DR 8
December 8
John 19:33-37. A soldier pierces the Lord's body.
After the Lord had expired, no dishonor was offered to his sacred body. The Jews intended to dishonor it by breaking his legs, but their design was defeated. When the soldiers came to his cross, they found that he was dead already. They might have broken his legs, though he was dead; but the Scriptures had declared, "A bone of him shall not be broken." It is written in Ps. 34:20, "He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken." The soldiers knew nothing of the prophecies; yet they fulfilled them, both by not breaking his legs, and by piercing his side. Jesus died at the time the feast of the Passover was celebrated, and he was the true Lamb whose blood atoned for the sins of Israel and of the world. It was commanded concerning the paschal lamb, "Neither shall you break a bone thereof." (Ex. 12:46.) It was also commanded that its blood should be shed, and sprinkled upon the lintel and posts of the door. When the side of Jesus was pierced, his blood must have sprinkled the cross, and flowed in a copious stream upon the ground.
And what a stream it was—composed not only of blood, but of water. Some think that the water came from the pericardium, (the case in which the heart is enclosed,) and that it was a proof that life was extinct. It is all-important to prove that Jesus really died upon the cross; for if he did not really die, then we must die eternally. But we possess abundant evidence of his death. There was one standing by the cross who saw the spear enter into his side, and it is he who has recorded the fact. John did not leave the cross when his Master died. He lingered near to see what would become of his sacred body. If he had left it for a short time to take his Lord's mother to his own home, he had returned. Now that the darkness was past, he could see all that was done to his Lord's body. He saw the water and the blood, "and he bore record, and his record is true, and he knows that he says true, that you might believe."
There is a spiritual meaning in this stream of blood and water. The blood atones for sin. Before it was shed the penitent malefactor trusted in it, and was pardoned. One of our sweetest poets describes his case and his own also— <p> "The dying thief rejoiced to see <p>That fountain in his day, <p>And there have I, as vile as he, <p>Washed all my sins away."
But sinners are not only guilty —they are dead in trespasses and sins. From Jesus flows the water of life —the Holy Spirit. He spoke of the Spirit under the emblem of water on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, when he said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." (John 7.) We cannot mistake the meaning of the invitation, for it is written, "This spoke he of the Spirit, which those who believe on him should receive." (John 7:39.) Let us come to Jesus for the double blessing—atoning blood and living water. Whoever shall look by faith on his pierced side shall receive both. The glorious wound adorns the risen body of our crucified Savior as the everlasting memorial of his love. Men look with wonder at the little spring which swells into the mighty Nile, and fertilizes half a continent. But with what amazement angels, as well as men, regard that wound, which is the fountain of blessedness to millions of beings throughout eternity!