The Final Events. Part Seventy- Five
Parousia Imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ: Seven Last Statements of Christ on the Cross
Even though it’s hard to think of Jesus the Son of God, the Creator, on the cross, focusing on the cross gives meaning to the infinite sacrifice of the Godhead in the incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Scripture tells us that Jesus made seven distinct statements while He was on the cross of Calvary that not only reinforce His Earthly ministry, but also give further insight into His character. In taking a closer look at these phrases and paying attention to the details, you can better understand the true cost of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
- Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
- Luke 23:43: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
- John 19:26–27: Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.
- Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
- John 19:28: I thirst.
- John 19:30: It is finished.
- Luke 23:46: Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.
1. Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Here, we see Jesus on the cross praying for the very people that were working to kill him. Even in His death, Jesus was looking at others and giving the mercy, grace, and forgiveness that only He could offer. Not only that, but Jesus was interceding for sinners, modeling what believers today are called to do to carry on His ministry.
- Luke 23:43: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
When one of the two criminals that hung beside Jesus asked that Jesus remember him in His kingdom, this was Jesus’s response. This statement reveals Jesus’s supremacy and His power to save. In the same way, when we recognize Jesus as King and make Him Lord of our lives, He is faithful to save us too, even at the eleventh hour of our lives.
- John 19:26–27: Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.
As Jesus hung on the cross of Calvary, He lovingly entrusted the care of His mother, Mary, to John, the disciple that He loved. In doing so, he not only revealed His love for His mother and desire for her to be taken care of, but also His obedience to the Law. In the Old Testament Law, the firstborn son was to take care of his mother, so Jesus was obedient to the end. Now, we too are to be obedient to the commands of Jesus and to make sure we are lovingly caring for those entrusted to us.
- Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
This may be one of the hardest moments in Scripture to grasp because even though the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One, for this moment the Father was separated from the Son. Because God is holy, He cannot be in the presence of sin. But, we know that Jesus on the cross became sin for us (“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we could be washed clean and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Salvation was full and complete on Calvary- it is our choice to believe in Him with our body, mind and soul. This statement should break our heart and give us a deep, deep sense of gratitude. Because Jesus became sin and left God’s presence, we can enter His presence. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
- John 19:28: I thirst.
Born as God incarnate of the virgin Mary, Jesus was both fully God and fully man. Here, we see His humanity. As Jesus hung on the cross, He expressed His thirst and received vinegar to drink (fulfilling the prophecy in Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. ). Because of this, we can know that Jesus knows and understands our sufferings. There is nothing we can’t bring to Him that He won’t understand.
- John 19:30: It is finished.
As Jesus was on the cross and seconds away from death, He exclaimed that “it is finished”! His suffering was over, His work that the Father gave Him to do was over, and He had made a way for sinners to live in eternity with God. He had successfully conquered death and accomplished His mission. While this was the end of Jesus’s ministry on Earth, it was the beginning of His new covenant with His followers. Our sin died with Jesus on the cross of Calvary. This phrase should bring us great joy and reason to celebrate— He did it and it is finished!
- Luke 23:46: Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.
In His last breath, Jesus willingly gave up His spirit on the cross. His last words reveal that His spirit was not taken from Him, but instead He gave it as the ultimate sacrifice paving a way for us to receive salvation. As we look to His model, we too should be willing to sacrifice all for the sake of the Gospel.
CHRIST IS THE GOSPEL
“Hanging upon the cross Christ was the gospel. Now we have a message, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.’ Will not we keep our eyes fixed on a crucified and risen Savior, in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered? This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every believer” ( Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 6, p. 1113).
CHRIST CRUCIFIED
“Christ crucified—talk it, pray it, sing it, and it will break and win hearts. This is the power and wisdom of God to gather souls for Christ” (Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 67).
Our prayer is that by taking time to examine Jesus on the cross, your celebration of the incarnation, death on the cross, resurrection and ascension will be richer, more meaningful, and filled with awe and infinite gratitude.
Parousia Imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ: Seven Last Statements of Christ on the Cross
