The Seven Last Words of Christ

The four gospels collectively report seven “words” (phrases) that Christ spoke from the cross. The words differ between the four gospels but this is neither surprising nor alarming: if you get four people to watch the same event, then you will get a general agreement on what happened but four different perspectives. God inspired human beings to write his Word down but he is also gracious to work within our humanity, and so each gospel writer brings a true yet different perspective to the same event.

Matthew and Mark report “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” or “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:4 and Mark 15:34). This saying is a direct quote from Psalm 22:1 and represents the first time ever – and I do mean ever! – that God the Son was separated from God the Father. Even in Jesus’ human lifetime he and his Father had been in perfect communion. But now the weight of the world’s sins has temporarily slammed the door between Jesus and the Godhead.

Luke reports three sayings beginning with the great “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). His words are incredibly gracious, asking his Father to forgive the mob that turned against him and even now screamed for his torture and death. Yet he loved them anyway – just like he loves us, for how often do we turn away from him too?

The second saying in Luke is “I promise you that today you will be with me in Paradise,” (Luke 23:43). Two thieves were being crucified with Christ, one on his left and the other on his right. One of the thieves was joining in with the mocking crowd below, saying terrible things. It sounds ridiculous that a man would do this since he was hanging on a cross himself, but it was demonic hatred that was infecting the crowd of both Jews and Gentiles that day. But the second thief yelled at the first to “Shut up!” He said that they deserved what they were going through but Jesus did not. This thief then turned to Christ and asked him to remember the poor thief when Christ came into his kingdom. Jesus told the thief that he would be with Him this very day in heaven.

Luke reports the third saying as “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). This tells us that in spite of the severed felt connection between Jesus and the Father, Jesus knew that his Father was there and that the Trinity would be restored. Jesus knew exactly what he was doing, and that he would live again.

John adds three sayings; two of them very human comments that make me feel even closer to Christ, who is both fully divine and fully human.

The first saying is “Woman, behold your son!” followed by “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27) When Jesus saw his mother standing near the cross with other faithful women and John the Beloved Disciple, Jesus cared enough in his extreme suffering to put his mother into John’s care. John was faithful; from that hour he took her unto his own home.

The second saying was the simple (or was it?) “I thirst.” There is little doubt that he was thirsty. Dehydration hurried the crucifixion victim’s dying process along, which was just as well for all concerned. But Jesus was also fulfilling the Messianic prophecy from Psalm 69:21: “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” By saying he was thirsty, he prompted the Roman guards to give him sour wine — thereby fulfilling this prophecy.

John’s third saying, and the seventh and last in the gospels, is the triumphant “It is finished!” (John 19:30). With Jesus’ last words his suffering was finished. He still descended into death but within days he would rise again, alive again forever… and us with him.

Questions

• Does it bother you that the gospels report different sayings? Why or why not?
• The Passion fulfills several OT prophecies. Can you find related prophecies from Psalms, Isaiah, and other OT passages?

Exercise: Psalm 22

Jesus quoted the opening line of Psalm 22, and this psalm has additional verses that prophesy Crucifixion events. Read Psalm 22 and discuss the passages that apply. Note that Jesus himself fulfilled some of them but others were fulfilled by other people’s actions (look at 22:18).

Exercise: Imaging Prayer

Pass out copies of The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus:

1. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
2. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
3. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
4. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
5. “Woman, behold your son. [John], behold your mother.”
6. “I am thirsty.”
7. “It is finished!”

Ask your group to prayerfully consider which of these sayings God wants them to pray. Let the group go into silent prayer, either imaging prayer at the Cross or speaking privately to God. Afterwards, people may share as they feel led. God will work powerfully!