Why John is so selective when telling the story of the Crucifixion

Click on this slide and then press the spacebar to advance slides: ➜ (or swipe on a touch screen)

Goal:

To see how John is showing us how to make a personal connection with this story that is life-changing.

1–12 ”Book of Signs”	13–21 ”Book of Glory”

13 A meal with the disciples

14–17 New Teaching
from Jesus
to the disciples

18–20 Arrest
Trials
Crucifixion
Resurrection

21 A meal with the disciples

By taking us in and out seven times with Pilate,
We are forced us to walk in Pilate’s shoes
He is caught between two forces, two choices
The passage makes us think about the pressures in our own lives when making choices
There is a risk in standing with Jesus
Is Jesus really your King, Is Jesus really your Truth?

Show the story: Link to John 19:17–30
Notice how John has marked out each mini-story with an open and close
That is why we are stopping today at v.30 because John has told us that the next section that belongs together is a longer story
- We could have included it, but I wanted us to look at it separately.
Also, the “it is accomplished” is a very strong marker for taking a break and thinking about it.

Carry the cross—just the cross-piece
Why no more detail? Certain groups in Christianity go into huge detail, describing each agonizing step.
1. They would know in those days without it being explained
2. It would move us away from what John wants us to receive
There are so many stories that John leaves out
- A man taking over carrying the cross
- The two men each side of him
- All the other conversations
- The darkness for three hours
- The veil of the temple splitting open
Why?
- John was written long after the Gospels which would be well known, so he could take them as common knowledge
- Another example of this would be the birth of Jesus—totally absent!
- All these other things were important, but not part of John’s focus
Why not explicit about the atonement?
- So clear in the passover
- Also we are going to see this in the Psalm 22 connection
- So why did John select these four stories? —this is such an important question
- John has a single focus, and I want that to be our focus this morning

This might sound like a happy accident, or Pilate trying to taunt the Jewish leaders
But the key to understanding this is to look a few verses earlier:

So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me?
Don’t you know I have the authority to release you, and to crucify you?”
Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above.

The reason John includes it:
Amid the horror, Jesus was calmly in control
We are not to read this story like a horrific tragedy, but as the victory of the king!
It is the title John has set over this story!

This is very well attested as a Roman practice
But why include it? —Two reasons
1. John is connecting us to Psalm 22 which we are going to see in a moment is so important
2. A reason I’m going to hold back for now because I don’t want to spoil the surprise
The key idea for now is the “Jesus in control” theme
- The soldiers might think they are in control, but even hanging on the cross, Jesus is fulfilling Psalm 22

Over against the four uncaring soldiers are four caring women
Have you ever been packing for a trip, and are late and in the hurry you miss something?
This is the opposite, Jesus is about to leave this world
- But no hurry or chaos
- All was measured, including the final act of providing for his Mother

I have put accomplished because “finished” can mean just “done”, but this has the idea of a goal being reached
Three points:
- He chose to do it, to fulfil Scripture – calmly in control
- He had it in his power to let go of life!
- Once again, John is drawing our attention to Psalm 22 (also indirectly to Ps.69)

This, I believe, is the main reason why John has done these two things:
1. Linked Jesus’s story to David’s out of control anxiety and terror
2. Shown us a Jesus who is the King—calm and victorious—In similar circumstances
Rest in Jesus, he is your victory!

This needy and clinging trust is what Jesus uses to connect with us and walk with us
He gives us his victory. As he walks with us, and calms our fears, we join him in his victory over darkness on the cross

Do not be afraid of death, or catastrophe, or any kind of evil
Have a clinging trust in Jesus and he will join to you and walk with you.
There is nothing that you can suffer than he has not defeated.
He gives us his victory. As he walks with us, and calms our fears, we join him in his victory on the cross over darkness.
Spoiler for the next chapter:
Things get better—you can start enjoying the New Creation right now!