was {G2258} an high {G3173} day {G2250},) besought {G2065} Pilate {G4091} that {G2443} their {G846} legs {G4628} might be broken {G2608}, and {G2532} that they might be taken away {G142}.

It was Preparation Day, and the Judeans did not want the bodies to remain on the stake on Shabbat, since it was an especially important Shabbat. So they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the sabbath (for the day of that sabbath was a high day), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Commentary

John 19:31 describes the urgent request made by the Jewish leaders to Pontius Pilate concerning the bodies of those crucified, including Jesus, as the Sabbath approached. This verse highlights the strict adherence to Jewish law regarding the handling of the dead, especially on a day of such religious significance.

Historical and Cultural Context

The phrase "the preparation" refers to the day before the Sabbath, which was Friday. In this specific instance, it was not just a regular weekly Sabbath but an "high day," meaning it coincided with the Passover feast. This made it an exceptionally sacred Sabbath, amplifying the religious imperative to remove crucified bodies before sundown, when the Sabbath officially began. Jewish law, particularly as found in Deuteronomy 21:23, stipulated that the bodies of those executed should not remain overnight on a tree or cross, especially not on a Sabbath. The request to break the legs (a practice known as crurifragium) was a brutal but effective method to hasten death for crucified victims, preventing them from pushing up to breathe and thus ensuring they would expire before the Sabbath commenced.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Legal Purity vs. Moral Injustice: The verse strikingly illustrates the religious leaders' meticulous concern for ceremonial purity and adherence to the law, even as they had just orchestrated a profound act of injustice by condemning an innocent man. Their focus was on avoiding defilement of the Sabbath, rather than on the moral implications of Jesus' crucifixion.
  • The Urgency of the Hour: The impending "high day" Sabbath created a pressing need to finalize the executions and remove the bodies, setting the stage for the rapid events that followed Jesus' death.
  • Divine Providence: Although driven by human religious custom, this urgency and the subsequent events (like Jesus' death occurring before His legs could be broken) ultimately served to fulfill Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, particularly that not one of His bones would be broken.

Linguistic Insights

The term "high day" (Greek: megale hemera) emphasizes the extraordinary nature of this particular Sabbath. It was not merely a weekly day of rest but also the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed the Passover meal. This convergence made it a uniquely solemn and important day in the Jewish calendar, necessitating strict observance of the law regarding defilement.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us of the dangers of prioritizing legalistic observance over true righteousness, mercy, and justice. The religious leaders were scrupulous about external rituals while blind to the profound spiritual truth standing before them. For believers today, it serves as a caution against ritualism without a corresponding heart transformation and genuine love for God and neighbor. Furthermore, it highlights God's sovereign control, demonstrating how even the seemingly mundane or malevolent actions of humans can unwittingly contribute to the unfolding of His divine plan and the fulfillment of His promises, as seen in the precise timing of Jesus' death.

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Cross-References

  • John 19:14 (10 votes)

    And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

  • John 19:42 (7 votes)

    There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation [day]; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

  • Mark 15:42 (5 votes)

    ¶ And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

  • Joshua 8:29 (4 votes)

    And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, [that remaineth] unto this day.

  • Leviticus 23:7 (3 votes)

    In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

  • Leviticus 23:16 (3 votes)

    Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

  • Joshua 10:26 (3 votes)

    And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.