The 7 Sayings Of Jesus On The Cross

During this past weekend, as I’ve been considering Jesus’ torturous death, and rejoicing over his resurrection on the third day, I came upon a devotional about the 7 sayings of Jesus as he hung on the cross. I’d heard something about this before, but had never quite been able to put it all in order, since each of the 4 gospels adds its own detail to the wider picture. For example, only Luke talks about the repentant thief.

The first recorded words of Jesus on the cross are: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34.) How incredible to find our Saviour asking his Father to forgive his tormentors. Are we generally this quick to forgive? Or do we bear grudges? Do we hold forgiveness at arm’s length, maybe waiting to see if the person will wrong us again before offering it completely? I’m sure Jesus was pardoning these people in the hope that they would later realise who he was, and accept his gift of eternal life. He wasn’t just dying for those who had walked alongside him during his public ministry; he was dying for the whole world, including you and me. However, the only way to experience his gift of eternal life is to ask him to forgive us our many sins and shortcomings, and fall upon his grace and mercy. These words of Jesus’ are echoed by Steven in the book of Acts. We believe he was the first Christian martyr. AS his enemies were stoning him to death, he also asked his Father to forgive them, taking seriously the example of his Saviour.

Next, we find Jesus turning his attention to one of the criminals condemned to die beside him. The Bible says there were 3 crosses, with Jesus in the centre. One man scorned and mocked him, but the other asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Whatever this man was guilty of before, we now find him repenting, and realising he needs a saviour. Thankfully, Jesus’ reply is: “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23: 43.) This gives us such hope, because this man had no opportunity to do anything to earn his salvation, or to impress the Lord. He was about to die, condemned to spend his remaining hours in agony on a cross, lifting his body each time he wanted to breathe, then feeling more pain as the nails dug into his flesh. His was the ultimate deathbed conversion, and it reminds us that as long as a person is alive, there is hope of them coming to Jesus, just as this man did. Whenever my father-in-law takes a funeral service for someone whose faith standing was unknown, he uses this text to prove that the way of salvation was open to the person right until their dying breath.

Jesus third statement is directed at his mother: “Woman, behold thy son.” He indicates his disciple and good friend John while saying this, asking John to take his place as Mary’s eldest son and prominent provider. It would have been expected for the eldest son to take care of his widowed mother, and Jesus could no longer do this. Although we are told he had other brothers, maybe he trusted John because John was a believer, and often referred to as the beloved disciple. Whatever his reasoning, the fact that Jesus still took time to think of his mother despite what he was going through shows the love and compassion of our Saviour. Mary had been chosen by god to birth the Messiah, but now her job was complete, she wasn’t expendable, because no one is with our God. He loves and cares for all his children. In her grief over the death of her firstborn, Mary would need special love and tenderness, and Jesus clearly felt John was the man to give it.

Jesus’ next words are perhaps the most gut-wrenching. As the sky turns black, he cries out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15: 34.) A holy God cannot look upon sin, and here, we find Jesus carrying the weight of the sin of the whole world. He experienced separation from his Father in order to bring us near. That separation should have been ours. We are the sinners, and he was and is sinless. I am always moved when I think of Jesus enduring the separation that should have been mine. Don’t forget, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Yet, here there was a temporary fracture in the trinity.

Next, Jesus cried: “I thirst.” (John 19: 28.) There is something so pitiful about the one who created the whole world asking for water. We know he could have called upon God’s angels to bring him anything he wanted, and to take him down from the cross, but here, he chooses to be helpless in order to be our help. Considering the whipping and torture he has endured, saying he is thirsty seems like a huge understatement.

As his life draws to an end, Jesus cries: “It is finished!” (John 19: 30.) I see this as a victory cry. He has done it! His agony is almost over, and his mission almost complete. What follows will be rejoicing, and it will be worth the suffering as Jesus sees each new soul being saved.

Finally, as he breathes his last breath, Jesus says: “Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit.” (Luke 23:46.) Jesus came from the Father, and now returns to the Father, having completed everything he was sent to do.

As we consider these sayings, it is a wonder that Jesus spoke at all, considering the state he must have been in, but every word was uttered for a reason. WE can learn so much from him, even in his last moments, and we must never take his sacrificial love for granted.