Jesus never attempted to answer the taunts and insults that flowed to him on the cross. He did, however, speak words that revealed his thoughts. They tell us of his love and care for others in the midst of his own dire circumstances; of his comprehensive knowledge of Scripture and how it had, in God’s foreknowledge, mapped out the order of events of his death; and how, finally, he commended his spirit unto his Father’s hands. Our love for our Lord must grow as we think about how much he loved us.
The trespass offering
Jesus’ love poured out to meet the abuse cast at him while on the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). In their context, the words appear to apply primarily to the Roman soldiers, who had no conception of what they were doing! But the wondrous and gracious words have wider application. Isaiah had forecast that Yahweh would “make his soul an offering (Heb asham, trespass offering) for sin” (Isa 53:10). This was the offering that had to be made by Israelites if they invaded the rights of others in acts of deceit and violence (Lev 6:2,4). Jesus “had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isa 53:9) – he was the one whose rights were being trampled by others! He would become their offering! In the true spirit of the trespass offering the words, “Father, forgive them …” were spoken.
The repentant thief
As the hours passed, one thief grew silent. As he watched the composure of Jesus, he began to wonder and reflect. He had heard many things about Jesus of Nazareth and through the clouds of pain and anguish the light began to dawn. Faith in him grew, spurred on by his pain and need. Rebuking his fellow malefactor for railing on Jesus, he said, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:40–41). And then in words of remarkable faith he appealed to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (v42). It was easy to believe that Jesus was the Messiah in far away Galilee when surrounded by those who had been healed by his power; but now, at the mercy of his enemies, with his life ebbing away, this conviction demanded real faith. At that time his faith exceeded any on earth: he knew Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, the coming King, for which reason that day he received the assurance he desired, “Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise” (v43, adapted).
In this amazing interlude, the hand of Providence can be discerned. God knew this man, that he would repent, and so governed his life’s background that he knew about Jesus. We might ask, “Why?” It was an act of mercy, of wonderful encouragement for His beloved Son in this hour of need, who, with the angels, would have inwardly rejoiced to see a sinner turn from the error of his ways. His labour would not be in vain. Even in the least fortuitous of circumstances redemption took place!
His mother and John – a final ministry
Venturing nearer now to the cross were those nearest and dearest, among whom were the three Marys, the name significantly meaning ‘bitterness’ (John19: 25; cp Ruth 1: 20). There was his mother Mary, with ‘a sword piercing her own soul’ (Luke 2: 35); her sister, probably Salome, the mother of Zebedee’s children, James and John (Matt 27:56; Mark 15:40); Mary the wife of Cleophas, the mother of James the less and of Joses (Mark 15:40); and Mary Magdalene. John, “whom he loved”, was also standing nearby.
It was a poignant moment. Darkness covered the earth for three hours, from midday to 3pm (Luke 23:44), proclaiming Heaven’s displeasure. The Son of God was dying quickly, mercifully – others could linger for days. There was one more ministry he must perform. Death was approaching and his sight failing. In the mist he sought out, found and focused on two familiar faces, paralysed with pain and grief. To his mother he said, “Woman, behold thy son!” and then to John, “Behold thy mother!” (John 19:25–27). “Two hearts sought each other in the growing darkness; a heart bleeding from a sword thrust found strength in the kinship of a disciple who loved; a heart breaking with grief found solace in a solemn trust. ‘And from that hour that disciple took her into his own home’” (A Life of Jesus, Melva Perkis 1964 p 346).
Desolation
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” citing words he knew would be wrung from his lonely soul in his final moments (Mark 15:34; Psa 22:1). Was it because at that moment the Spirit of God had been withdrawn? He was facing the darkest moment of his life, separated from his Father, alone for the first time (cp John 16:32) and bearing in his body the sins of the world. It was the moment from which he had shrunk in Gethsemane, seeking release.
We may never fully understand his sudden loud cry, harsh and unnatural, a cry of utter abandonment. But from this he emerged. The agony remained but there was, in the words that follow in the psalm, the assurance of the Father’s love: “Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them” (Psa 22:4). As surely as the sufferings of this remarkable psalm were coming to pass in their exactitude, so too would also the vision of his Kingdom and glory it also depicts be realised (v22–31).
Some bystanders either misunderstood, or perhaps twisted his words, saying that he called for Elias (Elijah) – the self-proclaimed Messiah was calling for his forerunner!
“It is finished”
With insight, John informs us that Jesus, knowing that “all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst” (19:28). Psalm 69:21 prescribed two events that would take place at the crucifixion, one at the beginning and the other at the end saying, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink”. They were words learned as a boy and throughout his lifetime he had prepared himself to fulfil them. They came to him in his dying moments, occasioned by the extreme thirst – they were also a sign to him that his work was accomplished.
Mark tells us that “one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down” (15:36). Was it one of the soldiers? If so, he risked the jibes of his comrades to minister to Jesus’ needs with the rough wine of the soldiers.
John says, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished.” All relevant Scripture now had been fulfilled, as had “all righteousness”: the flesh and sin had been silenced, destroyed, and the love of the Father for the world declared in the death of His beloved and only Son (John 3:16).
Luke tells us that he met death with his Father’s name upon his lips: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit (23:46; Psa 31:5): and having said thus, he gave up the spirit” (Gk exepneusen, to breathe out, expire). Mark uses the same word (15:37), while Matthew 27:50 says he “yielded up the spirit” (Gk apheke); while John says, “He bowed his head, and gave up the spirit” (19:30; Gk paredoken). None of the Gospel writers say that he died. Why? Because it was a deliberate act of surrender now all had been fulfilled – he was not on the verge of death when he could still cry aloud. He would breathe out in contempt, he would mock death, whose sting, Sin, he had now conquered (cp 1 Cor 15:55–56)!
As he himself had put it six months earlier at the Feast of Tabernacles, “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself ” (John 10:17–18).
The immediate aftermath
Mark tells us that “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (15:38). Earth shuddered at the death of the Son of God, rocks were rent and buildings of Jerusalem trembled. God’s ‘approval’ was stamped on the death of His Son by the rending of the heavy veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy! The inner sanctuary was now revealed and the Levitical priests could no longer minister in the Holy Place. The barrier between God and man had been broken by the rending of “the veil, that is to say, his [Jesus’] flesh” (Heb 10:20).
Matthew tells us “graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matt 27:52–53), thus telling us that his death indeed had brought with it victory over death; that he had fulfilled God’s conditions.
Mark says that “when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the spirit, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God” (15:39). He was a man who watched the closing scene, had seen many crucifixions before, but had never seen a man die like this: during the hours he had hung there, he heard no word of complaint or insult, and then he yielded up his breath! And now with the added eerie mystery of the darkening heavens coupled with the earthquake below, he could not but exclaim, “Truly this man was the Son of God”!
Mark completes the picture by telling us of Jesus’ faithful followers, the women of Galilee who ministered to him, who came up to Jerusalem with him – that they were there, “looking on afar off ” (Mark 15:40–41). They would not forsake him even in death.
Conclusion
Early Christians refused to look at representations of Christ on the cross because they had seen crucifixions first hand: Cicero described it as “the most cruel and horrifying death” and Tacitus as “a despicable death.” Nothing was spared the Son of man in his suffering. Looking back over the events of the Lord’s last six hours or so our hearts shudder and fail. But by so doing we are taught the depth of his love for us, that “Greater love” which caused him to “lay down his life for his friends”; and we are strengthened. Let us determine that for each of us that sacrifice was not in vain; let us too bear our crosses; for “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal 5:24).
“Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation …
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev 5: 9,12).