The phrase points to the biblical pattern that none of the Passover lamb’s bones were to be broken and that Jesus’ bones were not broken at His crucifixion. In John’s Gospel, this is presented as a fulfillment of Scripture and a sign that Jesus is the true Passover Lamb.
The phrase points to the biblical pattern that none of the Passover lamb’s bones were to be broken and that Jesus’ bones were not broken at His crucifixion. In John’s Gospel, this is presented as a fulfillment of Scripture and a sign that Jesus is the true Passover Lamb.
"No bones broken" is a biblical-theological phrase drawn from the Passover regulations and their fulfillment in the death of Christ. In the Old Testament, the Passover lamb was not to have any of its bones broken, and related language also appears in texts that speak of the Lord’s preserving care for the righteous. In John 19, the soldiers do not break Jesus’ legs because He is already dead, and John states that this happened to fulfill Scripture. Within conservative evangelical interpretation, the clearest conclusion is that this detail identifies Jesus as the true Passover Lamb and shows the unity of God’s saving plan in Scripture. Some discussion remains over exactly which Old Testament text or set of texts John has in view, but the central meaning is clear and publication-safe.
