Sayings of Jesus on the Cross – 2

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Sayings of Jesus on the Cross – 2

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr


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TEACHINGS OF JESUS (68)

Jesus On the Cross – 7 Sayings – Part 2 of 2

We are about to bring our study of the teachings of Jesus to its conclusion.  We have studied many things from His preaching and teaching.  The past several weeks have addressed His final admonitions prior to the cross.   We now come to the cross.  Jesus has been betrayed, arrested, falsely tried, denied, and condemned to death by a cowardly leader who knew he was innocent.  BUT, we need for this to happen and Jesus knew it – as noted, He had finished His work.

Now we find Jesus on the cross and while there we find recorded in the gospels 7 sayings that He uttered.  Our lesson today will briefly address these 7 sayings and their implications to us.  As we begin, let it be known that I do not know the order in which these were said, but I have placed them in a progressive order.

Previously we addressed the following:

  1. “Father forgive them…” – Luke 23:34
  2. “Today you will be with Me in paradise” – Luke 23:4
  3. “Woman, behold your son”, “Behold your mother” – John 19:26-27
    We now continue:
  4. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34
    1. Of all the sayings of Jesus on the cross, this saying is the most challenging to understand. Was Jesus actually saying God had abandoned Him?  Did God abandon Him? And if not, why would He utter this saying?  Was He in anguish speaking how He felt?  Was He quoting a psalm to get a point across?   Let’s take a few moments to address this.
    2. It is a quote from Psalm 22:1, a psalm that was clearly Messianic with a dual message. David was writing about how he felt, but in so doing He is prophesying about the coming Messiah and what He would endure.  This psalm has at least 8 references to events associated with Jesus on the cross.
    3. Had Jesus been abandoned by God? Some, even among brethren (and in some of our songs), contend that because Jesus on the cross was paying for our sins God had to turn His back on Him because He has nothing to do with sin.  They contend that Jesus actually became a sinner in our place on the cross.  Martin Luther in his commentary on Galatians 3:13 wrote, “And this, no doubt, all the prophets did foresee in spirit, that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, rebel, and blasphemer, that ever was or could be in the world. For he being made a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, is not now an innocent person and without sins;[1]  I reject this premise:
      1. I do not believe God ever abandoned Jesus. NOR did Jesus believe that – consider how prior to His being crucified, Jesus told His apostles they would all forsake Him, but He would not be alone – John 16:32, Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. (See also John 8:28-29)
      2. While Jesus did pay the price for our sins, he did NOT become a sinner. No text ever describes Him as a sinner.
    4. What about 2 Corinthians 5:21? Which says that God, “Made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”?
      1. The could be metonymy (a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for something else closely associated with it).
      2. We know that under the Old Law, every year, the High Priest had to lay their hands on a “scapegoat” (Leviticus 16) yearly and that goat would be released. In essence, the people were laying their sins (with its sacrifices) on the head of this goat who would be released into the wilderness.   That goat did NOT become a sinner, but he bore the sins of the people and carried them away from the people.
      3. Also, the term “sin-offering” is found more than 100 times in the OT. The actual Hebrew word is the word for “sin” which is found substantially more.  But virtually all translators acknowledge that the offering was not “sin” itself, but an offering FOR sin.
      4. That explains passages like 1 Peter 2:24 which says He bore our sins in His own body, Isaiah 53:6 where the LORD had laid upon Him the iniquity of us all, etc.
      5. In summary, Jesus PAID the price for our sins! But he was NEVER a sinner!  Consider also in 1 Peter 1:19 where Peter declared Jesus a “lamb without blemish” which could not be if He was a sinner!
    5. One consideration, as Jesus was dying, in quoting this first phrase of Psalm 22, He let His enemies below who were mocking Him fulfilling prophetic scripture. There is something to be said about this.
      1. The condemning leaders would have been familiar with that Psalm thought they attributed it to the sufferings of David. But, clearly therein, David uses language that best describes another who suffered differently (e.g. vs. 16 – “they pierced my hands and my feet”)
      2. Furthermore, they had done some of the very things David described. E.g. Vs. 7, “They shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him.”  Compare this with Matthew 27:43.
      3. As Jesus quoted this text it could have been recall for these corrupt leaders letting them know that they had actually fulfilled prophecy by way of their actions.
    6. HOWEVER, it is also my belief that what Jesus uttered here applied to Him at that moment. While He knew that God had not actually abandoned Him, the anguish He was enduring felt AS IF He had been left alone to die.  These were genuine words of intense suffering.  He felt the nails, the cramps, the difficulty breathing, the wounds on His torn back, the throbbing in His head from the crown of thorns, etc.  It was a cry of exasperation.
    7. May we, when we feel abandoned or are in anguish, remember our Lord on the cross and what He did so that we will NOT be separated from God, even in the troubling times. We may cry out to Him but let us always be reverent in our appealing to Him.
  5. “I thirst” – John 19:28
    1. A study of the process of crucifixion reveals several physiological elements – including shock from the loss of blood. And that can lead to a feeling of thirst.  What this shows us is the reality of what Jesus endured.  He did not use some super-power to eliminate the pain – He bore it all.
    2. The point is made, “that scripture might be fulfilled” – this was something prophesied of. Whether this is a reference to the wording (we find inclinations of thirst in Psalm 22:14-15 speaks of strength dried up and his tongue clinging to his jaw, and Psalm 69:21 which describes what happened as John records it – given vinegar to drink for His thirst), or just descriptive of His suffering, the point is there – Jesus was suffering.
    3. In this expression I am reminded of the humanity of Jesus and thus how real the pain and suffering He endured was.
    4. And it ought to give us comfort as we turn to Him as our understanding advocate. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that He was tempted in all points, yet without sin.
  6. “It is finished” – John 19:30
    1. We actually addressed this a few weeks ago as we examined part 1 of the Lord’s prayer – John 17:1-5. Here we briefly remind ourselves of what Jesus said here
    2. He had finished everything that was needed to provide forgiveness for us. He had “crossed the finish line”.
      1. 1 Peter 2:23-25 notes that He committed Himself to God (determined to complete the work) and thereby He bore our sins in His death – He died for us. In His death (and resurrection), He finished God’s redemptive plan for us.
      2. Consider Hebrews 12:1-2 and our race which we need to finish, where Christ is waiting for us. He is also described as “the author and finisher of our faith”
      3. Philippians 2:8-9 – he died and arose, and God has highly exalted Him…
      4. Consider how Jesus finished His work for us, will we finish our work for Him? Revelation 2:10, Luke 9:62, Hebrews 10:38-39, etc.
  7. “Father, Into Your hands I commit My Spirit” – Luke 23:46
    1. We return to Luke for our final saying. Having finished His work, He is now ready to die. He utters this final saying and “breathed His last”.  Jesus died.
    2. The saying is also found in the Old Testament in Psalm 31:5 where David puts his trust in the LORD (vs. 1). Like many of his psalms, David is dealing with enemies who have wrongfully treated him.  Yet he continues to maintain his trust in God no matter what.  As he concludes that psalm he gives a call to all God’s saints (holy ones) saying, “Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.” (vs. 23)  It is a call to trust God because He can deliver.
    3. As Jesus was dying and uttering these words, was He thinking about this psalm? I do not know, BUT it is a saying of faith.  In His physical death, just like ours, He is committing Himself to God to take care of all that He could not do.  As He is about to die, He COMPLETELY trusts His Father.
    4. How great is our faith?
      1. Clearly faith is our foundation – Hebrews 11:1, 2 Peter 1:5ff, etc.
      2. It is needed to become a Christian – Mark 16:16, Romans 10:9-10, Colossians 2:11-12
      3. It is needed to sustain us as Christians – 1 John 5:4, Romans 10:17 – the just shall live by faith; 2 Corinthians 5:7 – we walk by faith, Ephesians 6:16 – we need the “shield of faith” as we fight Satan, etc.
      4. It is needed as we complete our journey here on earth – cf. 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Hebrews 12:2 – Jesus is the finisher of our faith; 1 Peter 1:9 speaks of receiving the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls; Revelation 2:10 – be faithful unto death…
      5. When we are ready to leave this life, can we say with confidence what Jesus said? If not, we need to make some changes.

And thus we have the 7 sayings of Jesus while on the cross.  Each one teaches us something about Jesus AND about how we are to live our lives.  And ultimately how to face eternity.  Are you ready to stand before Him?  If not, why not change that right now while you still have opportunity.  Think about it!

[1] Barnes, A. (1884–1885). Notes on the New Testament: II Corinthians & Galatians. (R. Frew, Ed.) (pp. 334–335). London: Blackie & Son.

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