April 1, 2026 8:47 am
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. (John 19:32-35)
He Did Not Abandon Jesus
As Jesus knew His hour was approaching to face the suffering of the cross, He told His disciples repeatedly what would take place in Jerusalem, where the chief priests, scribes, and leaders would treat Him cruelly and kill Him. Peter, James, and John were present on the mountain when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, talking about His death. When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, He took Peter, James, and John to stay with Him. Judas brought a detachment of troops to arrest Jesus, and when they bound Him with chains, all the disciples forsook Jesus and fled.
Jesus told His disciples they would abandon Him. Like sheep before a shepherd who has been struck, the eleven apostles fled in fear. But soon afterward, two of them, Peter and John, took courage and followed the mob to the house of the high priest. John was well known to the high priest and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. Peter stood at the door outside, but at the word of John was allowed to come into the courtyard. John never left Jesus’ side. Peter denied the Lord three times and went out weeping bitterly. Only John remains.
After the ill treatment by the religious leaders and Roman soldiers and scourging, the Romans led Jesus to Golgotha to be crucified. John was there with Jesus. He watched as they threw Jesus to the ground and nailed Him to the cross. John witnessed the agony in the face of Jesus as the soldiers lifted the Son of God to the cross and nailed His feet. Standing before Jesus were John, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and a group of women. Soldiers bargained for the final remnants of Jesus’ clothing.
Jesus languished for hours on the cross as John and Mary watched Him die. In the final moments of life, Jesus saw His mother and John, whom He loved, standing by and said to her, “Woman, behold your son!” He then turned to the only disciple who did not abandon Him and asked him to care for Mary, His mother. John agreed and took her to his own home. Jesus died. John and Mary watched the life go out of Jesus. As prophesied by Simeon when Joseph and Mary presented the baby Jesus to the Temple, a sword pierced deeply within the heart of Mary as she watched her beloved son die.
Three men were crucified that day. They suffered alike in the horrors of crucifixion. The man in the middle died, but finding the two robbers alive, the soldiers broke their legs to hasten death. When the soldier came to Jesus, he confirmed Jesus as dead by driving a sword in His side, piercing the heart. Jesus was dead. John watched the soldier pierce Jesus’ side. The beloved apostle wrote his gospel to tell the story of Jesus’ life and death. His gospel is an eyewitness account of the veracity of the story of Jesus Christ, who on the third day rose from the dead. John’s gospel confirms beyond a doubt what happened to Jesus, as he witnessed all that was done to the Son of God. And he saw Jesus on the third day, risen from the grave.
Everything that happened to Jesus fulfilled prophecy, but it also established a chain of evidence written down by a close disciple of Jesus proving the divine story. Many things in the life of Jesus are not recorded, but John affirms his gospel is given to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Reading the testimony of John confirms the faith of those who accept and believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of the Most High God. There can be no doubt. The evidence is overwhelming. John did not forsake Jesus. What he saw and witnessed is a testimony to the grace and love of God through Jesus Christ. It took courage for John not to forsake his Lord. No greater faith can be shown than never to deny or forsake the Lord Christ.
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