John 19:37
“And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →John cites Zechariah 12:10, saying the piercing of Jesus fulfills a prophecy about looking on the pierced one.
Context
Zechariah 12:10 is a prophecy of mourning and repentance in Jerusalem in the end times. By applying it to Jesus's piercing, John sees in that single moment a hinge of history: the piercing that will ultimately lead to the nations' repentance and return to God. The verse links past (the piercing), present (John's testimony), and future (the transformation of all who look).
What Does John 19:37 Mean?
From the piercing flows sight. Not the glance of a soldier doing his duty, but the deeper seeing that comes when we look upon the one who gave himself for us. To look upon the pierced one is to begin to understand what love costs and what salvation is worth.
This prophecy in Zechariah now opens into eschatology, into God's final purpose. The piercing of Jesus is not the end of history but a doorway into it. All who ever look upon this crucified Lord—whether standing at the cross or reading John's Gospel centuries later—are called into a posture of faith and repentance, of wounded recognition and grateful acceptance.
In the Original Language
exoraó (ἐξοράω), 'look on' -- to look intently, to behold; carries the sense of careful, sustained attention
Application
We are among those called to look upon the pierced one. That look transforms us. As we contemplate the cost of our redemption, written in the opening of his side, we are drawn into repentance and love. Our vision is clarified, our hearts re-ordered toward God.