The Gospel of John | The King, The Priest, and The New Family – John 19:17-27
Jesus Christ reigns sovereignly, even over death, as our King and High Priest and establishes a new family for those in Him.
Having been whipped and beaten beyond recognition, Pilate declared that Jesus was to be crucified. He was taken, in pain and humiliated, and parade across the town carrying the crossbar of His cross on His back. Roman guards had become extremely adept at not just killing a criminal but in torturing the person in the process. The entire ordeal had been meant to not just punish the criminal but to shame them and those related to them. Punishment would go beyond just the taking of a life but included a creativity in execution meant to serve as an assertion of Rome’s dominance and to deter others for fear of such consequences. The charge Pilate leveled against Jesus had been His public disruption, similar to attempt to incite civil discord and lay claim to the Roman Kingship.
People have often thought that the work of Jesus on the cross had been a reactionary measure or that Jesus had merely been a passive recipient of the action of the people. Nothing could be further from the truth though. Christ serves as the King of the Universe and the High Priest of Heaven. The actions of this passage make His role clearly evident and the mission of Christ is fully on display. When Christ died on the cross, it not only tore down the divisions between ourselves and God but repaired the breach we had with one another.
The High Priest and Perfect Sacrifice
The role of the Priest in the Old Covenant had been to minister to God on behalf of man. Every year they would offer sacrifices as an atonement for the sins of the people. Jesus, taking on flesh sought to do exactly that. The mission of Christ on earth had been to stand before the Father on behalf of mankind as the perfect High Priest. This is evidently seen in Christ’s under garment. John specifically mentions the nature of its weave and the uniqueness of it being one piece of clothings rather than two sown together. For the contemporary reader, this would have conjured up a connection to the High Priestly garments. It had been significant that these garments remains untouched, whole, and perfect as would have been required by the levitical standards. That they did not tear this clothing showed the people the nature of Christ’s work as the True High Priest.
Jesus is our greater High Priest who brings the perfect sacrifice to God on behalf of mankind. Jesus, though, brings the sacrifice of Himself as the propitiation of the sins of mankind. Only through Jesus Christ can the righteous requirements of holiness be upheld while grace is extended to its recipients. As our High Priest, Jesus represents us to God Himself as one of us. He offers the sacrifice to pay for sin and declares those whose faith is in Him to be forgiven fully and completely. With the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once and for all, we no longer need to continually offer sacrifices. The blood of Christ is fully sufficient for the work of salvation in mankind on our behalf.
- How is Jesus acting as High Priest in this passage?
The King In and Over Death
As Jesus hung on the cross, Pilate inscribe a wooden tablet with the charge leveled against Him “King of the Jews.” This was undoubtedly meant to serve as a warning against those who would seek to overthrow Rome as even the King of the Jews would be no match for Caesar. Furthermore this sign had been written in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin so that all who passed by would be able to understand the charge and humiliation of Jesus Christ. Seeing this, the High Priests objected at the inscription saying that Jesus had not actually been the King of the Jews but Pilate refused to relent leaving the charge against Jesus unchanged.
While Pilate and the High Priests sought to crucify Jesus and mark Him as a false King, they unknowingly affirmed the true Kingship of Jesus Christ over all creation. Unintentionally the inscription above Jesus had communicated the truth accurately. He is the King of the Jews but moreso over all creation. Furthermore, as the Roman guards gambled for His clothing, we see the fulfillment of scripture and prophecy. Everything had been going according to the divine plan of a sovereign God. Nothing that occurred happened outside of God’s direct will and influence. The death of Jesus Christ, brutally murdered on the cross, revealed the divine sovereignty of God to glorify Himself through an act of grace for those He loves. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, bow to His rule and reign knowing that, in Him, our life is secure and steadfast because His strength is stronger than all the universe.
- Where do you see the assertion of Christ as King in this passage?
The New Family of God
Throughout this passage, the notion of family always seems to loom at hand. While the Roman guards had gambled away His clothing, the four women also drew near to Jesus as He died on the cross. Each of the women had some familial type relationship with Jesus Christ, except for Mary Magdalen. His mother Mary was present along with her sister, Jesus’ aunt. Mary the wife of Clopas made her Jesus’ aunt on Joseph’s side. Furthermore, there is specific attention given to the relationship between Mary and John, the Beloved Disciple. With Christ’s death, the responsibility of caring for Mary would be passed to John. Even though other brothers of Jesus could have taken up the mantle of bringing Mary into their home, for whatever reason, Jesus ensured that John would be the one to treat Mary as his own mother and John and Mary’s own son. Though they had not been family previously, in Christ, they become family to one another.
Those who abide in Christ have no longer become spiritual orphans or only children. Instead, in Christ, we find ourselves joining the family of Christ through our being united with Him. The body of Christ is not just a collection of people who believe the same thing or even a task force of individuals on the same mission. Those in Christ have become a family to love and support one another. When Christians love one another as family, it testifies to the source of that love and its overwhelming and unending power to unite and restore those who had once gone astray. As Christians, we care for one another as we would members of our own family. We take them in when it would be easier or more convenient to turn a blind eye. We give them chances upon chances always welcoming them home. Finally, we put aside any differences or arguments we may have with one another, forgiving one another and loving one another even when they do not deserve it. The love of Christ bonds us together as family with one another for the glory of God.
- What is the significance of how Jesus established the relationship between Mary and John?
Discussion Questions
- What is the significance of Jesus Christ as our High Priest? How does He compare with the other High Priests of that day?
- What does this passage reveal to us about the nature of Jesus Christ in the world? What does it reveal to us about His motive and mission for being in the world?
- How does a life submitting to the Kingship of Jesus Christ differ from a life not submitting? Why should a person submit to the Kingship of Jesus Christ?
- Where do you succeed in treating others in the body of Christ as family? Where could you better submit to the unity in Jesus Christ by extending grace and forgiveness to members of the body of Christ?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
