Bible Groups - Digests of Bible Commentaries

Gospel of John - Chapter 19

1 Jesus as king is the centre of the two chapter chiasm. No speech in this scene - just actions. Jesus is prepared as a mock king - the coronation begins with a scourging. Literally “Pilate ‘received’ Jesus” - Cf authority given to those who ‘receive’ Jesus (1:12) but here it is irony. Scourging is integral part of crucifixion, normally after sentence to weaken the prisoner before crucifixion. John moves it to centre of these two chapters - can then have Pilate present Jesus as king to the crowd to see if they have pity on him.
2 Inside for the central scene in these two chapters: the thorough mocking with kingly symbols - crown (which also mocks the winner’s laurel wreath) and purple robe - of him who is truly king. Irony that Gentiles mock Jesus - before this gospel was written Gentiles accepted Jesus as King without mockery.
3 Jesus even “draws to himself” these most distant of people, the mocking soldiers. The slap underlines the lack of sincerity, and reminds us of the high priest officer’s slap (18:22). Again, for John, Roma and Judea are equal partners.
4 Surprisingly, after the Judeans’ rejection of Jesus, Pilate goes outside to the Judeans again, thus reversing the Judeans’ threat to cast outside anyone who confessed Jesus as messiah, (9:22,34), but Pilate is also now ‘outside’, having refused to hear Jesus’ voice and be led (10:4; 18:37). Although Pilate claims to have led Jesus out, he has merely led him to the wolves. He has Jesus displayed for the crowd to see: another declaration - twice - by Pilate of Jesus’ innocence, parallelling 18:38-40, and making a ritual three disclaimers, similar to Peter’s three denials.
5 Although Pilate claimed to be bringing Jesus out, Jesus comes out of his own volition - he is still in charge, and dressed in royal symbols. A pitiable figure of a king, after scourging. “Ecce homo” - contempt for the wretched victim - or showing the newly crowned king to his people? Echo of Zech 6:11-13.
6 The cry to crucify Jesus is from the chief priests and the guards - all fellow conspirators or their employees - the general crowd is ambiguously at a distance, different from the synoptics who all implicate the crowd as well. John’s is a more contained encounter. But this is the first mention of crucifixion - a terrible indictment of brotherly rejection - as if black slaves were calling a white sheriff to lynch a black neighbour. After his third declaration of Jesus’ innocence, Pilate’s “Take him yourselves etc” is neither condemnation nor permission: rather more “Go ahead - do what you will on your own responsibility”.
7 The real religious Judean motive is declared: “because he made himself Son of God” (10:31-39) - a claim contested by the Judeans throughout this gospel (5:18; 8:59). “We have a law” ie the whole law, not one particular statute.
8 Pilate frightened by talk of Son of God, though source of his fear not clear. What has thrown Pilate off course? Perhaps a glimmer of truth, as the soldiers at the garden (18:6)? The possiblity that Jesus has divine powers? Or talk of God is outside his experience? Could this be the first time he has heard the real reason the Judeans want to kill Jesus?
9 Inside for second dialogue, Pilate, no longer mocking, but with increasing fear and wonder, now interrogates Jesus on his origin. Not the expected question “Who are you?”, but as John’s gospel insists throughout “Where are you from?” - Jesus is from God. Jesus remains silent, certain to be misunderstood. And readers are also aware that Jesus cannot reveal the truth to Pilate because he has already shown himself unable to “hear” Jesus’ voice (18:37).
10 In face of Jesus’ silence, Pilate uses the prosecutor’s usual trump card - Cf ‘contempt of court’, thus deflecting the opportunity for a real dialogue into a demand for a coerced confession.
11 But to Pilate’s claim to power Jesus, instead of again remaining silent, surprisingly and gently puts him right, and places the blame where it truly rests. Pilate’s authority comes ‘from above’ (Cf Nicodemus 3:3). Here again there is double meaning: for Pilate ‘from above’ means from Caesar, but Jesus means from God. Neither Nicodemus nor Pilate can understand, both being captive of their office. Jesus reminds us that his death is not the victory for his enemies that it seems, but follows the divine plan (10:17-18). But Jesus also insists that he who handed him over is guilty, even though part of God’s plan. The greater sin is that by “the one who handed” Jesus over - ie Judas: the greatest sin comes from the evil within the community, not from the powers in the world.
12 Jesus’ confident answer further unnerves Pilate and puts him back on defensive. He now seeks to release Jesus. Mockery before (18:39), now it is for real. The stakes are raised. Clearly Pilate has no real power over Jesus. The first part of Jesus’ answer implies no threat of conspiracy to Pilate, but the mention of sin does. Implies to Pilate the possibility of error or mistake. But his office does not allow him to get off the hook so easily.
Outside again for the final condemnation by Pilate, drawn from him by the repeat of the accusation that Jesus, in making himself king, challenges Caesar. Only John explains clearly why Pilate gives in - he would be denounced to Caesar for not punishing a so-called king, and not be a “Friend of Caesar” - later an honorific title bestowed for merit, or on partners (Cf Right Honorable). Contrasts here with Jesus call to his disciples as friends (15:14-15). Pilate must choose his friend, and decide the meaning of friendship. As for the Pharisees (9:40-10:18), he cannot have it both ways - either you are for Jesus or against him. Either commit yourself to an oppressive system or walk away from it - platitudes will not do. This is the third cry by the chief priests: Barabbas, crucifixion, loyalty to Caesar. The first two were their own interests, now Pilate’s interest is involved too. These cries appear to penetrate to Pilate inside, blurring the boundaries. Pilate is now forced to choose between two kings: Caesar and Jesus, just as he had forced the crowd to choose between Barabbas and Jesus.
13 Moves again to Gabbatha. Surely it is Pilate who sits on the judgement seat - necessary for capital sentence - not Jesus. Or is John insisting that Jesus is here the judge? By linking the judgement seat to the Stone Pavement - in Hebrew - associated with Herod, never mentioned in this gospel, John ties the place of judgement with the cooperation of the Jewish authorities.
14 It is noon: as the Lamb of God (1:29) is sentenced, the Passover lambs are starting to be sacrificed by the priests in the Temple. Should be slaughtered at evening, but cult manipulated to accommodate the large numbers, so anytime after noon was ok - and slaughtering continued all afternoon. Mark has Jesus crucified “at the third hour”, ie between 9am and noon (Mk15:25). What began in darkness now has midday brightness on it - the foul deeds will not be covered over. This is the second ‘sixth hour’ in this gospel - previous was at the Samaritan well. Now another non-Jew is faced with testing in the brightness of noon. After drawing out the suspense for two verses, Pilate shows a bit more fight and challenges the Judeans by ironically proclaiming the “truth” that Jesus is their King - not his. But he leaves the death sentence for the Judeans to pass - again (11:53).
15 First the Judeans cry “Take him away” - a verb airo using many times in this gospel for actions central to Jesus’ mission: take away the sin of the world (1:29); taking away unfruitful branches (15:2); not taking away the disciples from the world (17:15), etc, etc. This taking away is the culmination of Jesus’ mission. Pilate tries a last desperate appeal - do they want him to crucify their king? The the final, dreadful confession by the chief priests “We have no king but Caesar” - blasphemy, since for Jews only Yahweh was king. The Chosen People have abandoned their birthright and messianic expectations, for which the Passover sacrifices are already being made. One of the bitterest ironies in the Bible. An ancient Passover prayer has “we have no king but thee”. Also contradicts their original reason for trying to kill Jesus - that otherwise he would cause the Romans to destroy them as a nation (11:48,50) - they have no ceded rule to Rome. For this gospel denying God as their king was implicit since Tabernacles, but now it is explicit: those who oppose Jesus are not children of God or Abraham. Throughout their history, while frequently straying from God’s law, the Jews have waited for a king of Israel who would free them from oppression - now they have preferred the oppressor-king himself. For John the rift is now complete: the Chosen People are now those who belong to Jesus - the Johannine community.
16 Responsibility for Jesus’ death is shared between Judas, a disciple; Pilate, a Roman; and the Jewish authorities, emphasised by Pilate handing Jesus over “to them”, although in practical terms Pilate handed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers (19:23) to carry out the execution. The gospels attempt to lay the blame fully on the Judeans, but in practice the Romans cannot escape their share. In Pilate John dramatises his thesis that those who would avoid the judgement provoked by Jesus do not belong to the truth (9:18-23; 12:42-43). Jesus is handed back to “his own”, those who have never received him.
In John the crucifixion takes only 13 verses, omitting many of the details in the synoptics. John concentrates on what is theologically important.
Elements in Mark not in John
Simon of Cyrene helps carry the Cross
Jesus wine-drugged with myrrh
Movement from 3^rd to 6^th to 9^th hours
Naming of those alongside as lestes
Blaspheming bystanders
Mocking chief priests and scribes
Reproach of the others on crosses
Darkness from 6^th to 9^th hour
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Question about Elijah
Centurion’s proclamation
“Many other women” looking from afar
Elements in John not in Mark
Jesus carries Cross alone
“Title” - not “inscription” - in 3 languages
“The Nazarene” in the inscription
Argument between chief priests and Pilate over words
Division of outer garments into 4, 1 each
Seamless inner garment, woven “from above”.
Fulfillment of scriptures in sharing Jesus’ clothes.
Beloved Disciple at the Cross
Jesus’ words to his mother and Beloved Disciple
Jesus’ knowledge that all things completed
“I am thirsty”
“It is completed”
“Handing over” of Jesus’ Spirit
Two completely different pictures: Mark’s picture is of a “suffering servant”, feeling abandoned, but remaining obedient, and easy for us to identify with the pain, terror and ugliness. John shows a royal enthronement, with God’s agent lifted up in glory for all the world to behold, but keeping Jesus “above” all others and so apart from us as well, making it difficult for us to identify with his experience. Throughout this gospel John has not helped us to identify with Jesus, but to strengthen our belief that Jesus is the One sent by God to draw all people to him. God’s ways are not our ways: Jesus’ death, which appears from “below” to be final victory by darkness, is filled with light and glory in this gospel.
16b Although Pilate has handed Jesus over to a Roman execution, Rome is not solely responsible: “they” suggests that it is the chief priests of v15 who now - literally - “receive alongside ” Jesus - the very priests whose function on this day at this hour is to receive and sacrifice the paschal lambs for the people. The verb “receive alongside” is used twice before: 1:11 “his own would not receive him”; and 14:3 Jesus promised to come again and “receive” the disciples to himself”. Now those who were “his own”, but did not receive him in the sense of believing, receive him to put him to death - which will take Jesus to the place he will prepare for his new “own”.
17 But whether handed over to Roman soldiers or chief priests, Jesus remains in control, carrying the cross himself. John is not denying Simon of Cyrene, but concentrates on Jesus accepting his own dearth. Again the Aramaic place name emphasises that the Jews are involved. Latin for Golgotha is Calvaria. The verb “carrying” was used before: 16:12 things that his disciples could not “bear” now; 10:31 stones “carried” by Judeans to stone Jesus. What the disciples could not bear, and the Judeans could not accomplish, Jesus does willingly, without help. This is the first mention in this gospel of a cross: only now does metaphor give way to the reality of death, which cannot be denied - one of the main battles with gnosticism, which denied the value of martyrdom. The historical fact of crucifixion must also be proclaimed. The last “went out” in this series of comings in and out is by Jesus. The similar sounding aramaic translations, Gabbatha and Golgotha, links the two sites. “Skull” reminds us of death - most dead prisoners would be left to be scavenged by animals.
18 The two others crucified with Jesus are here completely unspecified, effaced, and even their location is neutral “one either side” - no right and left: the opposition here is between Jesus in the middle, and the others where Jesus has come from. (Cf also Ex 25:22).
19 Oral tradition preserved the substance of the inscription, but the wording differs in all 4 gospels. Only John tells us it was in three languages for the entire world to understand: Jesus’ kingship is universal, proclaimed from the Cross to the whole world. Moreover John calls it a “Title”, as befits an enthronement, not “inscription” as in Mark and Luke, nor “charge” as in Matt. And only John includes “the Nazorene”: irony of the world’s final misunderstanding - Jesus is proclaimed king from Nazareth, not from God; and the one they sought in the garden (18:5,7) is now proclaimed “king of the Judeans”. Added detail that place is near city, and many people saw the title: moves the plot to the expected reaction, and tells us that many people went to view the spectacle - was this usual, or was this seen as special event?
20 The chief priests urge Pilate to change his words - but what they ask him to write, that Jesus “made himself king”, Jesus did not say - another lie by the children of the devil, a false charge, which Pilate three times refused to accept.
21 The wording provokes a final confrontation between high priests and Pilate. Pilate probably felt like telling them to “get lost!”, probably with disgust at this further request.
22 Pilate prophetically insists his wording is not altered - truth is insisted on by one who disclaimed knowledge of the truth - the gentiles will ultimately uphold the kingship of Christ. Confirms Jesus’ response in 18:37. Let those who insisted he condemn an innocent man squirm a little at a title that insults them. Could even be seen as Pilate finally acknowledging the truth about Jesus, a truth which Jesus’ opponents desperately seek to reject, proclaiming it as an imperial inscription in 3 languages, able to be read by all - Jews, Greeks and Romans.
23 Only John quotes Ps 22:18/19, and sees both lines carried out separately - Scripture is fulfilled exactly - Jesus is in charge. “Outer garments” - plural - probably refers to clothes normally worn by a Jew: robe, belt, sandals, and head-covering. Referring to soldiers reinforces Pilate’s “title” and shows that Rome is still involved and will not tolerate threats to its rule. While actual crucifixion was carried out by Roman soldiers, the ambiguous “they” in v 16, with “soldiers” here, reinforces the mutual responsibility by both Rome and the chief priests - at least in spirit. Significance of “four” soldiers and division of clothes into 4 portions not known - perhaps four corners of the world? In contrast Jesus’ inner garment was - unusually - “seamless, woven in one piece from the top down” - a threefold emphasis, perhaps referring to Jesus’ inner life which cannot be torn to pieces like his body would be if left for the animals. Jesus’ oneness with the Father “from the beginning” is not subject to division. The use of “from above” alerts John’s readers to the significance of this verse. Jesus’ being, like those who receive the invitation to be reborn, is “from above”, giving a wholeness which cannot be split. Not a gnostic rejection of the body as evil, but a realistic recognition of the distinction between the fragile body and the eternal spirit. And also of the distinction between political power, which allows Jesus; outer garments to be split, but which cannot destroy his inner garment.
24 John cites Ps 42, as do the synoptics: it is closely connected in tradition to the crucifixion. Given John’s perspective, without mocking or much stress on suffering, this is the only way John could work this Psalm into this scene, although John goes on to insist that the soldiers’ actions are historical fact. The soldiers did “these things” - a phase that has come to mean in this gospel either the things Jesus says and does that come from God, and the things the world does because it does not know God - the giving and protecting of eternal life vs the taking and destroying of earthly life. Reminds us that religious commitment requires daily practice of life giving, not just cultic formulas. Only John stresses the seamless tunic, similar to a priest’s alb - perhaps implying that Jesus dies also as priest, although John’s stress is on Jesus’ kingship. Or stressing Christian unity?
25 Having described the reactions of the world to Jesus’ crucifixion, John turns to Jesus’ followers, emphasising the brightness of their witness by placing the words “standing by the Cross” before identifying the women. John concentrates at the foot of the Cross on Jesus and “his own”, rather than reactions of bystanders. “his mother’s sister” is unlikely to be named Mary, so Mary wife of Clopas probably different - ie 4 women. Synoptics also have 4 women, including Salome, probably mother of James and John Zebedee: if this is the unnamed sister of Jesus’ mother, the sons of Zebedee would be Jesus’ cousins. But in the synoptics the women are at a distance, and only mentioned after Jesus’ death, while all the other disciples have flown. Here they are near, while Jesus is still alive, with one disciple. Presence of Jesus’ mother startles us - we have not heard about her since Cana, yet here she witnesses Jesus’ suffering. Perhaps the four women are counterparts to the four soldiers.
26 The women are not alone - the presence of the Beloved Disciple underscores the absence of Peter. Jesus’ mother referred to as “the” mother of Jesus - to be transformed into the mother of the beloved one. We assume that Mary and John know each other, but there is nothing in this gospel to justify this.
Many interpretations, some based on importing symbols not hinted at directly here, but giving rise to mariological piety of 12^th century.:-
- Jesus’ mother now given the role of mother of the ideal disciples - at Cana her family request brought rebuke: discipleship takes priority over family demands
- Jesus’ mother and the disciple whom he loved are brought into a mother-son relationship, making a community od disciples who are mother and brother to him. Jesus’ mission completed with care and provision made for “his own”.
- Within the context of Jesus handing over his Spirit (v 30) and the blood and water (v 34), linking Mary and John (both unnamed) in this central position may symbolise the birth of the Christian community. - As a re-creation event, with echoes of Genesis in the conflict between Jesus and Satan and his offspring (Judas), the woman, the woman’s seed, and the garden.
- Mary as symbol of mother church
- woman of victory, reversing Eve.
- Jesus hour had not come at Cana, but now it has, and his mother is given a role in salvation as mother (symbolising the church) of Christians (symbolised by the beloved disciple)
- Mary as representative of those seeking salvation, she is supported by the disciple who interprets Jesus’ revelation
- the reconciliation of Jewish and Gentile Christianity
- or of Israel and the Christian community.
Mary’s antetype is Rachel, with John’s antetype Benjamin restored to her (Gen 43-45).
Whatever meaning we see, Jesus challenges us from the Cross to form new relationships and generate new communities, to ponder the meaning of being open to “receive” into one’s “own” whatever or whoever God sends.
27 “that hour” - the birth of the church?
28 With the commission to his mother and the disciple, Jesus has finished the work he came to do. “I thirst” could refer either to Ps 69:21/22 or Ps 22:15 - the suffering servant. Also recalls Jesus’ words to the woman at the well, “having laboured on the journey”: then he got no drink, now his earthly labours are completed and he does get a drink.
29 Hyssop is a strange substitute for a reed: but hyssop dipped in the blood of the Paschal lamb was used to smear the doorposts at the Passover( Ex 12:22). Also could refer to purging with hyssop (Ps 51:7). Could be seen as fulfilling the words about “drinking the cup” which the Father has given (18:11): “When Jesus received the wine he said ‘It is completed’”. The Beloved Disciple has received the mother to initiate the new era, Jesus received the sour wine to complete the old era. The bitter wine would temporarily quench thirst but also might prolong the agony - a mixed blessing, and the “they” who gave Jesus the drink are left unspecified. We must take care lest an act of apparent love is the opposite. The wine recalls the wine at Cana, but now it is sour: the promise of messianic bounty has turned into murder of the messiah. The new relationship between the mother and the Beloved Disciple should be celebrated, but it is so only with sour wine.
30 Rather than yielding up his spirit, as in the Synoptics, John has Jesus regally “handing over” his Spirit, as if to the disciple, or to the believing community just established, as promised (7:39; 19:34; 20:22). Jesus’ death-glorification releases his Spirit into the world. He dies at a time of his own choosing. Jesus hands over his spirit willingly - it is not taken from him. So perfect is Jesus’ unity with the Father. This handing over completes a cycle of previous “handing overs” (18:2, 5, 30, 36; 19:11, 16), but this time without betrayal, but a return of something borrowed to its rightful place. Completes fulfillment of Isa 53:12, but changes handing over psyche into handing over the pneuma, the spirit that can now be poured out on his disciples.
In contrast to the wrenching emotions of Mark, or the tender compassion of Luke, John seems to invite us to witness Jesus’ death from a distance, watching Jesus complete his planned work, calling us not to tear our hearts out, but to bow our heads with Jesus. It is now up to us to celebrate Jesus’ glory and to share it as good news to a sin-darkened world.
31 But the real world demands our attention. Both the desire to remove the bodies before the Sabbath (beginning at sundown, and also the Passover for John) and not breaking a bone come from the paschal lamb ritual (Ex 12:46). Also in Ps 34:21 - a suffering righteous man. The beloved disciple bears witness to Jesus at his death as a paschal lamb and as a suffering servant, as did John Baptist (1:29). The Passover was the 14^th of Nisan, so would only occasionally fall on a Sabbath: so this Sabbath is special. Jesus’ frequent challenge to “remain” with him is contrasted to the Judeans’ sudden return to the intricacies of the law in their anxiety that Jesus’ body does not “remain” on the Cross over this special Sabbath. But even their dependence on Caesar is emphasised by their having to “ask” Pilate.
32 Breaking the legs to hasten death.
33 Jesus as the Lamb of God (1:29): the bones of the paschal lamb were not broken (Ex 12:46).
34 The piercing of Jesus’ side to show he was already - and truly - dead is mentioned only by John, probably to deny the docetic heresy. But John also sees this “flowing rivers of living water” symbolic of the Spirit (7:37-39) permeated with the blood of his self-giving, as so important that he specially testifies to it. The Spirit and living water are the means for rebirth by water and Spirit that were promised to Nicodemus (3:5). The fundamental Christian sacraments of baptism and eucharist flowing from the death of Jesus - the new Adam - giving birth to the church. The blood (death) of Jesus is needed for salvation. From the ribs of this new Adam, instead of a new Eve, comes life- giving blood and water - more usually present at birth, here signifying the birth of a new age (Gen 2:21-22). Thus the lance allows Jesus to give birth to the Spirit, which in turn gives life to the community who are formed from Jesus’ side - the Johannine community represented by the Beloved Disciple (Cf 1 Jn 5:5-8). Jesus’ mission began with baptism by water and finishes with a greater baptism in blood. The living water offered to the Samaritan woman, and the blood Jesus insisted his disciples drink are now revealed to be symbols of the paraclete - comforter (living water) and challenger (blood).
35 In the Greek, the “he” in “he knows” is not necessarily the “eyewitness”. Several possibilities: the narrator knows that the witness is true; Jesus or God knows that the witness is true; the eyewitness knows that his own witness is true. Insisting on the truth of what has happened, not so much biologically, but the relationship between Jesus’ death and the coming of the Spirit on the community, just as the first woman was part of the first human. Responds to the challenge facing the early community: to accept that Jesus’ “going away” was necessary for the coming of the paraclete.
“Come to believe” underlines the missionary purpose of the gospel. But some very early manuscripts read “continue to believe”, suggesting that the audience is Christians whose faith is to be deepened by the gospel (this comment applies also to 20:31a).
36 Ex 12:46, Ps 34:21. Links Jesus’ death both to the purifying sacrifice of the innocent lamb, and to God’s justice against those who have misled the people for so long. Both Romans and Judeans will “look on” as the new community grows.
37 Zech 12:10 - Israel’s rejection of God, but also the pouring forth of God’s Spirit of grace and petition and a fountain of cleansing for Jerusalem. (Cf 1:33).
38 The role of Joseph of Arimathea is in all 4 gospels, but only John mentions Nicodemus, who contributes a huge amount of embalming spices. Matt explains that the tomb belonged to Joseph (27:60). Difficult to reconcile this with the reason in Mark and Luke for the women coming Sunday morning (Mk 16:1, Lk 24:1, Mt 28:1). The raised Jesus has begun drawing people to himself (12:32) and giving crypto-Christians the courage to break free from the darkness of their fear. Joseph is not only in “fear of the Judeans”, but - unlike the blind man’s parents - is a disciple; he must also be of some influence, to be able to gain an audience with Pilate. Nevertheless he is in that group most reviled by the Johannine community: believers who are unwilling to witness openly. Initially his motives here are not clear - friend or not?
39 We are reminded when Nicodemus appeared earlier (3:1-12; 7:50-51). John’s reference to Nicodemus interestingly omits his later appearance, when he failed to speak up for Jesus (7:48-51). Is he now a disciple? The huge amount of myrrh and aloes again reminds us that this is a regal burial for a king, to whom great honour is due. How did Nicodemus carry it - with helpers? He must have prepared beforehand - unlikely to have this lying around! Did he recognise that Jesus was going to be killed, and accepted it, coming only to bury him? Cf 100 pounds here with Mary’s one pound, worth 300 denarii. Now Mary’s act “for my burial” is not seen as sufficient.
40 Wrapped in strips of linen (as Lazarus, 11:43-44), not single shroud as in Mk 15:46. At this critical moment the crypt-disciples reveal their own loyalty to the Jewish burial custom: the burial ritual complies with “earthly” thinking. They are preparing Jesus’ body for a long stay in the earth - in the end they have no expectation of resurrection. Mary’s sparser, more symbolic anointing left open the possibility of a short stay. Contact with the dead body would cause the two men to postpone their Passover duties for a month (Num 9:10-12). Today Nicodemus is to be found in how Christians in power relate to the powerless; how white Christians relate to black; how affluent relate to poor; how men relate to women; healthy to sick. To any Christian who keeps his identity secret.
41 And we are back in a garden - but a different garden from 18:1. A place of convenience. No time to linger, or for prayer or mourning. A new, special tomb is used, not a common grave.
42 They “laid down” the body, as Jesus said he would “lay down” his life. But for the Johannine community this is the final contrast between Judeans and Christians: a Christian community concerned with a dead body would be misguided - its whole life is to be lived on the Sabbath. Jesus’ dead body is the concern of half-believing persons in the periphery of Christianity. For Judeans the tomb has been filled. For Christians the tomb will soon be found empty.