As we read through John 19, we tread on holy ground, sacred narrative of the very hour toward which this Gospel, all of human history, and all of God’s love has been pointing. Jesus, dead on a cross, is both a Curse and the Cure. Scriptural references include Deut 21:23, Heb 12:2, Zech 12:10, Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12, Heb 9:22, John 1:29, Heb 10:10, Act 2:24, Romans 6:23, Heb 2:14-15, 1Cor 15:55, 15:57-58 Plus Hebrews 2:9-18, 7:25-27, 9:11-10:31 as an assignment for further study.

As a Roman cohort bears down to apprehend Jesus, He reveals Himself to them (“I Am”) with such weight of glory that it causes the great company to fall backwards. Despite maintaining full control of the arrest, Jesus surrenders to the crowd as He has surrendered Himself to take our cup of wrath. Clearly Judas and his conspirators could not apprehend the glory of this Jesus even as they sought to apprehend Him.

Jesus prays for us to be one as He and the Father are one. Suffering for a greater cause. Striving for a greater goal. Bonded by a greater glue (that is, the Holy Spirit). Walking by a greater light.

In Jesus, our lonely world can know what it is to be Perfectly One and Perfectly Loved.

As Jesus prays for his disciples, he prays that they might be holy or sanctified in order to engage in his mission to save the world from itself.

Jesus describes a metamorphosis of sorrow that produces joy. His joy is unshakable. His joy invites investigation.