Then came Jesus forth. John 19:5-16 There was Dignity in His Person; He was Courtly in His Bearing; He was Holy in His Character, Godly in His Nature, Manly in His Visibility, and Servant-like in His Submission
A cluster of thorns was consecrated and forever remembered because of Him. Like a sheep led to the slaughter, He appeared before the people and was mocked by them. A robe of purple had been placed on Him, symbolizing man’s weak attempt to define royalty. A silent victim holds authority in the face of foolish mockery.
The Son of Man, The King of the Jews, the Son of God—He feels as a man; He presents as a king; He has all power as Lord. Jesus of Nazareth is known to people by His city. He is the King of the Jews, yet He receives no pity from others and soldiers. He is eternal in His Being—forever in the past and future—the Son of God. In the time and place chosen for His story, He is fulfilling the written Word.
The innocent is condemned; the victim is crucified; the substitute dies, like a sheep silent before shearers. The Lamb is led to slaughter; the just die for the unjust. The whole world is guilty before God, but the Lamb takes away the world’s sin in mercy and grace. The death of Jesus Christ was when He was made sinful for ungodly men and women. In our place, He was condemned; Jesus suffered alone and died. Now, through His grace and love, believers are justified and free from guilt and condemnation.
Those who regard the “Sin-Bearer” on the cross as the One who carries my sin have personally revealed this when the Spirit of God uses them to speak for Him. Prophesying that someone will die is very easy because everyone dies sooner or later. The prophecies about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ were not vague or hidden, like those of a fortune-teller, or short-term predictions made by people. These were made hundreds of years before they were fulfilled.
Daniel 9:24-26 predicted He would come into Jerusalem to die, and exactly 483 years later, as predicted, He entered Jerusalem a week before His death, as Luke 19:37-44 says. After this, Gabriel prophesied in Daniel – “He was cut off, but not for Himself.” The betrayal by a “familiar friend” was predicted in Psalm 41:9. The 30 pieces of silver paid for His betrayal are mentioned in Zechariah 11:12-13. The mockery of His trial and the judicial process were prophesied in Isa. 50:6; 53:7-8. False witnesses are mentioned in Psalm 35:11.
The details of His death are vividly described in Psalm 22, written 1100 years before they occurred. The mocking, darkness, bodily suffering, the piercing of hands and feet, the stripping of His garments, and the gambling over His robe were all predicted. The thirst and even the vinegar [Ps.69:21] were mentioned. No broken bones [Ps.34:20], the piercing of His side [Zec.12:10], and the wounds in His hands [Zec.13:6] were foretold.