Who was carrying Jesus’ cross at this point?
Where did they go?
Who was crucified around Him? Where was Jesus put?
What was the title Pilate wrote on the cross?
How many people were able to read this sign? Why?
What did the chief priests want Pilate to write instead?
What was his response?
Who took Jesus’ clothes?
How many parts did they divide His pieces of clothing into?
Which item could they not divide? How did they solve the problem?
Which prophecy did this fulfill?
Which women were standing by the cross?
Which disciple was also standing by?
Which of the women did Jesus give to the disciple as a “son”?
What did the disciple do as a result?
What were the things that Jesus knew were happening at that time?
What did He say?
What did they find a vessel of nearby? What did they put it on to give to Him?
What did He say after that? What happened?
What day was it?
What was the law about bodies and the Sabbath?
What were they planning to do to make sure the people on crosses were dead?
Whose legs did they break? Whose did they not break? Why?
What did one of the soldiers do to Jesus instead? What happened?
What does John interject here? Why does he write this?
What two Scriptures were fulfilled at this time?
Who asked for Jesus’ body? Who did he ask?
Why was Joseph a disciple in secret?
Who else came to prepare Jesus’ body? What did he bring?
What was the method for preparation?
Where was Jesus’ tomb? Why did they take Him there?

Thought Questions

Why do you think Pilate wrote the title that he did? How do his thoughts compare to the chief priests of the Jews?
Read verse 20. Since so many people saw Jesus on the cross and read the title Pilate had written, try to imagine the people’s reaction when they saw Him. How about the people who had seen Him healing others, or even who had been healed by Him?
What was the purpose of the prophecy in verses 23-24 and its fulfillment? Would it be difficult to fulfill so specific of a prophecy without God’s intervention?
Was Jesus thoughtful and welcoming of women? Did He ever have a degrading word or action toward any woman? What does the presence of these women at the foot of His cross tell you about their relationship with Him?
How do you imagine Jesus treated His mother? What responsibility do we have toward our parents’ welfare?
How do verses 25-27 dispel the myth that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene?
Do you think the first part of verse 28 is related to the second?
Is there significance to the sour wine (vinegar)?
How do you think Jesus died? Was it from the abuse, the cross, or something else?
Again, the Jews were primarily concerned with their ways of keeping the Sabbath–in the situation described in verse 31, what does that tell you?
What do you think is the significance of the blood and water?
Read John’s interjection in verse 35. Do you think his testimony is valid? What is he trying to get across?
Are there instances where it is an advantage to be a disciple of Christ secretly, for fear of authorities? Do you think Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus would have been more or less effective if they had made public their belief in Jesus at that time?
Compare Nicodemus’ offering to Christ and Mary’s in ch. 12:3-8.

My prayer is:
That I would daily spend time looking up at the cross, reading in my mind the sign,”Jesus, King of the Jews,” and be convinced that Jesus is also my King, and that the pain He went through was for my sake.