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John 19:35-37

John 19:35 He who saw this has given evidence so that you also may be faithful. His evidence is true, and he knows he is telling the truth

John 19:36 because these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken.

John 19:37 Also, another Scripture says: They will stare at the one they stabbed.

two types of evidence

John closes his account of the crucifixion by appealing to two solid foundations: what he personally witnessed and what Scripture had long foretold. These two strands—experience and revelation—intertwine to form a testimony that is both historically grounded and theologically rich.

First, John insists that he was there. He saw the events unfold with his own eyes. He watched the soldiers, the spear, the blood and water, the final moments of the Savior’s suffering. His testimony is not secondhand, not hearsay, not a later embellishment. It is the sober recollection of someone who stood close enough to remember every detail. John writes so that readers may know the truth is not myth but memory.

Second, John shows that what he witnessed was not random tragedy but the fulfillment of Scripture. The fact that none of Jesus’ bones were broken echoes Psalm 34:20, a psalm celebrating God’s protection of the righteous. It also connects Jesus directly to the Passover lamb, whose bones were never to be broken. The lamb’s wholeness symbolized purity and divine preservation; Jesus’ unbroken bones declare Him the true Passover Lamb whose sacrifice brings deliverance.

The piercing of Jesus’ side fulfills Zechariah 12:10, where God promises that His people will one day look upon the One they pierced and mourn. Psalm 22 also describes the suffering Servant being stared at in His agony, surrounded by enemies who gloat over His wounds. Revelation later echoes this theme, declaring that every eye will one day see Him—even those who pierced Him. John sees in the spear thrust not only a brutal act but a prophetic signpost pointing to Jesus’ identity as the promised Messiah.

By combining eyewitness testimony with fulfilled prophecy, John provides a model for Christian witness. Faith is not built on vague spirituality or private impressions. It is anchored in real events interpreted through the lens of God’s Word. What John saw confirms what Scripture said; what Scripture said explains what John saw.

Armed with these same two resources—Scripture and the testimony of what Christ has done—believers today can share the story of redemption with confidence. The gospel is not speculation; it is truth rooted in history and revealed in Scripture.

Lord, thank You for the witness of Scripture and the witness of those who saw. Strengthen the courage to share the story of what the Savior has done.