What Did Jesus Say While on the Cross?
- Despite the fact that Christianity is sometimes portrayed as a conservative and even bigoted religion, Christ himself was an exceedingly generous man. Even while being crucified by Roman soldiers, he spoke to God and prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). This statement acted out a philosophy of forgiveness that he had earlier spoken of to his disciples: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). The significance of Jesus' loyalty to this philosophy is that his enemies themselves were even able to benefit from the redemptive act of his suffering. The apostle Paul is a prime example of this. Once a persecutor of Christians, he later converts to Christianity, and his past acts are forgiven so that he can campaign as a representative of Christ.
- Jesus was very aware of history as he spoke from the cross. His statements referred to earlier prophetic writings, and functioned as well to fulfill them. When speaking "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) he was drawing upon a Psalm written by King David hundreds of years earlier. Jesus also referred to another Psalm while on the cross: "in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:21). After he speaks, he is given vinegar to drink from a vessel of vinegar, just as in the prophecy. Whether Jesus actually felt physically thirsty or not is anybody's guess. He is said to have made this statement simply for the purpose of fulfilling scripture: "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty'" (John 19:28). Thus, Jesus' utterances on the cross were very well-considered in addition to being sincere statements made from out of the midst of human experience.
- According to scripture, Jesus uttered two sets of last words while dying on the cross. The gospel of Luke states: "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,'" and follows, "When he had said this, he breathed his last" (Luke 23:46). The Gospel of John, by contrast, records Jesus' last words to be "It is finished," and that he immediately afterward "bowed his head and died" (John 19:30). This conflict between the two accounts doesn't discount the accuracy of either of their authors. In truth, the gospels were written several decades after crucifixion itself occurred. Thus, they suffered natural alteration through the process of transmission.
- Jesus was intent on creating a new form of community even before his death. He wanted people to imagine a new way of living that ignored tradition, and to embrace strangers as members of a new family rather than to simply live with inherited restrictions of class, race or political affiliation. For this reason, he regarded his disciples as his family rather than simply his followers. In speaking from the cross to his mother, in the presence of the disciple John, he emphasized these beliefs: "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother'" (John 19:26-27). The effects of these statements on the early Christian church was profound, since it challenged people to unify with the same love shared by family members, rather than merely as members of an organization.
- Jesus always had a soft spot in his heart for people who wanted to improve their lives. One of the most considerate statements he made while on the cross served to show that second chances are always possible. While speaking with a thief who had been condemned to die beside him, Jesus admires the man's faith in his ministry, despite the fact that he was a criminal responsible for living a sinful life. He encourages the man, as they are both near death, by saying, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
