Break not His bones

[incense]

The OT prophesies that Jesus’ bones will not be broken on the cross. I always pondered why His bones would require an exception. He was beaten bloody, nailed, suffocated, and killed. What’s so special about His bones that they shouldn’t be broken?

Then this was posted on another thread:

Originally Posted by Huiou Theou
How quickly one forgets that Jesus was purchased for money – just as the lamb was purchased for sacrifice. Far more telling is to whom Jesus was Given – eg: to the Romans whom had no sacrifice. The scene at the foot of the cross is a Roman acting as priest thrusting the spear into the victim. It is the ritual of the passover which John is showing has been given to the Romans. This isn’t to convince Jews Jesus was dead --It’s more likely to shame them and recall that the sacrifice was prophecied to be offered by the Gentiles because God was unhappy with the sacrifice the Jews offered.
God wanted A CLEAN sacrifice always and everywhere.

So the reason His bones weren’t to be broken is because He was to die by being pierced in the heart like a sacrifice. It’s not that the bones were special, but that He was not to die by suffocation by breaking His bones, but by piercing like traditional sacrifices. So a Roman could complete the sacrifice.

Any thoughts? Am I getting this right?

 

[NotWorthy]

I thought the bones were not to be broken because the lamb had to be un-blemished. Of course, what determines “blemishes”.

The spear, however, signifies something else entirely. The Church (the Bride of Christ) is created out of the side of Jesus (the 2nd Adam, as St. Paul states) as he is “asleep”, just as Eve (The Bride of Adam) is created out of the side of Adam while he is in a deep sleep.

The Church’s birth is signified by the signs of the main Sacraments - blood for the Eucharist and water for Baptism.

 

[ababbidg]

In the old testment, God the the Israelites the bones of the passover lamb were to remain unbroken (Exodus 12:46). Jesus is the Lamb of God and the eternal passover sacrifice, so His bones also had to remain unbroken.

 

[NotWorthy]

In the old testment, God the the Israelites the bones of the passover lamb were to remain unbroken (Exodus 12:46). Jesus is the Lamb of God and the eternal passover sacrifice, so His bones also had to remain unbroken.

Hmmmm…

43 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the regulations for the Passover. No foreigner may partake of it. 44 However, any slave who has been bought for money may partake of it, (1) provided you have first circumcised him. 45 (2) But no transient alien or hired servant may partake of it. 46 It must be eaten in one and the same house; you may not take any of its flesh outside the house.You shall not break any of its bones. 47 (4)The whole community of Israel must keep this feast.

First of all, good catch, ababbidg. I forgot about that verse. But what I find very interesting in this section is how the Passover pre-figured the Eucharist to highlight several points.
(1) - Notice that only the circumcised can participate in the feast. Circumcision pre-figures Baptism. In the New Covenant Church, one must first be baptized before they can partake in the Eucharistic Feast.

(2) - Once again, no one outside of the Covenant can partake of the feast.

(3) - As you noted, the lamb shall not have broken legs, just as the legs of the Lamb of God were not to be broken.

(4) - All the community must keep the feast. Just as all Catholics must partake of the Eucharist each year, or risk grave sin.

 

[ababbidg]

Hmmmm…

First of all, good catch, ababbidg. I forgot about that verse. But what I find very interesting in this section is how the Passover pre-figured the Eucharist to highlight several points.
(1) - Notice that only the circumcised can participate in the feast. Circumcision pre-figures Baptism. In the New Covenant Church, one must first be baptized before they can partake in the Eucharistic Feast.

(2) - Once again, no one outside of the Covenant can partake of the feast.

(3) - As you noted, the lamb shall not have broken legs, just as the legs of the Lamb of God were not to be broken.

(4) - All the community must keep the feast. Just as all Catholics must partake of the Eucharist each year, or risk grave sin.

I never thought of the other aspects of it like that. Very good points

 

[incense]

In the old testment, God the the Israelites the bones of the passover lamb were to remain unbroken (Exodus 12:46). Jesus is the Lamb of God and the eternal passover sacrifice, so His bones also had to remain unbroken.

But which pre-figured which? Was Jesus’ bones not broken because of the Passover sacrifice direction, or was the passover sacrifice direction because Jesus’ bones weren’t going to be broken?

Again, why are the bones so important if every inch of his skin can be abused and his blood splashed everywhere. Why can’t his bones be broken? What do bones symbolize?

 

[NotWorthy]

But which pre-figured which? Was Jesus’ bones not broken because of the Passover sacrifice direction, or was the passover sacrifice direction because Jesus’ bones weren’t going to be broken?

Again, why are the bones so important if every inch of his skin can be abused and his blood splashed everywhere. Why can’t his bones be broken? What do bones symbolize?

The OT Type always points us to the NT Fulfillment. The “do not break the bones” stipulation may have been simply a prooftext to show that Jesus is the true Sacrificial Lamb for atonement of sins.

 

[Nita]

So the reason His bones weren’t to be broken is because He was to die by being pierced in the heart like a sacrifice. It’s not that the bones were special, but that He was not to die by suffocation by breaking His bones, but by piercing like traditional sacrifices. So a Roman could complete the sacrifice.

Any thoughts? Am I getting this right?

According to Scripture, Jesus did not die by being pierced. He was already dead when the Roman pierced His side.
John 19:33-34 but when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.