Lord’s Day, Vol. 9 No. 13
The Last Words of Christ
The gospels recorded the 7 last utterances of our Lord when He was upon the cross bearing our sins. Let us meditate upon these words and ponder the significance of these utterances as we approach Good Friday, the day when Christ was crucified to save us from God’s wrath.
Jesus cried out to the Father in heaven in His first, climatic 4th and last utterances:“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) . The climatic 4th, Jesus uttered, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34), being interpreted, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). The last utterance being, “Father, into Thy hands I commit My Spirit” (Luke 23:46)
In the first, Jesus forgave His tormentors, a people who deserved no forgiveness. Their hatred toward Him can be felt in the recesses of his bones and sinews as He hung on the cross. Yet, He graciously forgave them and sought for the Father’s pardon upon them. There was no malice, no retaliative nor vengeful words but seeking their good. How He loved the unlovable! The reason He gave – “for they know not what they do”.
This is the power of God’s love demonstrated for our learning. Indeed, charity beareth all things (1 Corinthians 13:7a). This was Christ’s mission, that men may be jolted to repent of their sins and find forgiveness with God. The prophet Isaiah prophesied God’s great love towards sinners in Isaiah 53:12 (KJV) … he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
The 4th utterance of Christ was climatic for it amplified the purpose of His crucifixion and the peak of His suffering as Jesus enters the final stage of His sacrifice. God is holy. Here, we see God the Father turns His eyes, His face from sin as His Son bore them all. Upon the cross, Jesus was our sin-bearer. There is a deep mystery in our Lord’s words here “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It was not just the bodily anguish but the real pressure of His soul bearing the enormous burden for sins. He was our Substitute for sin. Jesus Christ was suffering the penalty for sin. And if a person is not saved, he is God-forsaken forever in hell fire. But for all who accepts Jesus Christ’s work on the cross for sins finds reconciliation with God.
In the last, a prayer of rest and accomplishment, just as one rest satisfied for a well-deserved restful sleep after a hard day’s work – Psalm 31:5 (KJV) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Jesus was sent by His Father from heaven to enter human history for man’s redemption. Having accomplished His work, He committed His departing Spirit in blissful surrender to return to the Father.
Jesus’ second and third utterances upon the cross, complete and fulfilled His earthly responsibility as a Man toward others. To share the gospel with whom He can, to the two thieves that were crucified beside Him. His great concern was for their souls’ sake – “Today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). One of the two believed. Hallelujah! He also entrusted His mother to the care of His disciple John who was there with Him at the cross – “Woman, behold, thy son… Behold thy mother.” (John 19:27).
The first three utterances of Christ was from 9am – 12noon in the brightness of the day. At noon, suddenly, darkness fell upon Jerusalem for three hours till 3pm when Jesus died – Matthew 27:45 (KJV) “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour”.
The 5th and 6th utterances “I thirst” (John 19:28) and “It is finished” (John 19:30) showed forth the perennial need of fallen man and the precious peace that the Saviour accomplished for our salvation.
To the woman at the well in Samaria, Jesus opened her understanding, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water… But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:10; 14). Jesus utilized the illustration of “living water” that will quench her thirst forever alluding to everlasting life from God to arouse her interest to seek to know more of the truth. Jesus’ suffering of thirst upon the cross was so that man can quenched from his thirst, that is, to be reconciled with God forever – 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus said, “It is finished”. A phrase of finality that means in the Greek an action completed and its result enduring forevermore. It was a once-for-all sacrifice that Jesus wrought. It was sufficient to save any sinner who repents of his sins and come to Jesus Christ – Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Amen.
Yours Lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee