For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
At Calvary the two men crucified with Jesus were still alive so soldiers broke their legs to hasten their deaths, but Jesus was already dead so His legs were left unbroken. This fulfilled the Scripture that none of His bones would be broken, with the events of His crucifixion occurring literally and exactly as declared. It also fulfilled the Passover ordinance that no bone of the sacrificial lamb be broken, which required the sacrifice to remain whole. The unbroken, whole and perfect lamb identifies Him as the Lamb of God who died for humanity, and represents the completeness of His sacrifice.
What Happened at Calvary
The two men crucified with Jesus were still alive, so the soldiers broke their legs to hasten their deaths, but Jesus was already dead and His legs were left unbroken. His limbs were not broken while those crucified beside Him had their legs broken. His sudden death came from a supernatural cause, which seemed a great mystery to onlookers who could not reason it out or explain it.
He had truly died, as the centurion confirmed to Pilate. His hands and feet were nailed, and after death a soldier pierced His side with a spear. Blood and water came out from His pierced side.
That outflow from His side was recorded by an eyewitness as true so that readers might believe. His suffering came as Satan raged against God and people treated the Son of God cruelly.
Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ
His legs were left unbroken while the legs of the two thieves crucified with Him were broken because they were still alive and He was already dead, and this fulfilled the Scripture that not a bone of Him should be broken. The events of His crucifixion occurred in keeping with that prophecy. The prophecy of His sufferings and death was fulfilled in Him literally and exactly as declared, and He pointed to His own death as the fulfillment of what was written of Him.
This also fulfilled the Passover ordinance concerning the sacrificial lamb that none of its bones was to be broken and that the sacrifice was to remain whole. Although the soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified beside Him to hasten their deaths, they left His body unbroken because He was already dead. His death therefore fulfilled the Passover pattern.
His unbroken body met the requirement that the Passover sacrifice be whole and perfect, identifying Him as the Lamb of God who died for humanity. No bone of Christ was broken, fulfilling the Passover-lamb pattern. The unbroken lamb represented the completeness of His sacrifice.
Wounds Beheld in Glory
Those who drove the nails through His hands and feet and the soldier who pierced His side will behold those very wounds when Christ appears in glory. This beholding takes place at the close of the thousand years, when the wicked dead are raised and see Him descending in glory. The marks left by the nails and the spear are then His glory. They are beheld with terror and remorse.
At Calvary the two men crucified with Jesus were still alive so soldiers broke their legs to hasten their deaths, but Jesus was already dead so His legs were left unbroken. This fulfilled the Scripture that none of His bones would be broken, with the events of His crucifixion occurring literally and exactly as declared. It also fulfilled the Passover ordinance that no bone of the sacrificial lamb be broken, which required the sacrifice to remain whole. The unbroken, whole and perfect lamb identifies Him as the Lamb of God who died for humanity, and represents the completeness of His sacrifice.
What Happened at Calvary
The two men crucified with Jesus were still alive, so the soldiers broke their legs to hasten their deaths, but Jesus was already dead and His legs were left unbroken. His limbs were not broken while those crucified beside Him had their legs broken. His sudden death came from a supernatural cause, which seemed a great mystery to onlookers who could not reason it out or explain it.
He had truly died, as the centurion confirmed to Pilate. His hands and feet were nailed, and after death a soldier pierced His side with a spear. Blood and water came out from His pierced side.
That outflow from His side was recorded by an eyewitness as true so that readers might believe. His suffering came as Satan raged against God and people treated the Son of God cruelly.
Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ
His legs were left unbroken while the legs of the two thieves crucified with Him were broken because they were still alive and He was already dead, and this fulfilled the Scripture that not a bone of Him should be broken. The events of His crucifixion occurred in keeping with that prophecy. The prophecy of His sufferings and death was fulfilled in Him literally and exactly as declared, and He pointed to His own death as the fulfillment of what was written of Him.
This also fulfilled the Passover ordinance concerning the sacrificial lamb that none of its bones was to be broken and that the sacrifice was to remain whole. Although the soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified beside Him to hasten their deaths, they left His body unbroken because He was already dead. His death therefore fulfilled the Passover pattern.
His unbroken body met the requirement that the Passover sacrifice be whole and perfect, identifying Him as the Lamb of God who died for humanity. No bone of Christ was broken, fulfilling the Passover-lamb pattern. The unbroken lamb represented the completeness of His sacrifice.
Wounds Beheld in Glory
Those who drove the nails through His hands and feet and the soldier who pierced His side will behold those very wounds when Christ appears in glory.
This beholding takes place at the close of the thousand years, when the wicked dead are raised and see Him descending in glory.
The marks left by the nails and the spear are then His glory.
They are beheld with terror and remorse.