Jesus' Last Words

Jesus' Last Words

What were Jesus' last words?
What did he mean?
What difference do they make to what we believe?
How can they change the way we live?

**Jesus' Last Words**
Matthew 27:45-51	Mark 15:33-38
45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [Psalm 22:1] 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.	33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [Psalm 22:1] 35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." 36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
Luke 23:44-46	John 19:28-30
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun had stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.	28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.
Copywrite © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Exercise:

Try filling in the following table from the references above.

Try to work out in what order Jesus said what he said.

Jesus' Words	Matthew 27	Mark 15	Luke 23	John 19
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"	Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [Psalm 22:1]	...	...	...
"I am thirsty."	...	...	...	John 19:28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
...	Matthew 27:48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."	Mark 15:36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.	...	John 19:29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.
...	...	...	...	...
...	...	...	...	...

Answer:

You may want to compare your answer with this one before going any further.

Just click on this.

You should have found that Jesus said:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

"It is finished."

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

in that order.

What did Jesus mean by these things he said? Firstly, what did he mean by, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This is a quote from Psalm 22. Let's look at Psalm 22 to see if it helps us understand what Jesus meant by quoting it on the cross.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, **NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.**
Copywrite © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Psalm 22 For the directer of music. To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David. 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mothers breast. 10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;	you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. 19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendents of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will be praise him- may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worhsip; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him- those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations shall be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn- for he has done it.

We are told that Psalm 22 was written by David. So it was probably written a few years prior to 1000 BC. It is amazing how closely the Psalm relates to the details of Jesus death. Verses 7 and 8. Verses 14 and 15. Verse 16! Verse 18!!