7 Last Words of Jesus Christ

1. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

 Jesus was talking to His Father here and interceding for people. They know not
what they do. This does not mean that the people were like children that are
clueless of what they’re doing. It can’t also mean that they love not what they do,
because it is written that men loved darkness than light. I desire to be theoretical
in this paper and made theories more than assert facts. In my opinion, this was
intercession for the believers and not for everybody. First reason, if Jesus prayed
for all of them, they would all be saved. There will never be a prayer from the Son
that will be denied by the Father. Second, the saved are referred to as the sheep
and lambs. If the sheep and lambs do what they do, that doesn’t mean that they
know it. Take note that sheep and lambs are one of the dumbest, if not the most,
in the animal kingdom. It is moved easily and not resisting. Therefore, it could
mean that the Christians that are doing sin do not know what they do, though
they do know by nature, the key word here is yet. They know not what they do
yet until they come to the light of Christ.

2. Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

 Some people argue that we cannot base our argument here of salvation being
based on faith alone because they believe that this was a particular dispensation
and is not to be considered applicable to all. However, it is ironic that this kind of
people also believes that the dispensation of the baptism with the Holy Spirit still
applies today to those who truly believe. Never take a man’s word for anything.
Study and compare. Most of all, pray. There are many references in the gospel
books that all it takes is faith for someone to be healed and saved. I cannot
remember an instance when Jesus only healed and did not save the person.
When He healed, He also saved. The reason is because there is no difference in
the faith of the person that believes in Christ’s healing ability and the other that
believes in His ability to save. Faith is the key element in everything. This was
another significant proof of that. The thief did nothing but asked Christ to
remember him when He gets to paradise. He didn’t even ask of bringing him with
Him, yet the Lord brought him because of his faith. In every book of the Bible, the
 main emphasis has always been faith and nothing else. This quote can be said to
anybody who believes in Christ with all their heart.

3. Woman, behold thy son! Behold, thy mother!

 Even in the dying moments of Jesus, He did not care for Himself. All He was
thinking about was others. Their salvation and wellbeing. At this moment, Jesus
was referring to John and not to Himself. This was to give the responsibility to
John to care for Mary in her old age. It does not mean that Mary is John’s
mother. It means that from now on, John would be treating and taking care of
Mary as if he was her true son. This portrays the perfect obedience of Christ to
the law of honoring parents, embedded in this action is the proof that it is
included to take care of our parents when they are old. This is the will of God,
that we love one another.

4. My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

 Nobody would ever be able to comprehend the pain of Jesus in this situation,
nobody ever. God is eternal, having no beginning and no end. The Father and
the Son had been together since eternity! And now the Father is forsaking Him!
Imagine being forsaken by the people that loved you and you loved at the time
when you most need them. That would lead anybody to depression. How much
more Christ?! Another point of this is God’s wrath against sin. Some people think
that because they haven’t done any big sin in their lives, they’d go to heaven. It’s
not about the sin that brings people to hell, it’s about who they sinned against.
God did not spare His Son when sin was imputed to Him, how much less chance
of being saved have His enemies?

5. I thirst.

 This displays the humanity of Jesus Christ. He was in so much pain and on the
limits of a physical body. He could have hydrated Himself miraculously because
He is God, He could also make His body immune to pain, but He never did any of
those to suffer the full punishment of sin. He never thought of giving Himself any
comfort, but rather thought of the ransom that He will make for His people. This
was also to confirm the prophecy that vinegar is what they will give Him to drink
in Psalm 69:21.
6. It is finished.

 The celebratory cry of Jesus. Although He was pathetic to look upon with his
condition, He was triumphant in His mission. He finished the work which the
Father gave Him to do. This is the celebration of the Christians. It is finished. The
ransom is finished. All may come to Christ to be covered in His blood for the
washing of their sins and justification before God. It is finished. No more
mysteries about salvation. All that was referred to in the prophecies concerning
salvation of men have been revealed here in this glorious moment. No more
ceremonial activities which was shadows of Christ’s work for salvation. It is
finished. All who seeks salvation by their works should know this saying of Christ,
it is finished, believe in Him and thou shalt be saved.

7. Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.

 The work is done, all that is left is for Christ to die so that He can be risen. The
moment of rest. After all the agonizing pain, abandonment, and sufferings, this is
the moment of rest. The joy that Christ felt when it was finished and all His
people would be saved. The glorious rest of Christ from the crucifixion.

References:

Grace to you blog by John MacArthur