Cross & Risen!
John 18–21What happens in John 18–21
John's account of the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus is both deeply theological and strikingly personal. As an eyewitness, John includes details the other Gospels omit, and his telling reveals the cross not as a tragedy that happened to Jesus but as a victory Jesus chose.
In the garden, when soldiers come to arrest Jesus, He steps forward and asks, 'Who is it you want?' When they say 'Jesus of Nazareth,' He responds with the loaded words 'I am he', and the entire armed detachment draws back and falls to the ground. Even at His arrest, Jesus is in control. Peter draws a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant (John alone names him: Malchus), but Jesus rebukes Peter: 'Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?'
The trial scenes reveal Jesus' kingship through irony. Before Pilate, Jesus declares, 'My kingdom is not of this world.' Pilate asks, 'Are you a king then?' and Jesus answers, 'You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born.' Pilate finds no guilt in Jesus but yields to the crowd. He presents Jesus wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe, saying 'Here is the man!', unknowingly presenting the King of kings. The inscription on the cross reads 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews' in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. When the chief priests protest, Pilate refuses to change it: 'What I have written, I have written.'
At the cross, John records Jesus' care for His mother, entrusting her to 'the disciple whom He loved' (John himself). Jesus declares 'It is finished', not a cry of defeat but a shout of completion. The Greek word tetelestai was stamped on bills to mean 'paid in full.' The debt of sin has been paid. A soldier pierces Jesus' side, and blood and water flow out, John emphasizes he saw this himself.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (who first came to Jesus at night in chapter 3) prepare the body with seventy-five pounds of spices, a royal burial for the King. On Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty and runs to tell Peter and John. John outruns Peter to the tomb, sees the linen wrappings lying flat (as if the body simply passed through them), and believes.
The risen Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene, calling her by name, she recognizes Him by His voice. That evening He appears to the disciples behind locked doors, showing His hands and side. Thomas is absent and declares he won't believe unless he sees and touches the wounds. A week later Jesus appears again, invites Thomas to touch His wounds, and Thomas makes the greatest confession in the Gospel: 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus responds, 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'
The final chapter takes place at the Sea of Galilee. Peter, who denied Jesus three times, goes fishing. Jesus appears on the shore, cooks breakfast, and asks Peter three times: 'Do you love me?', once for each denial. Peter is reinstated and commissioned: 'Feed my sheep.' Jesus' final words to Peter are the same words He spoke at the very beginning: 'Follow me.'
Key takeaways
- Jesus was not a victim, He chose the cross, remained in control throughout, and declared 'It is finished' as a shout of victory
- 'It is finished' (tetelestai) means the debt of sin has been paid in full, nothing can be added to what Christ accomplished
- Thomas' confession 'My Lord and my God' is the climactic declaration of Jesus' deity in John's Gospel
- Jesus restored Peter with the same number of affirmations as Peter's denials, grace meets us at the point of our failure
- The resurrection is physical and verifiable, Jesus showed His wounds, ate food, and invited touch
A verse to carry
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.John 19:30 (WEB)
Something to sit with
Peter failed Jesus at the worst possible moment, denying Him three times. Yet Jesus sought Peter out, restored him, and gave him the most important job in the early church. Is there an area of your life where you've failed and need to hear Jesus say 'Follow me' again?
Did you know?
Only John records Jesus saying 'It is finished' (tetelestai) from the cross, a word used on business receipts meaning 'paid in full.' The debt of sin was completely settled.
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