John observes Roman soldiers taking Jesus to his crucifixion while carrying his cross. This scene depicts Jesus, the Word, who created the universe and will reign, going to his execution without the aid of servants. It is a demonstration of his great humility in enduring suffering. John 19:18 contains the words "There they crucified him," which are devastating. John reports this fact without delving into its emotional, spiritual, or theological implications. Jesus is not just the King of the Jews but also the King of the world. Even though he was wrongly crucified, Pilate proclaimed him king in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek and displayed it publicly for all to see, even though it was meant to be mocking. This statement by Pilate was actually true. The people who rebelled against him and falsely accused him now protest that he is not the real king but a pretender. Pilate disregards their plea, and the truth remains unchanged despite the attempts of those who betrayed him.

The message describes the King of the world dying on the cross and being stripped of his clothing by the soldiers executing him. Despite his suffering, he's concerned about his mother's well-being. Peter has fled, but Jesus' mother and her friends are present, and people can recognize her as his mother. However, despite being judged by others, she stays by her son's side. The mother of Jesus has a caring son who, even while dying on the cross, ensures her well-being by entrusting her to the care of the beloved disciple (vv. 26-27). This act exemplifies the commandment to honor parents (Deut. 5:16) and shows that being like Jesus means prioritizing the needs of others over oneself. It can also be inferred that Mary's husband, Joseph, has passed away.

According to John 19:28, Jesus is aware that he has finished his mission and has fulfilled the task entrusted to him by the Father (as also mentioned in 17:4). With the completion of the fulfillment of Psalm 69:21, Jesus utters the most soothing and victorious words ever heard by humanity - "It is finished" in Greek, tetelestai (as mentioned in John 19:30). Jesus did not die because he was unable to sustain himself; instead, he finished his work, fulfilled the Scriptures, and voluntarily gave up his life by bowing his head and "giving up his spirit" (v. 30). No one took Jesus' life from him, he gave it. The Jews asked Pilate to speed up the executions of the criminals on the crosses to prevent the defilement of the Sabbath. They requested Pilate to break the legs of the criminals, which would hasten their deaths and allow the corpses to be removed before nightfall (19:31). The soldiers fulfilled the Jews' request by breaking the legs of the two men crucified alongside Jesus. Still, they did not do the same to Jesus. Upon reaching him, they discovered that he was already dead. This detail is significant in three ways:

• It explains what happened to Jesus.
• It reinforces John's claim of bearing witness to Jesus' death.
• It fulfills both the pattern of exodus and Zechariah's prophecy.

Jesus represents the Lamb of God, providing cleansing blood for his people; the rock, which, when struck, provides living waters and the Holy Spirit that satisfy the thirst; and the resurrection and life, guaranteeing defeat of death and the enjoyment of abundant life for God's people.

In John's account, Joseph of Arimathea had previously concealed his support for Jesus due to fear of the Jews. However, his request for Jesus' body from Pilate in 19:38 was a bold move that made his sympathy for Jesus public. Nicodemus also took a similar risk by publicly defending Jesus after initially secretly seeking him out. Joseph and Nicodemus have chosen to give Jesus a proper burial, regardless of the consequences. They are willing to take action and do not worry about their reputation, position in society, or future safety. They value honoring Jesus above their social status and the costly ointment. After preparing his body (v. 40), they laid him in a new tomb located in a nearby garden (v. 41). The choice of burying him in a garden is significant because his suffering and death were a result of a transgression in a garden (cf. Luke 3:38–4:3; Rom. 5:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:21–22, 45–49). The burial was likely done near dark, just as the Sabbath began, and it was convenient because the tomb was close by (John 19:42).