SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:31
¶ Entonces los Judíos, para que los cuerpos no quedasen en el madero en el sbado, porque era la víspera de la Pascua , pues era el gran día del sbado, rogaron a Pilato que se les quebrasen las piernas, y fuesen quitados.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 19:31
Verse 31. It was the preparation] Every Sabbath had a preparation which began at the ninth hour (that is, three o'clock) the preceding evening. Josephus, Ant. b. xvi. c. 6, s. 2, recites an edict of the Emperor Augustus in favour of the Jews, which orders, "that no one shall be obliged to give bail or surety on the Sabbath day, nor on the preparation before it, after the ninth hour." The time fixed here was undoubtedly in conformity to the Jewish custom, as they began their preparation at three o'clock on the Friday evening.
That the bodies should not remain] For the law, Deuteronomy xxi. 22, 23, ordered that the bodies of criminals should not hang all night; and they did not wish to have the Sabbath profaned by either taking them down on that day, or letting them hang to disturb the joy of that holy time.
Probably their consciences began to sting them for what they had done, and they wished to remove the victim of their malice out of their sight.
For that Sabbath day was a high day] 1. Because it was the Sabbath. 2.
Because it was the day on which all the people presented themselves in the temple according to the command, Exodus xxiii. 17. 3. Because that was the day on which the sheaf of the first fruits was offered, according to the command, Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. So that upon this day there happened to be three solemnities in one.-Lightfoot. It might be properly called a high day, because the passover fell on that Sabbath.
Their legs might be broken] Lactantius says. l. iv. c. 26, that it was a common custom to break the legs or other bones of criminals upon the cross; and this appears to have been a kind of coup de grace, the sooner to put them out of pain.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation , etc.] That is, either of the passover, as in ( John 19:14) which was the Chagigah or grand festival in which they offered their peace offerings and slew their oxen, and feasted together in great mirth and jollity; or of the sabbath, the evening of it, or day before it, as in ( Mark 15:42) that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day ; which was now drawing near: according to the Jewish law, ( Deuteronomy 21:22,23) the body of one that was hanged on a tree was not to remain all night, but to be taken down that day and buried; though this was not always observed; (see 2 Samuel 21:9,10). What was the usage of the Jews at this time is not certain; according to the Roman laws, such bodies hung until they were putrefied, or eaten by birds of prey; wherefore that their land might not be defiled, and especially their sabbath, by their remaining on the cross, they desire to have them taken down: for that sabbath day was an high day ; it was not only a sabbath, and a sabbath in the passover week, but it was the day in which all the people appeared and presented themselves before the Lord in the temple, and the sheaf of the first fruits was offered up; all which solemnities meeting together made it a very celebrated day: it is in the original text, it was the great day of the sabbath; which is the language of the Talmudists, and who say f755 , lwdgh tb arqn is called the great sabbath, on account of the miracle or sign of the passover; and in the Jewish Liturgy there is a collect for the great sabbath: hence the Jews pretending a great concern lest that day should be polluted, though they made no conscience of shedding innocent blood, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken ; which was the manner of the Jews f757 , partly to hasten death, since, according to their law, the body was to betaken down before night; and partly that it might be a clear point that the person was rightly executed; for this was not the Roman custom, with whom breaking of the legs, or rather thighs, was a distinct punishment, and was done by laying a mans legs or thighs upon an anvil, and striking them with an hammer f758 ; which could not be the case here; this seems to have been done by striking the legs of those that were crucified, which were fastened to the cross, with a bar of iron, or some such instrument. Nonnus suggests that their legs were cut off with a saw or sword; but the former seems more reasonable: and that they might be taken away ; which it seems the Jews had not power to do, but must be done by the Roman soldiers, or by leave at least from the Roman governor; and therefore they make their request to him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 31-37 - A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time tha persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; n human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnl attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and wate that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believer partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced sid of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for ou justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let thi silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; ther came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justif and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's no allowing his legs to be broken, Ps 34:20. There was a type of this is the paschal lamb, Ex 12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes agains convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both wate and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 T-NPM ουν 3767 CONJ ιουδαιοι 2453 A-NPM {VAR2: επει 1893 CONJ παρασκευη 3904 N-NSF ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S } ινα 2443 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N μεινη 3306 5661 V-AAS-3S επι 1909 PREP του 3588 T-GSM σταυρου 4716 N-GSM τα 3588 T-NPN σωματα 4983 N-NPN εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN σαββατω 4521 N-DSN {VAR1: επει 1893 CONJ παρασκευη 3904 N-NSF ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S } ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S γαρ 1063 CONJ μεγαλη 3173 A-NSF η 3588 T-NSF ημερα 2250 N-NSF εκεινου 1565 D-GSN του 3588 T-GSN σαββατου 4521 N-GSN ηρωτησαν 2065 5656 V-AAI-3P τον 3588 T-ASM πιλατον 4091 N-ASM ινα 2443 CONJ κατεαγωσιν 2608 5652 V-2APS-3P αυτων 846 P-GPM τα 3588 T-NPN σκελη 4628 N-NPN και 2532 CONJ αρθωσιν 142 5686 V-APS-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
31. The Jews - Sabbath. The Jews, who had so recently asserted their sole allegiance to Caesar, are now scrupulous about observing the letter of the law.
