Suffering Servant

Scripture records that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross during His six hours of crucifixion.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a)

Those who crucified Jesus were not aware of the full scope of what they were doing because they did not recognize Him as the Messiah. While their ignorance of divine truth did not mean they deserved forgiveness, Christ’s prayer in the midst of their mocking Him is an expression of the limitless compassion of divine grace.

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Jesus is assuring one of the criminals on the cross that when he died, he would be with Him in heaven. This was granted because even at the hour of his death, the criminal had expressed his faith in Jesus, recognizing Him for who He was.

“Woman, behold, your son!” (John 19:26)

When Jesus saw His mother standing near the cross with the Apostle John, whom He loved, He committed His mother’s care into John’s hands. And from that hour John took her into his own home. In this verse Jesus, ever the compassionate Son, makes sure His earthly mother is cared for after His death.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)

Here, Jesus was expressing His feelings of abandonment as God placed the sins of the world on Him – and because of that, God had to “turn away” from Jesus. As Jesus was feeling that weight of sin, He was experiencing a separation from God for the only time in all of eternity. This was also a fulfillment of the prophetic statement in Psalm 22:1.

“I am thirsty.” (John 19:28)

Jesus was here fulfilling the Messianic prophecy from Psalm 69:21: “They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” By saying He was thirsty, He prompted the Roman guards to give Him sour wine, which was customary at a crucifixion, thereby fulfilling the prophecy.

“It is finished!” (John 19:30)

Jesus’ words meant His suffering was over and the whole work His Father had given Him to do, which was to preach the Gospel, work miracles, and obtain eternal salvation for His people, was done, fulfilled. The debt of sin was paid.

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46)

Here, Jesus is willingly giving up His soul into the Father’s hands, indicating that He was about to die – and that God had accepted His sacrifice. He “offered Himself without blemish to God.” (Hebrews 9:14)

As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, I want to encourage you to meditate on the above passages this week. Take the time to read through the four gospel accounts of the death of our Lord. But rejoice as you read knowing that it was the will of God for Jesus to suffer and die, “But Yahweh was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief;” (Isaiah 53:10) We should never forget the suffering of our Lord, but we rejoice that He rose from the dead and defeated death once and for all.

Your Shepherd,

Pastor Mark