The Hour of Glory: The Cross and Resurrection

Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study
John 18:33-19:5; John 19:17-22; John 19:25-27; Luke 2:34-35; John 20:1-18; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.
Memory Text:
“Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I was born, and for this purpose, I have come into the world-to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice’ ” (John 18:37).
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are the climax of John. The first ten chapters cover roughly three and a half years; chapters 11-20, in contrast, cover about one to two weeks.
The four Gospels present the death of Jesus in different ways. Though their accounts are compatible, each author emphasizes key points that especially resonate with the themes of his Gospel. Matthew emphasizes the fulfillment of Scripture; Mark emphasizes the parallel between the baptism of Jesus and the Cross; and Luke focuses on the Cross as healing and salvation (the story of the thief on the cross).
But John presents the Cross as the enthronement of Jesus, particularly tied to the idea of the hour, which is referred to numerous times throughout the book (John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:27). This idea of enthronement is an ironic picture since crucifixion was the most ignominious and shameful way to die that the Romans used. This contrast points to the deeply ironic depiction that John presents: Jesus is dying in shame, but it is, at the same time, His glorious enthronement as the Savior.