City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

³¹ Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

²⁰ He keeps all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

Psalm 34:19-20

Aisha’s Analysis

Today’s verses bring to mind two very difficult concepts: 1) The idea of being stuck; and, 2) The possibility of being broken. Let’s delve into both as we analyze the text. 

For starters, Jesus died during the Jewish festival of Passover, which is quite fitting because Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Passover commemorates the time when the Spirit of death “passed over” every home that was marked with the blood of the Lamb during the time the Jewish people were under the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Shortly after Passover, Pharaoh allowed the Jews to leave Egypt in a mass Exodus. 

Interestingly enough, one of the restrictions regarding the Passover lamb is the Jews must not break any of its bones (Exodus 12:46). The fact that the soldiers did not break Jesus’ legs in today’s text is a beautiful consistency we see in the keeping of Passover. 

Another Jewish regulation displayed in the text here is not to have any dead bodies hung on a tree overnight, for anyone who hangs on a tree is cursed in God’s sight (reference Deuteronomy 21:23). Also, a dead body is one of the highest forms of uncleanness in Jewish culture. This shows us the lengths Jesus had to go to in order to save us. He was willing to become a curse and taste death, so that we could be set free: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). 

Jesus endured shame and humiliation, he was wrongfully arrested, mocked, bruised, beaten, and pierced…and yet they could not break Him. They also could not keep Him nailed to that cross or locked up in a tomb. In humbling Himself to die a sinner’s death on the cross, He saved us all and set us free from the curse of the law. He remains unbroken, and we are no longer stuck in sin.  

To echo the song of the angels in Revelation 4:12:

The Lamb is worthy–the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. 

Application

Do you feel stuck in any particular area of your life? You may be dealing with a difficult family situation or troubles at work. Or you might be experiencing health issues. Regardless of your area of stuckness, see yourself as “unstuck” today. The soldiers did not break a single bone of Jesus, and He’s not still stuck on that cross. He is risen, high and lifted up, and seated on the throne at the right hand of the Father surrounded by His glory. What’s more, He’s sent His Holy Spirit to help you navigate through life.

Take comfort in this truth: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken (Psalm 34:19-20).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I am so grateful that You endured the cross to set me free. I want to take this moment to lay the burden of ____________ at Your feet. I’m not going to be stuck on it any longer. I’m surrendering it into Your hands and I’m trusting You for the breakthrough! In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.