Luke 23:34, etc. - The Seven Sayings of Christ from the Cross.
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
There are seven sayings of Jesus uttered
from the cross. They were spoken in the following
order:
1. the word of forgiveness: "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke
23:34, KJV)
2. the word of salvation: "Today shalt
thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43, KJV)
3. the word of affection: "Woman, behold
thy son"; "Behold thy mother" (John 19:26-27,
KJV)
4. the word of anguish: "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46; Mark
15:34, KJV)
5. the word of suffering: "I thirst"
(John 19:28, KJV)
6. the word of victory: "It is finished"
(John 19:30, KJV)
7. the word of committal: "Father, into
thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46, KJV)
[The One Year Bible Companion re Luke 23:34 mod]
The seven utterances of Jesus as He hung
upon the cross are sometimes called the Seven
Words. No gospel writer mentions more than three,
nor less than one, of these utterances. [SDA
Bible Commentary]
The Gospels report seven utterances by Jesus
as He hung on the cross. Three of these can be
assigned to the first three hours, between 9 a.m. and
12 noon. Four can be assigned to the next three
hours, 12-3 p.m., during which the scene was
shrouded in darkness. It is traditional during Good
Friday services to meditate on these seven
utterances. Surely there is much here for us to ponder.
[Victor Bible Background Commentary]
Jesus' first and last words from the cross
were a prayer to His Father. [Disciple SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
James and John had once asked Jesus for
the places of honor beside him in his Kingdom,
(Mark 10:35-39). Now, as Jesus prepared to
inaugurate his Kingdom through his death, those places
beside him were filled by dying men - criminals.
Don't we often hope for the same thing
James and John did - a place of honor next to
Jesus? Jesus had told his disciples what brought
honor in God's Kingdom. The greatest among you
should take the lowest rank" (Luke 22:26). He
emphasized his teaching by washing their feet, and now
he was going further than they'd ever imagined.
Death on a Roman cross was for the lowest of low.
Often we think, "Surely Jesus doesn't
mean we should go that far!" When Jesus washed
their feet, the disciples may have thought that
was low enough. But Jesus went further - to
death. That was how low his serving went.
As Jesus explained to his disciples, a
person who wants to be close to Jesus must be
willing to go that far. The way to the Kingdom is
the way of the cross. It is serving that knows
no bottom. It is death to our pride that
rationalizes, "But not that far! [One Year NLT SB re
Luke 23:32, 33]
COMMENTARY
FIRST SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(forgiveness).
Luke 23:34a (KJV) Then said Jesus, FATHER,
FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.
Heaven viewed with grief and amazement
Christ hanging upon the cross, blood flowing from
His wounded temples, and sweat tinged with blood
standing upon His brow. From His hands and feet the
blood fell, drop by drop, upon the rock drilled
for the foot of the cross. The wounds made by
the nails gaped as the weight of His body
dragged upon His hands. His labored breath grew
quick and deep, as His soul panted under the
burden of the sins of the world. All heaven was
filled with wonder when the prayer of Christ was
offered in the midst of His terrible suffering, -
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do." Luke 23:34. Yet there stood men, formed in
the image of God, joining to crush out the life
of His only-begotten Son. What a sight for the
heavenly universe! DA760
Jesus asked God to forgive the people who
were putting him to death - Jewish leaders, Roman
politicians and soldiers, bystanders - and God answered
that prayer by opening up the way of salvation
even to Jesus' murderers. The Roman centurion and
soldiers who witnessed the crucifixion said, "Surely
he was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54). Soon
many priests were converted to the Christian
faith (Acts 6:7). Because we are all sinners, we
all played a part in putting Jesus to death. The
gospel - the Good News - is that God is gracious.
He will forgive us and give us new life through
his Son. [Life Application SB]
"Father, Forgive Them"
The dialogue that Friday morning was
bitter.
From the onlookers, Come down from the
cross if you are the Son of God!
From the religious leaders, He saved
others but he cant save himself.
From the soldiers, If you are the king
of the Jews, save yourself.
Bitter words. Acidic with sarcasm.
Hateful. Irreverent. Wasnt it enough that he was
being crucified? Wasnt it enough that he was
being shamed as a criminal? Were the nails
insufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the
flogging been too short?
For some, apparently so...
Of all the scenes around the cross, this
one angers me the most. What kind of people, I
ask myself, would mock a dying man? Who would be
so base as to pour the salt of scorn upon open
wounds? How low and perverted to sneer at one who is
laced with pain
The words thrown that day were meant to
wound. And there is nothing more painful than words
meant to hurt
If you have suffered or are suffering
because of someone elses words, youll be glad
to know that there is a balm for this
laceration. Meditate on these words from 1 Peter 2:23
(NIV):
When they hurled their insults at him,
he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made
no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to
him who judges justly.
Did you see what Jesus did not do? He did
not retaliate. He did not bite back. He did not
say, Ill get you! Come on up here and
say that to my face! Just wait until after
the resurrection, buddy! No, these statements
were not found on Christs lips.
Did you see what Jesus did do? He
entrusted himself to him who judges justly. Or said
more simply, he left the judging to God. He did
not take on the task of seeking revenge. He
demanded no apology. He hired no bounty hunters and
sent out no posse. He, to the astounding
contrary, spoke on their defense. Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they are
doing.? (Luke 23:34 NIV) they dont know
what they are doing.
And when you think about it, they
didnt. They hadnt the faintest idea what they
were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at
something they couldnt see so they took it out on,
of all people, God. But they didnt know what
they were doing.
Yes, the dialogue that Friday morning was
bitter. The verbal stones were meant to sting. How
Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded
by his own blood, and lungs yearning for air,
could speak on behalf of some heartless thugs is
beyond my comprehension. Never, never have I seen
such love. If ever a person deserved a shot at
revenge, Jesus did. But he didnt take it. Instead
he died for them. How could he do it? I dont
know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds
seem very painless. My grudges and hard feelings
are suddenly childish.
Sometimes I wonder if we dont see
Christs love as much in the people he tolerated as
in the pain he endured. [Max Lucado Daily
Devotional at maxlucado.com]
SECOND SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(salvation).
Luke 23:42, 43 (KJV) And he said unto Jesus,
Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, VERILY I SAY UNTO
THEE, TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.
The conversion of the thief upon the cross,
which is an illustrious instance of Christ's
triumphing over principalities and powers even when he
seemed to be triumphed over by them. Christ was
crucified between two thieves, and in them were
represented the different effects which the cross of
Christ would have upon the children of men, to whom
it would be brought near in the preaching of
the gospel. They were all malefactors, all
guilty before God. Now the cross of Christ is to
some a savour of life unto life, to others of
death unto death. (Matthew Henry's Commentary)
The dying criminal had more faith than the
rest of Jesus followers put together. Although
the disciples continued to love Jesus, their
hopes for the kingdom were shattered. Most of them
had gone into hiding. As one of his followers
sadly said two days later, We had hoped that he
was the one who was going to redeem Israel
(Luke 24:21). By contrast, the criminal looked at
the man who was dying next to him and said,
Jesus, remember me when you come into your
kingdom. By all appearances, the kingdom was
finished. How awe-inspiring is the faith of this man
who alone saw beyond the present shame to the
coming glory! [Life Application SB]
THIRD SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(affection).
John 19:26, 27 (KJV) When Jesus therefore
saw his mother, and the disciple standing by,
whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, WOMAN,
BEHOLD THY SON! Then saith he to the disciple,
BEHOLD THY MOTHER! And from that hour that disciple
took her unto his own home.
In this passage there is something which is
surely one of the loveliest things in all the
gospel story. When Jesus saw his mother, he could
not but think of the days ahead. He could not
commit her to the care of his brothers, for they
did not believe in him yet (Jn 7:5). And, after
all, John had a double qualification for the
service Jesus entrusted to him--he was Jesus'
cousin, being Salome's son, and he was the disciple
whom Jesus loved. So Jesus committed Mary to
John's care and John to Mary's, so that they should
comfort each other's loneliness when he was gone.
[Barclay Commentary]
Behold, my beloved disciple shall be to you
a son, and provide for you, and discharge
toward you the duties of an affectionate child.
Mary was poor. It would even seem that now she
had no home. Jesus, in his dying moments, filled
with tender regard for his mother, secured for
her an adopted son, obtained for her a home, and
consoled her grief by the prospect of attention from
him who was the most beloved of all the
apostles. What an example of filial attention! What a
model to all children! And how lovely appears the
dying Saviour, thus remembering his afflicted
mother, and making her welfare one of his last cares
on the cross, and even when making atonement
for the sins of the world! (Barnes' Notes)
FOURTH SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(anguish).
Matthew 27:46 (KJV) And about the ninth hour
Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli,
lama sabachthani? that is to say, MY GOD, MY GOD,
WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?
Jesus was not questioning God; he was
quoting the first line of Psalm 22 - a deep
expression of the anguish he felt when he took on the
sins of the world, which caused him to be
separated from his Father. This was what Jesus dreaded
as he prayed to God in the garden to take the
cup from him (Matthew 26:39). The physical agony
was horrible, but even worse was the period of
spiritual separation from God. Jesus suffered this
double death so that we would never have to
experience eternal separation from God. [Life
Application SB]
Did God actually forsake Jesus? (27:46) The
divine and human natures of Jesus were never
separated, even during the crucifixion. Yet it is
clear, difficult as it is to explain, that Jesus'
intimate fellowship with God the Father was
temporarily broken as he took the sin of the entire
world on himself. Jesus used the words of Psalm
22, which begins with despair but ends with
renewed trust in God. By quoting that psalm, Jesus
may have hinted that he knew the broken
relationship with his Father would soon be restored.
[Quest SB]
FIFTH SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(suffering).
John 19:28 (KJV) After this, Jesus knowing
that all things were now accomplished, that the
scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I THIRST.
The fatigue which he had undergone, the
grief he had felt, the heat of the day, and the
loss of blood, were the natural causes of this
thirst. This he would have borne without complaint;
but he wished to give them the fullest proof of
his being the Messiah, by distinctly marking how
everything relative to the Messiah, which had been
written in the prophets, had its complete fulfilment
in him. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
One of the women who lingered at the foot of
the cross had once known thirst that ordinary
water couldn't quench. She had been an outcast
among her peers, and there was no place in society
for someone like her. She had a great need, and
nothing could fill the emptiness, the void within
her. Then came the day when she met Jesus.
Although her accusers had already given up on her and
would readily have stoned her, Jesus saw her need,
and rather than give up on her, he faced her
accusers and saved not only her life but her soul as
well. From that moment forward, Mary Magdalene was
a devoted disciple of Christ, following him
even to the foot of a brutal cross. When Jesus
cried out in thirst, the soldiers mistook it for
weakness of the flesh and thrust sour wine to his
lips. What they didn't comprehend is that Jesus'
words were a declaration of his completion of his
Father's work. He was thirsty because he was being
poured out as an offering, not only for the
grateful woman who knelt at his feet but also for
generations of people to come. [Praying Through The
Bible By Fuller]
SIXTH SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(victory).
John 19:30 (KJV) When Jesus therefore had
received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he
bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
The sixth word or saying that Jesus spoke
from the cross was a single Greek work which
means It is finished. Papyri receipts for taxes
have been recovered with this word written across
them, meaning paid in full. This word on
Jesus lips was significant. When He said, It is
finished (not I am finished), He meant His
redemptive work was completed. He had been made sin for
people (2 Cor. 5:21) and had suffered the penalty
of Gods justice which sin deserved. [Bible
Knowledge Commentary]
With one prophecy after another falling
into place, Jesus went to the cross and died for
the sins of the world. Finally, he said, "It is
finished." God's plan, which the Bible says was put
into place before the creation of the world, was
finally fulfilled. The centerpiece of God's rescue
mission was complete.
The death of Jesus is the ultimate
expression of love, and it's available to anyone who
will agree to be rescued. To some, the thought
that a sacrificial death was necessary is
offensive; to others, it's everything. Paul made this
message of the cross the essence of his preaching
because it's the only means of our salvation. Jesus'
death removed everything that stood between us and
God so we can have perfect fellowship with him
through faith. [NIV Once A Day Bible]
The cross was the goal of Jesus from the
very beginning. His birth was so there would be
His death. The incarnation was for our
atonement. He was born to die so that we might live.
And when He had accomplished the purpose He had
come to fulfill, He summed it up with a single
word: finished.
In the original Greek, it was a common
word. Jesus probably used it after He finished a
project that He and Joseph might have been working
on together in the carpentry shop. Jesus might
have turned to Joseph and said, Finished. Now
lets go have lunch. It is finished. Mission
accomplished. It is done. It is made an end of.
So what was finished? Finished and
completed were the horrendous sufferings of Christ.
Never again would He experience pain at the hand
of wicked men. Never again would He have to
bear the sins of the world. Never again would He,
even for a moment, be forsaken of God. That was
completed. That was taken care of.
Also finished was Satans stronghold on
humanity. Jesus came to deal a decisive blow against
the devil and his demons at the cross of
Calvary. Hebrews 2:14 says, That through death He
might destroy him who had the power of death, that
is the devil This means that you no longer
have to be under the power of sin. Because of
Jesus accomplishment at the cross, finished was
the stronghold of Satan on humanity.
And lastly, finished was our salvation.
It is completed. It is done. All of our sins
were transferred to Jesus when He hung on the
cross. His righteousness was transferred to our
account.
So Jesus cried out the words, It is
finished! It was Gods deliberate and
well-thought-out plan. It is finished - so rejoice! [By Greg
Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
SEVENTH SAYING OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS
(committal).
Luke 23:46 (KJV) And when Jesus had cried
with a loud voice, he said, FATHER, INTO THY
HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT: and having said thus,
he gave up the ghost.
Jesus died with a prayer on his lips.
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." That is
Ps 31:5 with one word added - Father. That
verse was the prayer every Jewish mother taught
her child to say last thing at night. Just as we
were taught, maybe, to say, "This night I lay me
down to sleep," so the Jewish mother taught her
child to say, before the threatening dark came
down, "Into thy hands I commit my spirit." Jesus
made it even more lovely for he began it with the
word Father. Even on a cross Jesus died like a
child falling asleep in his father's arms.
[Barclay Commentary]
The words are from yet another psalm, Ps.
31:5, and were used in Israel as an evening
prayer. The psalm is a beautiful expression of
unshakable confidence. It reminds us that, although
Christ accepted death as the Fathers will, His
suffering in no way threatened the loving bond of
trust that existed between them. [Victor Bible
Background Commentary re Mar.15:34]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Every fall and winter, I suffer from
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It occurs when
reduced exposure to sunlight produces a chemical
imbalance in the brain. I'm thankful for the
antidepressant that keeps my mood balanced and for the
privilege of prayer. Talking to God and praising Jesus
helps the most.
The Gospel of Luke tells us that during
Jesus's final three hours, as He hung dying on the
cross, darkness covered the entire earth "for the
sun stopped shining" (23:45, NIV).
All of us who experience the darkness of
depression - even for a short season - understand the
hopelessness that Jesus must have felt in those hours.
Not only did our Savior take on the sins of
every person who ever lived during that time of
darkness, I am convinced He also felt all our pain,
shame, and despair, which accounts for His quick
death (John 19:31-34). The Son of God experienced
a staggering depression of the soul, like no
other.
The Bible tells us that Jesus is not
"unable to empathize with our weaknesses" (Hebrews
4:15, NIV). By entering into our darkness, Jesus
understood and took on Himself all of our sin,
weakness, and helplessness.
No wonder we call this day "Good Friday."
Jeanette Levellie
Faith Step: Go into a secluded room or
closet. Block out as much light as you can. Thank
Jesus for His willingness to take on all the
darkness of sinful humanity. Now open wide the door
and windows. Turn all the lights on. As you do,
sing a song of praise to Jesus, the Light of the
world. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan re John 1:5]
CLOSING PRAISE AND WORSHIP SONG:
More Than Wonderful by Sandi Patti &
Larnelle Harris:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRTwUvZG5a0
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
The Last Words Of Christ On The Cross From
Charles Spurgeon's Writings:
https://godrules.net/library/spurgeon/NEWspurgeon_m1.htm
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
