THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS FROM THE CROSS
People want to know and record the last words of famous people
before they die, as they might have a message for future generations. Here are
some final words of famous people: On April 18, 1955, Albert Einstein died soon
after a blood vessel burst near his heart. When asked if he wanted to undergo
surgery, Einstein refused, saying, "I want to go when I want to go. It is
tasteless to prolong life artificially. I have done my share; it is time to go.
Winston Churchill's Last Words: 'I Am Bored With It All."
Dr. Conrad Murray was at Michael Jackson's bedside as he died. According to
Murray, Jackson's last words were repeated requests for "milk."
"Milk" was his name for propofol, the anesthetic he overdosed on.
The most depressing words were from Stephen Hawking. His final
words came in the form of a book that was completed by his family after his
death, Brief Answers To The Big Questions. It includes answers to the
questions Hawking received most during his time on Earth. His final words in
the book were: "There is no God. No one directs the universe."
None of these last words of the so-called experts and
geniuses give us strength for today and hope for the future, unlike the Seven
Last Words of Jesus from the Cross. They were documented for generations to
come. Many Christians reflect and meditate on Good Friday on those seven words
recorded in the three gospels, Matthew, Luke, and John.
The
Seven Last Words of Jesus From The Cross:
Some scholars suggest Jesus was put on the Cross
at 9:00 AM. The sixth hour when darkness descended, would be roughly noon, and
the ninth hour when Jesus died, would be about 3:00 PM. Jesus was on the Cross
for about six hours, three in total darkness.[1]
More than finding the exact time and hours, we look at the Last Seven Words of
Christ from the Cross.
These final words of Jesus carried prophetic
significance. The first statement was about abandonment. For the
first time, he felt that God was not with Him. Matthew 27:46, "At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud
voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which
means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? It fulfills the prophecy in
Psalm 22.
The second statement, "Father,
forgive them for they don't know what they are doing." Jesus'
intercessory prayer fulfilled another prophecy from Isaiah 53:12, "He was
counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for
rebels." It is hard to comprehend Jesus's agony, yet He prayed for God's
forgiveness of His tormentors. What concern He showed to the sinners we may
think they don't deserve forgiveness.
The third statement, Luke 23:43, "And Jesus replied,
"I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." These words give us hope,
even on our deathbeds. When we repent of our sins and ask Jesus to forgive us,
He will forgive and assures His Kingdom. But don't wait until then. Repent of your
sins today, and receive God's forgiveness and a place in His Kingdom.
The fourth statement, John 19:26-27, "When Jesus saw his
mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear
woman, here is your son." And he said to this disciple, "Here is your
mother." And from then on, this disciple took her into his home."
Though Jesus was all about the Kingdom of God, while on Earth,
He cared for human relationships. Therefore we, too, are called to care for our
loved ones. His handing over the responsibility of caring for his mother while
he was gone to John the beloved was a natural and logical transfer. Why John
the beloved? He was a cousin of Jesus.
The fifth statement, John 19:27-29, "Jesus knew that his
mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am
thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a
sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips."
There are two Prophetic fulfillments in this statement, Psalm
22:15, My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the
roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead." Jesus
was on the Cross since 9:00 AM in the scorching heat of the Middle East, and
the Sun was at its peak around 3:00 PM. He was thirsty. All he cared about was
a plain glass of water. Instead, the merciless guards soaked a sponge in it,
put it on a hyssop branch, and held it to his lips. Can you imagine anything
more inhuman than that?
It all happened to fulfill a prophecy. Psalm 69:20-21, "Their
insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would
show some pity if only one would turn and comfort me. But instead, they give me
poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
Jesus's statement, "I am thirsty," could also
imply what He could offer to those who thirst and hunger after things that
cannot quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger. Prophet Isaiah invited
such people to go to God, who can quench our thirst and fulfill our hunger.
Isaiah 55:1-2, "Is Anyone thirsty? Come and drink even if you have no
money!
Come, take your choice of wine
or milk; it's all
free! Why spend
your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no
good? Listen to
me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."
Are
you wasting your energies and money on what is not quenching your thirst and
satisfying your hunger? Jesus, on this Good Friday, inviting you to come and
drink and eat from Him, all that comes to you free of charge. He said long ago.
John 7:37-38, "On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood
and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone
who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of
living water will flow from his heart." The water was not physical
as the Samaritan woman had thought but about the Salvation of our souls as the
prophet Isaiah prophesied.
Isaiah 12:3 says, "With joy, you will drink deeply from
the fountain of Salvation. Jesus showed us how to get
living water to satisfy our souls. It is by coming to Him who is the fountain
of life. (Psalm 36:9). Revelation 22:17, "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come."
Let Anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let Anyone who is thirsty
come. Let Anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life."
The sixth statement, John 19:30, When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It
is finished!" Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." Jesus did not say it
was the end, but it was finished. The work His Father had sent Him to do, which
was to teach the Gospel, perform miracles, and achieve reconciliation for His
people, was fulfilled. The debt of sin was paid.
The seventh statement, Luke 23:44-46, By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the
whole land until three o'clock. The light from the Sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the
sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then
Jesus shouted, "Father, I
entrust my spirit into your hands!" And
with those words, he breathed his last."
Jesus willingly gave his life. "Because He was God
and man, Jesus could have taken himself off the Cross, remained alive, and
exerted His divine authority. This statement fulfills a prophecy in Psalm
31:3-5, "You are my
rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set
for me, for I
find protection in you alone. I entrust my spirit into
your hand. Rescue
me, Lord, for you are a faithful God."
When
the Roman officer saw what had happened, he worshipped God and said,
"Surely this man was innocent." The crowds went home sad. We know how
he was buried in a rich man's tomb. How would you respond to Jesus' seven last words
from the Cross? Will you go away home like the crowds sad? Or will you Worship
Him like the Roman officer? The appropriate response would be to believe and worship
Jesus, who died on the Cross so that we might live.
