The Gospel of John 19:32 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.” (John 19:32 KJV).

This procedure of breaking the legs of the crucified is only applied with rarity when needed to hasten their death. This is a very cruel process on top of the barbaric crucifixion. On the cross, a person is actually nailed through the complex ligaments of the wrists to magnify the pain. It's not by the palm of the hand. Then, the feet are nailed as well through the ligaments near the joints of feet and legs, with knees bent slightly. The mechanics are to give the person a legroom to push up for breathing when their back slump trying to ease the pain on the wrists. So, they push up their knees to loosen their back, and the pain from the feet would also be excruciating. But, one needs to push up loosening the lungs to breathe. With legs broken, their death would be hasten by suffocation. That’s the cruelty of dying on the cross. With Sabbath Passover Feast celebration at hand, the religious Jews invoked the use of leg-breaking to ensure that execution is done. That’s so there are no hanging bodies on the cross during the feast. Hence, the soldiers broke the legs of the two criminals.

One notable event that happened in this instance, with the two criminals hanging along side with the Lord Jesus Christ, was the interaction these men had with the Lord. In Luke’s account, it is written: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.””(Luke 23:39-43 NIV).

This is such a compelling and reassuring reminder for us all, especially those who are still watching on the sidelines, or perhaps those that are duped by rituals of religion trying hard to make themselves look good by their work of self-effort and indulgences to be accepted by the Lord, or maybe those who utterly reject the Lord. Here, the Lord Jesus Christ shows us that we can come to Him as we are, with no make over, like the thief hanging on the Lord’s side. We just have to believe Him (John 6:29), who is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The Lord Jesus gives us this promise: ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3 ESV)

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

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