Jesus’ Seven Statements from the Cross

According to Jewish reckoning, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified during the 3rd hour, which translates to 9 a.m. in Roman and modern expressions of time.  He died on the 9th hour, or 3 p.m.  Sometime during those six hours of unimaginable anguish and excruciating suffering (the word excruciating derives its meaning from the pain experienced by crucifixion victims), Jesus made the following seven statements:

1) But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  And they [the Roman soldiers] cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

2) One of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth: Today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

3) When Jesus then saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved [the Apostle John] standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”  From that hour, the disciple took her into his own household.  [Concerned with his mother’s well-being and safety going forward, Jesus placed Mary in the care of John.]

4) About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying . . . “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Jesus was here quoting Psalm 22:1, signifying that He sensed an incomprehensible separation from the Father He had never before known, for in voluntarily becoming the Sin-Bearer of the world, the sinless Christ incurred in Himself the full outpouring of the Father’s holy wrath against sin — yours and mine.

5) After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.”

6) Therefore, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”

The sixth statement Jesus spoke from the Cross was the single Greek word tetelestai.  Tax receipts from the ancient Near East have been recovered with this word written across them, meaning “paid in full.”  Jesus was declaring that His redemptive work as the Lamb of God — the ultimate and only acceptable Sacrifice for sins that could appease God’s justice — had reached the time of completion.  The infinite sin debt humanity owed God but could never pay was about to be forever canceled and applied to the “account” of everyone who would trust solely in Christ’s atoning death for forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation with God.

7) And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

(Sources:  Luke 23:34-35; Luke 23:40-42; John 19:26-27; Matthew 27:46; John 19:28-30; Luke 23:46)