John 19: 16b-22 Analysis

The Scriptures are meant to be taken in context and deeper meanings can be drawn when various stories are considered and connections are drawn between passages. This is often the case with New Testament readings in light of Old Testament readings in the Bible. In addition to revealing Jesus in control of his actions, the irony of Pontius Pilate’s words, and the universality of Jesus’ kingship, the description of the inscription on Jesus’ cross in John 19:16b-22 also exposes Jesus’ willingness to do anything for God, which both parallels and deepens Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac. The initial image of Jesus “carrying the cross himself” in John 19:17 reveals Jesus’ control over his destiny, as well as his willingness to sacrifice anything for God and suffer for the …show more content…
This meaning this verse offers, however, can be deepened when the Akedah, when God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, is considered. In the story, God instructs Abraham to bring Isaac—Abraham’s dearly beloved son—to Mount Moriah to be sacrificed. Once there, “Abraham [takes] the wood for the burnt offering and [lays] it on his son Isaac” (Genesis 22:6). Abraham then binds Isaac, but just as he prepares to sacrifice his son to God, an angel stops him. This passage, which reveals Abraham’s deep faith and trust in God, also conveys a sense of acceptance and belief in God’s plans. The similarity in both Isaac and Jesus carrying their own wood for their respective sacrifices suggests a connection between the two, and thus the New Testament text gains new meanings in light of this. It reveals that Jesus, like Isaac, carries his own burdens, trusting in his father’s plans due to a strong belief in and love for him. In addition, Jesus can also be paralleled to Abraham, as he is willing to sacrifice in order to fulfill God’s wishes. Although, in the New Testament passage