Seven words on the cross (5)
[John 19:28-30]
The fourth word Jesus spoke on the cross was “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani” (Mt. 27:46). This word of Jesus is Aramaic, and its’ meaning is “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (v. 46). What the fourth word of Jesus on the cross shows us is that God is just and holy, so He not only has no sin, but also Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who knows no sin, bore my sins, our sins, and all our sins and redeemed us and saved us by taking on our sins and throwing them away on the cross as the payment for our sins. Also, this fourth word of Jesus on the cross shows how heavy and terrifying the price of our sins is. And this word shows that King David's prophecy of Psalms 22:1 was fulfilled. In addition, the words of Jesus on the cross, “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani,” show us God’s love concretely and clearly.
When Jesus cried out “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani” on the cross, we can know the love of the God of love (1 Jn. 4:8, 16) in detail and with certainty. Look at Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We are sinners from birth [(Psalms 51:5), “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me”]. God's love for us was clearly demonstrated by being foraeken by Heavenly Father on the cross for/on behalf of us [“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” (Mt. 27:46)] and died. Look at Romans 5:10 – “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Because there was sin between God and us, we became enemies of God. However, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took on all our sins, was forsaken by Heavenly Father on the cross [“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” (Mt. 27:46)] and died, so that we could be reconciled to God (Rom 5:10). Apostle John tells us in 1 John 4:9-10 how God's love was concretely and clearly manifested on the cross: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Apostle John tells us how God's love has been revealed to us, that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this world as a peace offering to save us from our sins. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:32 – “Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies.” God loves us and to save us, He sent His only begotten Son to this world as a sacrifice of reconciliation.
The fifth word Jesus said on the cross was, “I am thirsty.”
Look at John 19:28 – “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’” Here, “Later” refers to the time after Jesus cried out loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34) on the cross. And the Bible says, “knowing that all was now completed” (Jn. 19:28), and “all” here means that Jesus knew that He came to this earth to save us, being crucified and shedding His blood to die on the cross. In other words, Jesus knew that this work of redeeming us and saving us from eternal destruction had already been accomplished. Also, John 19:28, says "that the Scripture would be fulfilled," and “the Scripture” here refers to Psalms 69:21 – “They also gave me gall for my food And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Before Jesus cried out on the cross, “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani,” the Roman soldiers gave Jesus “wine to drink mixed with gall” (Mt. 27:34) or “wine mixed with myrrh” (Mk.15:23), but He tasted it, Jesus refused to drink it. Here, wine mixed with gall or wine mixed with myrrh is an anesthetic mixed with wine, which dulls the mind, so that Jesus can feel less pain, so Jesus did not drink the wine mixed with gall/myrrh. However, even after Jesus cried out loudly from the cross, “Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani,” “one” of those present immediately ran and took “a sponge,” filled or dipped it with “sour wine” (Mt. 27:48; Mk. 15:36) and brought it to the mouth of Jesus who was nailed to the cross. At that time, Jesus received the sour wine (Jn. 19:29-30). Here, among the theories about whether "sour wine" and "wine mixed with gall" or "wine mixed with myrrh" are the same or different, most scholars say they are the same thing, but a few scholars say they are different. I think "sour wine" is different from "wine mixed with gall" or "wine mixed with myrrh." There are three reasons: (1) The original Greek words for “sour wine” and “wine mixed with gall” and “wine mixed with myrrh” are different. (2) Wine mixed with gall or wine mixed with myrrh has narcotic properties, but sour wine is wine with vinegar. (3) Jesus did not accept wine mixed with gall or wine mixed with myrrh, which contained anesthetic (Mt. 27:34; Mk. 15:23) but did receive sour wine (Jn. 19:30). The reason Jesus did not accept wine mixed with gall or wine mixed with myrrh was because I think He knew that He would feel less pain because of the anesthetic. The basis for my thought is that when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He received an answer to His prayer by receiving the cup of suffering according to Heavenly Father’s will (Lk. 22:42) [Note: In the Last Supper of Jesus, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you” (Mt. 26:27-28; Mk. 14:23-24)]. After Jesus suffered the pain of being forsaken by Heavenly Father on the cross [“Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani” (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34)], He received sour wine mixed with vinegar (Jn. 19:30). In the end, I think He was trying to harm Himself rather than trying to quench His own thirst [(v. 28) “I am thirsty”]. In other words, I think Jesus received sour wine mixed with vinegar (Jn. 19:28), which made Him feel more pain, not wine mixed with myrrh that had anesthetic ingredients to make Him feel less pain and gave up His own life (1 Jn. 3:16) to save us (4:9) who were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). d
Look at the lyrics of the hymn “I Gave My Life for Thee”: (v. 1) I gave my life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead. I gave, I gave my life for thee, What hast thou given for Me? (v. 2) My Father's house of light, My glory circled throne, I left, for earthly night, And wanderings sad and lone. I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me? (v. 3) I suffered much for thee, More than thy tongue can tell, Of bitterest agony, To rescue thee from hell. I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me? (v. 4) And I have brought to thee, Down from My home above, Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love. I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me? Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came down to this world, sacrificed Himself on the cross, and shed His blood to atone our sins, save us without cost, and give us a way to live. Jesus of this love is asking us, “I gave, I gave my life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?” “I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?” I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?” “I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?”