“The Unsearchable Love of Jesus”, words and music by Paul Hayden
JOHN 19.31-37: Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. (32) So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. (33) But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. (34) But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. (35) He who saw it has borne witness — his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth — that you may also believe. (36) For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” (37) And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” (ESV)
The above verses are the eyewitness testimony from John the Apostle. He was right there, close within listening distance from Jesus. John saw the working of the Roman soldiers and heard the actual words of Jesus spoken. John’s Gospel is the only Gospel which records Jesus speaking, “It is finished”. John was the only disciple to have such a vantage point.
The significance of the breaking of the legs of people crucified might seem an oddity, but it was a practice used during crucifixion to speed up the process of death. The person crucified would lose his ability to raise his body so he could keep breathing. The other two crucified with Jesus did have their legs broken.
John gives the account in detail regarding Jesus’ legs not being broken. This is a huge spiritual and theological issue regarding the body of Jesus being a perfect, righteous sacrifice. The regulations for the Jewish Passover observance required that none of the bones of the sacrificial lamb be broken. This is further amplified in Psalm 34. 19-20 where David the psalmist says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (20) He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (ESV) These two verses are God’s promise to people who would seek to live righteous lives. And they especially apply to and are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed on the cross as God’s final act of providing redemption to all who will put his or her trust in Jesus.
If Jesus’ legs had been broken, then this promise of Psalm 34.20 would have been negated, and the regulation of the Passover observance would be been violated. And so we see that at the very end of God’s plan of redemption the push was made to bring it all to nothing.
But God the Father was never going to let that happen. Jesus was and is the only Holy, Righteous person to ever live. No one else can claim a life of righteousness. Jesus was the Holy sacrifice. And furthermore, God would never let the schemes of men cut in on His plan. Neither the Jewish religious leaders, nor Pilate, nor the Roman soldiers could have ever taken the life of Jesus. He gave his life willingly because of his love for all people.