The Scripture that was to be fulfilled may be Psalm 69:21. Wine vinegar was equivalent to cheap wine.
Jesus said "It is finished". This seems rather tame, but in Matt 27:50 and Mark 15:37 we read that it was a loud cry. Furthermore, "It is finished" is the victory cry uttered when a conquest is complete. Jesus had completed His work. He then "gave up His spirit". This emphasises the fact that Jesus gave His life, it was not taken from Him.
The Jewish leaders were as ever concerned about their ceremonial purity, and as the next day was the special Passover Sabbath, they wanted the bodies dealt with that day. Breaking legs was done to hasten death as it meant the person could no longer hold themselves up, and so they would die from asphyxiation.
The soldiers were surprised to find that Jesus was already dead. So they pierced Him with a spear. This may have been to check that He was really dead, or just casual brutality. The solider pierced the heart and pericardium sac, hence the blood and water. John emphasises the validity of the facts, maybe to counteract false rumours that Jesus did not really die. All this fulfilled Scripture (Ps 34:20 and Zech 12:10).
Jesus said "It is finished". This seems rather tame, but in Matt 27:50 and Mark 15:37 we read that it was a loud cry. Furthermore, "It is finished" is the victory cry uttered when a conquest is complete. Jesus had completed His work. He then "gave up His spirit". This emphasises the fact that Jesus gave His life, it was not taken from Him.
The Jewish leaders were as ever concerned about their ceremonial purity, and as the next day was the special Passover Sabbath, they wanted the bodies dealt with that day. Breaking legs was done to hasten death as it meant the person could no longer hold themselves up, and so they would die from asphyxiation.
The soldiers were surprised to find that Jesus was already dead. So they pierced Him with a spear. This may have been to check that He was really dead, or just casual brutality. The solider pierced the heart and pericardium sac, hence the blood and water. John emphasises the validity of the facts, maybe to counteract false rumours that Jesus did not really die. All this fulfilled Scripture (Ps 34:20 and Zech 12:10).
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