Scripture & the Rosary:
New Testament Mysteries,
Old Testament Parallels

The Third Sorrowful Mystery

Lesson 14 Here Is the Man!
the Gospel According to John 19:2–11
the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–10
Psalm 51:1–5

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
ex libris (in our library)
cross references for Scripture & the Rosary
glossary for Scripture & the Rosary
next lesson: He Went Out, Bearing His Own Cross

This material coordinates with Lesson 14 on pages 52–55 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. 

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
—the Gospel According to Luke 1:46–49

welcome to our in-depth study of Scripture & the Rosary
We invite groups and individuals to become acquainted with Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible studies through Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, which has been granted an imprimatur. Although no longer available in print, the first six lessons can be downloaded from our website. The remaining 20 lessons are posted throughout the liturgical year along with their related online study pages. Click here to access Lesson 12 through Lesson 16. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, you can contact our authors using one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

making connections—two different kinds of kingdoms
Lesson 14 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels looks at the Third Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus Is Crowned with Thorns. There are two obvious Old Testament parallels that correspond with this Mystery. The first is taken from the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–10 and the second parallel comes from Psalm 51:1-5, which also is known as the Miserere. Prayed at Friday Lauds (Weeks I and II), Psalm 51 is included as part of Lesson 12 Have Mercy on Me, O God and Lesson 26 Create a Pure Heart for Me, both in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.

let’s look at the new in the light of the old
As you read through this lesson’s selected passages from the New and Old Testaments, ask yourself what these two biblical accounts have in common. Additional in-depth questions can be found on pages 52–55 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. Clicking on the New and Old Testament stained glass windows will enlarge the art. The same art also illustrates Lesson 14 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels.

?  How are the two Old Testament passages related to each other?
?  What information about David do they provide?
?  In what ways might David’s situation in these two passages be considered similar to the Third Sorrowful Mystery of Jesus?
?  How would you compare the kingdom of Jesus with the kingdom of David?
?  Look at the pictures of the stained glass window panels on pages 52 and 54 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. What similarities do you see between these depictions of the New and Old Testament scenes?

supplemental Scripture
In this lesson, the New Testament text is taken from the Gospel According to John 19:2–11. In this passage, Jesus and Pilate continue their conversation about truth and power. There are two important Old Testament parallels—the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–10, which recounts the prophet Nathan speaking for the LORD and chastising David’s actions, and Psalm 51, David’s song of repentance. The Second Book of Samuel 11:1—12:6 establishes important background that can help with understanding one of the most difficult tragedies in David’s life. The Second Book of Samuel 12:12–25 provides more insight into David’s character.

ex libris—learn more about Jesus’ Passion, death & Resurrection
Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week is one of three books in a series about Jesus in the Gospels. Written by Pope Benedict XVI, it looks at the decisive events that are the focus of Jesus’ last week on earth. The Scripture covered begins with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem and continues through the time of his Resurrection. Read excerpts and learn more about the Jesus of Nazareth trilogy and other works related to Bible study at ex libris—main bookshelf.

WHAT DO YOU THINK original sin means in your life?
This lesson contains one of the most interesting parallels in our Bible study. The language used in the RSVCE translations of the Gospel According to John 19:5 and the Second Book of Samuel 12:7 is almost identical. In the New Testament, Pilate brings Jesus before the crowd and announces: “Here is the man!” In the Old Testament, the prophet Nathan accuses David of committing sin, saying to him: “You are the man.” Both Jesus and David are described as “the man,” a term that links them to Adam (the first man) in the Garden of Eden, suggesting also that they each are linked in some way to the concept of the original sin committed there. You can learn more about Pilate’s interaction with Jesus in Lesson 22 My Kingship Is Not of This World in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth.

?  How does Jesus relate to original sin?
?  How does David?
?  How does Adam?
?  In regard to your approach to sin, do you think that you identify more with David or with Adam?
?  Consider how your relationship to God would differ had you been born in the time of David.

appearances can be deceiving
Jesus being crowned with thorns appears to have been intended an insult. Pontius Pilate’s presentation of Jesus to the crowd demonstrates that Jesus isn’t an ordinary king. Appearances are deceiving however. Today all Christians recognize the crown of thorns as a sign of Jesus’ reign over the spiritual realm. It’s present as a part of almost every visual representation of the crucified Christ.

In contrast, King David is shown in the Old Testament panel of this window having removed his traditional royal crown in order to sing the Miserere. What does this suggest about David’s attitude toward his kingdom in regard to his attitude toward God?

kingdom of heaven—you could look it up in our archives
Although it’s frequently mentioned in the Gospels, the nature of the kingdom of heaven remains a mystery. To learn what etymology discloses about the limitations of heaven, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness provides an in-depth look at how the New Testament vision of heaven differs from that of the Old Testament.

do you know the spiritual fruit associated with the Third Sorrowful Mystery?
Hint: It’s related to the last solemnity of the liturgical year. You can find out what it is in the “Fruits of Prayer” box on page 53 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. In what ways might this fruit benefit you in your everyday life?

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by passages in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from Psalm 51:1–5.

the Gospel According to John 19:11—paragraph 600
the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–15—paragraph 1736

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out when a person or place is mentioned in the biblical text under more than one name or more than one spelling. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels.

to learn more, read more Scripture
When you’re having difficulty understanding a passage of Scripture, it can help to read the cross references—but looking these up takes time. We’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the same translation that we reprint in our study books. The list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical texts for all of the lessons in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the online version of this study. If you want to revisit a commentary, you can look it up by title in the topics index. If you want to learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, you can read online commentaries and watch any accompanying videos by choosing a lesson from one of the study directories. (There are no lesson videos with Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels.) Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Gospel According to John 19:2–11 (NIV)
the Second Book of Samuel 12:7–10 (NIV)
Psalm 51:1–5 (NIV)

close by praying the Third Sorrowful Mystery
Many of our study groups like to conclude discussions of Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels by praying a decade of the Rosary devoted to the Mystery that’s the focus of their lesson. A number of Catholics include a request for an increase in the spiritual fruit associated with the mystery. You can find out what’s associated with the Third Sorrowful Mystery in the “Fruits of Prayer” box on page 53 in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels.

We invite you to pray along with Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino and her daughter Anne Marie on their prayer video featuring the Third Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary. The prayers and videos for all 20 mysteries are accessible year-round at how to pray the Rosary, and you can access a link to Tami and Anne Marie’s how-to video to learn what’s important about praying the Rosary. Clicking on the diagram (above) will take you to the website page with the Rosary prayers.


Lesson 15 He Went Out, Bearing His Own Cross (the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus Carries the Cross)—the Gospel According to John 19:12–17 and the Second Book of Samuel 15:24–30
Lesson 13 Pilate Took Jesus & Scourged Him (the Second Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus Is Scourged at the Pillar)—the Gospel According to John 18:33—19:1 and the Second Book of Samuel 16:5–12

you also may like our free Lenten study of Jesus’ Passion (digital only)
Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering is a five-lesson Catholic Bible study offering an in-depth look at the biblical foundations of the movie The Passion of the Christ. This revised study, which has been granted an imprimatur, contains all of the original material of the 2004 edition as well as many new features in an improved, reader-friendly format. Click on the book’s cover to view the introduction. Free digital lessons of Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering are available on the website during Lent.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer your questions and to offer support. You may use this email to contact us directly if you’re interested in starting a Turning to God study or in having your study schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the digital version of Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.