John 19:32-36
19:34 a To confirm that Jesus was dead, a Roman soldier pierced his side with a spear.• blood and water flowed out: This has several levels of meaning: (1) The spear probably punctured Jesus’ pericardium, the sac around the heart, releasing these fluids. (2) John might have been thinking of more Passover symbolism. The Passover lamb’s blood had to flow as it died. (3) The water flowing from Jesus’ side reminds readers of the language of living water that Jesus had used earlier (see 4:10-14 b; 7:37-39 c).
19:35 d John was at the foot of the cross (19:26 e). He was not simply a collector of traditions about Jesus, but an eyewitness giving an accurate account of the events of Jesus’ life (cp. 21:24 f). This same confidence can be seen in the opening of John’s first letter (1 Jn 1:1-4 g).
19:36 h “Not one of his bones will be broken”: The Passover lamb could have no broken bones (Exod 12:46 i; Num 9:12 j); Jesus was the perfect Passover lamb (cp. Ps 34:20 k; see also 1 Cor 5:7 l).
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