Jesus is Essential
John 19:16–19: Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away. And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
John does not give us a picture of the Crucifixion. He mentions the place but gives very few details. You will recall that every bit of the sin offering was taken outside the camp into a clean place. Just as the Lord Jesus fulfilled prophecy concerning Himself, so He also fulfills the types in the Old Testament. Our sin offering, the Lord Jesus Christ, was taken outside the city.
The writer to the Hebrews emphasizes the fact that our Lord suffered outside the gate. You will notice that I have made no attempt to harmonize the other Gospels with the Gospel of John. They are each different, and each is written for a different purpose. You need to put all four of them together to find the complete statement written on the Cross. 1
Walking with Jesus
When we are feeling the pains of this life, it may do our soul well to read again the various Gospel accounts of His trial, scourging, and crucification. We should never forget what it cost to set us free, and we should never live so freely that we cheapen the price that was paid.
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hebrews 13:12
Jesus submitted to the worst death possible, so we could have eternal life.
Praying
Lord, thank You for bearing my sin and my punishment for my salvation.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 11-21) (electronic ed., Vol. 39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
