Sayings on the Cross
Notes
Transcript
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Introduction
As we remember the crucifixion of Jesus today I want to comment briefly on the seven statements he made when on the cross. We cannot go into depth but we can seek to understand and apply something of what these statements mean.
The timing was as follows
From 9 until Noon - the first three
From Noon until 3 - three hours of intense darkness
About 3 - the last four
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1. Forgiveness - Luke 23:34
1. Forgiveness - Luke 23:34
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34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
The true meaning of the earnest supplication is probably as follows:
a. “Forgive them” means exactly that. It means “Blot out their transgression completely. In thy sovereign grace cause them to repent truly, so that they can be and will be pardoned fully.”
b. That this is the meaning is clear from the fact that the grammatical construction is exactly the same as in 11:4, “And forgive us our sins,” and as in 17:3, “If he repents, forgive him.”
c. Is it even conceivable that he who insists so strongly that his followers must forgive every debtor, and that they must even love their enemies, should not exemplify this virtue himself?
d. When Stephen, at death’s portal, clearly in imitation of the dying Christ, prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” was he not giving us the truest interpretation of Christ’s supplication, “Father, forgive them”?
e. Take special note of the word Father. What trust, what love! We are reminded of “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15, A.V.).
f. Is it not marvelous beyond words that Jesus, in his earnest intercession for his torturers, even presents to the Father a special plea, an argument, as it were, for the granting of his petition, namely, “for they do not know what they are doing”?
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke (Vol. 11, p. 1028). Baker Book House.
The soldiers and many of the people would not have known the full reality. Perhaps a number of those who saw the cross where converted at Pentecost.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Slide
2. Salvation - Luke 23:43
2. Salvation - Luke 23:43
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Luke 23:43 (ESV)
43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The dying thief rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day;
and there have I, though vile as he,
washed all my sins away.
William Cowper - 1731-1800
“With me” where? Not in some mystical region of phantoms, nor in purgatory, but in Paradise. But what is meant by Paradise? Paradise is heaven.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke (Vol. 11, p. 1033). Baker Book House.
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3. Relationship - John 19:26-27
3. Relationship - John 19:26-27
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John 19:26–27 (ESV)
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Here at the cross, exactly as at Cana’s wedding (see Vol. I, p. 115), it was very kind of Jesus to emphasise by the use of the word woman that Mary must no longer think of him as being merely her son; for, the more she conceives of him as her son, the more also will she suffer when he suffers. Mary must begin to look upon Jesus as her Lord.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 433). Baker Book House.
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4. Abandonment - Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
4. Abandonment - Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
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Matthew 27:46 (ESV)
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
The link between the darkness and the cry is very close: the first is a symbol of the agonising content of the second.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 971). Baker Book House.
Well might the sun in darkness hide
and shut his glories in
when God, the mighty Maker, died
for man, the creature’s sin.
Isaac Watts 1674-1748
In the Gospels what happened between twelve o’clock and three o’clock is a blank. All we know is that during these three hours of intense darkness Jesus suffered indescribable agonies. He was being “made sin” for us (2 Cor. 5:21), “a curse” (Gal. 3:13). He was being “wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.” Jehovah was laying on him “the iniquity of us all,” etc. (Isa. 53).
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 971). Baker Book House.
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5. Distress - John 19:28
5. Distress - John 19:28
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John 19:28 (ESV)
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the Scripture), “I thirst.”
Here also, as before, the emphasis is on the infinite love of the Lord, revealed in being willing to suffer burning thirst in order that for his people he might be the everlasting fountain of living water.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 434). Baker Book House.
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6. Triumph - John 19:30
6. Triumph - John 19:30
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John 19:30 (ESV)
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Having received the vinegar Jesus said, “It is finished” (or consummated). As Jesus saw it, the entire work of redemption (both active and passive obedience, fulfilling the law and bearing its curse) had been brought to completion.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 435). Baker Book House.
In Christ alone!—who took on flesh,
fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones he came to save:
till on that cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied—
for every sin on him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.
Stuart Townend and Keith Gett
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7. Reunion - Luke 23:46
7. Reunion - Luke 23:46
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Luke 23:46 (ESV)
46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Psalm 31:5 (ESV)
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
The final word, by means of which the Savior, making use of the phraseology of Ps. 31:5, entrusts his soul to the care of his Father is beautiful because of: (a) what it retains of Ps. 31:5; (b) what it adds; and (c) what it omits.
a. It retains “I commend my spirit.” This is significant, for it indicates that the Savior died the only kind of death that was able to satisfy the justice of God and to save man. It had to be a voluntary sacrifice. The very fact that Jesus uttered this word with a loud voice also shows that he willingly, voluntarily laid down his life (John 10:11, 15).
b. It adds the significant word Father, not found in the psalm. The importance of this word at this point has already been indicated.
c. It omits the clause that immediately follows in the psalm, namely, “Thou hast redeemed me.” In the case of Christ, the Sinless One, no such redemption was necessary nor even possible.
Conclusion
Slide
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.