Texts in Conversation
John 19:31 echoes Deuteronomy 21:22–23 by insisting that a crucified body be removed before nightfall, following the Torah’s burial requirement for those exposed on a tree. By referencing this detail, the Gospel presents itself as in continuity with the wider scope of the Torah.
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Deuteronomy 21:22
Hebrew Bible
21 Then all the men of his city must stone him to death. In this way you will purge wickedness from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid. 22 If a person commits a sin punishable by death and is executed, and you hang the corpse on a tree, 23 his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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John 19:31
New Testament
30 When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Then because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified with Jesus, first the one and then the other.
Date: 90-110 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... John’s Gospel features numerous OT allusions and verbal parallels with the OT. The range of allusions spans virtually the entire OT. Particularly frequent are allusions to the Pentateuch, Psalms, and OT prophetic literature, particularly Isaiah (see also Ezekiel and Zechariah). In some cases, a given Johannine reference presupposes a foundational passage in the OT (e.g., 19:31 with reference to Deuteronomy 21:22–23). At times, reference is made to a particular OT event (e.g., 3:14; 6:32; 7:22–23). In yet other instances, a given statement in John’s Gospel employs OT language (e.g., 16:22 with reference to Isaiah 66:14). More significant still are verifiable OT allusions and verbal parallels that draw on the theology of a particular OT passage (e.g., 10:16 with reference to Isaiah 56:8; Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24). Together with the direct OT quotations and references to broader OT themes (including the Johannine replacement motif), the OT allusions found in John’s Gospel create a web of intertextuality that grounds the theology of the Fourth Gospel profoundly in the Hebrew Scriptures ..."
Köstenberger, Andreas J.
"John" in Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
(p. 1004) Baker Academic, 2007
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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