We are still in chapter twelve of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase. וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֥א תִשְׁבְּרוּ־בֽוֹ and you shall not break any of its bones. This phrase is used twice in the Old Testament. Here are both uses. Exodus 12:46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֥א תִשְׁבְּרוּ־בֽוֹ and you shall not break any of its bones. I find it interesting that the prepositional pronoun בֽוֹ used here is masculine. So literally not break any of his bones. Numbers 9:12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֥א תִשְׁבְּרוּ־בֽוֹ nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. And interestingly enough we find the same prepositional pronoun בֽוֹ used here is also masculine. Since both of these phrases describing the Passover lamb are literally his bones. This points us toward how the Holy Spirit applies this to Christ in the New Testament. John 19:31-37 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” Our phrase is used as evidence by the Holy Spirit writing through John over a thousand years beforehand applying it to how Jesus would die for us. This phrase, although it is not identical in the word order, is also seen in one of David’s psalms. Psalm 34:20 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו אַחַ֥ת מֵ֝הֵ֗נָּה לֹ֣א נִשְׁבָּֽרָה he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. The Holy Spirit uses a different author to provide evidence writing close to a thousand years ahead of time. I’ll let John tell you why the Holy Spirit is writing though him making these connections. John 20:30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
