The Meaning of John 19:36 Explained

John 19:36

KJV: For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

YLT: For these things came to pass, that the Writing may be fulfilled, 'A bone of him shall not be broken;'

Darby: For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, Not a bone of him shall be broken.

ASV: For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  these things  were done,  that  the scripture  should be fulfilled,  A bone  of him  shall  not  be broken. 

What does John 19:36 Mean?

Context Summary

John 19:31-37 - The Pierced Side
How punctilious the Jewish leaders were to maintain each detail of their ritual! Remember that there is a religiousness which is not religion but its counterfeit.
John solemnly attests the fact of the blood and water. He knoweth that he saith true. It is referred to again in his Epistle, 1 John 5:6; 1 John 5:8. Science tells us that the presence of those two elements was evidence that there had been heart rupture, and that our Lord literally died of a broken heart. But it was also, as devout souls have loved to remember, a symbol of the "double cure," which Jesus has effected. Blood to atone; water to purify and cleanse. What a comfort it is that Jesus did not come by water alone! As we come to know ourselves better, we realize that only blood could meet our need. He bowed His head, that we might lift ours up to greet the eternal morning. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 19

1  Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, and beaten
4  Pilate is desirous to release him,
15  but being overcome with the outrage of the crowd, he delivers him to be crucified
23  They cast lots for his garments
25  He commends his mother to John
28  He dies
31  His side is pierced
38  He is buried by Joseph and Nicodemus

Greek Commentary for John 19:36

Be broken [συντριβησεται]
Second future passive of συντριβω — suntribō to crush together. A free quotation of Exodus 12:46 about the paschal lamb. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 19:36

Matthew 1:22 “All this has happened” [τουτο δε ολον γεγονεν]
The Hebrew word for young woman is translated by virgin See note on Matthew 2:15, Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:14-17; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17-21; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4.; John 12:38.; John 13:18; John 19:24, John 19:28, John 19:36. [source]
John 1:29 On the morrow [τηι επαυριον]
Locative case with ημηραι — hēmērāi (day) understood after the adverb επαυριον — epaurion “Second day of this spiritual diary” (Bernard) from John 1:19. Seeth Jesus coming Dramatic historical present indicative Graphic picture. Behold the Lamb of God Exclamation ιδε — ide like ιδου — idou not verb, and so nominative αμνος — amnos Common idiom in John (John 1:36; John 3:26, etc.). For “the Lamb of God” see 1 Corinthians 5:7 (cf. John 19:36) and 1 Peter 1:19. The passage in Isaiah 53:6. is directly applied to Christ by Philip in Acts 8:32. See also Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:22.; Hebrews 9:28. But the Jews did not look for a suffering Messiah (John 12:34) nor did the disciples at first (Mark 9:32; Luke 24:21). But was it not possible for John, the Forerunner of the Messiah, to have a prophetic insight concerning the Messiah as the Paschal Lamb, already in Isaiah 53:1-12, even if the rabbis did not see it there? Symeon had it dimly (Luke 2:35), but John more clearly. So Westcott rightly. Bernard is unwilling to believe that John the Baptist had more insight on this point than current Judaism. Then why and how did he recognize Jesus as Messiah at all? Certainly the Baptist did not have to be as ignorant as the rabbis. Which taketh away the sin of the world Note singular αμαρτιαν — hamartian not plural αμαρτιας — hamartias (1 John 3:5) where same verb αιρω — airō to bear away, is used. The future work of the Lamb of God here described in present tense as in 1 John 1:7 about the blood of Christ. He is the Lamb of God for the world, not just for Jews. [source]
1 Corinthians 11:24 Which is for you [το υπερ υμων]
Κλωμενον — Klōmenon (broken) of the Textus Receptus (King James Version) is clearly not genuine. Luke (Luke 22:19) has διδομενον — didomenon (given) which is the real idea here. As a matter of fact the body of Jesus was not broken (John 19:36). The bread was broken, but not the body of Jesus. In remembrance of me (εις την εμην αναμνησιν — eis tēn emēn anamnēsin). The objective use of the possessive pronoun εμην — emēn Not my remembrance of you, but your remembrance of me. Αναμνησις — Anamnēsis from αναμιμνησκω — anamimnēskō to remind or to recall, is an old word, but only here in N.T. save Luke 22:19 which see. [source]
Revelation 1:7 Pierced [ἐξεκέντησαν]
See on John 19:34, and compare Zechariah 12:10; John 19:36. The expression here refers not to the Jews only, but to all who reject the Son of Man; those who “in any age have identified themselves with the Spirit of the Savior's murderers” (Milligan). The passage is justly cited as a strong evidence that the author of the Gospel is also the author of Revelation. [source]

What do the individual words in John 19:36 mean?

Took place for these things so that the Scripture might be fulfilled Bone not one will be broken of Him
Ἐγένετο γὰρ ταῦτα ἵνα γραφὴ πληρωθῇ Ὀστοῦν οὐ συντριβήσεται αὐτοῦ

Ἐγένετο  Took  place 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
γραφὴ  Scripture 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γραφή  
Sense: a writing, thing written.
πληρωθῇ  might  be  fulfilled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πληρόω  
Sense: to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.
Ὀστοῦν  Bone 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὀστέον 
Sense: a bone.
οὐ  not  one 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
συντριβήσεται  will  be  broken 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συντρίβω  
Sense: break, to break in pieces, shiver.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.