Passage of the Day - December 11, 2012

John 19:31-37

³¹ Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), 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 man and of the other who was crucified with Him; ³³ but coming to Jesus, when they 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 immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. ³⁶ For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

What is the significance of Christ’s legs not being broken?  Have you ever wondered about that?  Sure, it keeps with the ordinances concerning the Passover lamb, but what was the significance of the lamb’s bones not being broken.  I would argue that everything in the Old Testament was a foretaste of the New.  Jesus Christ was pierced, scourged, nailed, hung on a cross, spat upon, and placed in a tomb to rot, but Jesus Christ was never broken.  Let me say that again.  The Word of God was pierced, scourged, nailed, hung on a cross, spat upon, and placed in a tomb to rot, but the Word of God was never broken.  The significance of no bone of Jesus being broken is that God’s Word was never broken.  God’s Word can never be broken because God is true.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Used by permission." (http://www.lockman.org/)