A Bone of Him Shall Not Be Broken (John 19:36)

2023-05-04

The prophets say that Jesus’ bones would not be broken.

He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:20)

In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. (Exodus 12:46)

For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (John 19:36)

In John 19:31, it is presumed that the breaking of the legs of the crucified would expedite their deaths. The two thieves needed to have their legs broken to avoid them being on the cross on a Sabbath day. In Jesus’ case, He had already died. They ensured His death by piercing His side. God intentionally had these things come to pass to fulfill at least two prophecies.

First, we see the fulfillment of Psalm 34:20. Before this, the psalmist says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). God raised His Son from the dead. Only Jesus was truly righteous; the psalmist David would never truly qualify as righteous. This must speak of Jesus.

Again, we see Jesus fulfills the Passover meal, as the bones of the Passover would never be broken (Exodus 12:46). Jesus is our Passover lamb, for the angel of death will pass over us on the day of judgment. He was slain and roasted in the fire, but never were any of His bones broken.