Charles Ellicott Commentary John 19:37

"And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced." — John 19:37 (ASV)

They shall look on him whom they pierced.—The words of the prophecy, as they occur in the Authorized Version, are, “They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced,” but the reading that St. John has followed is that of many manuscripts, and is adopted by many Rabbinic (such as Rashi and Kimchi) and many modern authorities (such as Ewald and Geiger). The Greek translation (LXX.) of the prophet avoided the strong word “pierced,” as applied to Jehovah, and substituted for it “insulted.” St. John translates the original Hebrew freely for himself and gives the undoubted meaning of the Hebrew word, translating it by the same Greek word that is used by Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus. He thinks of the prophecy that spoke of Jehovah as pierced by His people and sees it fulfilled in the Messiah pierced on the cross.

For the fulfillment of the prophecy, compare the notes on John 8:28 and John 12:32. Jewish Rabbis, and Greek proselytes, and Roman soldiers alike looked, as they stood before the cross, on Him whom they pierced. That scene is typical. He shall draw all men to Him, and the moral power over the heart of humanity will be the heart of love, which loves and therefore saves him who has pierced it through and through. “God commendeth His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”