Seven Sayings from the Cross:The Word of Commitment

The Word of Commitment: “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.” Luke 23:46

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 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. (Luke 23:44-46 ESV)

It is a pleasure to be with you tonight, as we consider Jesus’ suffering on our behalf. This evening, I would like to speak on the last of Jesus’ words from the cross. Found in Luke 23:46, they come with much drama, more than the other six statements. The observations come to us from both from a natural perspective and also from a spiritual perspective.

There were many things happening as Jesus was about to breathe his last. First, notice that there was an earthquake and rocks were split. Not only that but a profound darkness took over the landscape. It was more than just an overcast day. It was unusually gloomy, when the sun would normally be its brightest. The time in question is in the middle of the day, from about noon to about 3 p.m. Pilate said of that afternoon:

“I…ordered Him to be crucified, having first scourged him, and having found against Him no cause of evil accusations or deeds. At the time he was crucified, there was darkness over all the world, the sun being darkened at midday, and the stars appearing, but in them there appeared no luster; and the moon, as if turned into blood, failed in her light.” (CHURCH FATHERS: Report of Pontius Pilate (newadvent.org)

Darkness in the Old Testament represented God’s judgment. The ninth plague over Egypt was darkness, as found in the book of Exodus.

And the prophet Amos in 8:9-10 describes the lament of God’s people at the time of the exile, some two hundred years before it happened. It also foretells the day in which Jesus gave His life on the cross. Note these words:

“And on that day,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.”

Remember that Jesus had said earlier: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” Christ became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Remember that Jesus bore our sins in His body, as 1 Peter 2:24 tells us. He also became sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus endured God’s darkness for us. For that we are eternally grateful.

But the significance of this event was far reaching. The veil in the temple was torn in two. Matthew and Mark state that the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. This was a miracle and an indicator that only God could do this. It was not manufactured by anyone. The tearing of the curtain was representative of the path that Jesus trod for us as our High Priest who offered Himself as an atoning sacrifice.

The book of Hebrews tells us that this is symbolic of the fellowship that Jesus had with the Father. In real life, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once per year.

But because of Jesus’ great sacrifice, we can boldly approach the throne of grace to find grace and help in time of need. The author of Hebrews tells us:

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, ….” (Hebrews 6:19-20 ESV)

“It is Finished,” proves that he really died. Luke was a doctor by trade. He would have been knowledgeable of what occurs when one was executed by crucifixion. What’s more is that the Romans made sure that Jesus was dead, when they thrust the spear into His side.

Jesus’ final effort before he was to breath his last was in the form of a prayer, where He committed Himself to His Father: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” We say in the Apostles’ Creed that Jesus “…was crucified, dead and buried….” He is quoting from Psalm 31:5:

“Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.”

All of this is to illustrate that His earthly life came to a close. It was a cataclysmic event. The scene was such that Matthew 27:54 records:

Matthew 27:54 (ESV)

54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

All of this was done for you and me. When we say that Jesus “suffered” for us, we must understand that it was unlike any other kind of suffering that ever took place.

In answer to question number 37, “What do you understand by the word: ‘suffered?’”, The Heidelberg Catechism teaches:

“That during His whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. This He did in order that, by His suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, He might set us free, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, and gain for us God’s grace, righteousness, and eternal life.” Kevin DeYoung, The Good News We Almost Forgot, 80).

Pastor and author Kevin DeYoung states:

“The scourge of whips and nail-marked hands doesn’t begin to show us all that Christ suffered.... More than just another tragic human martyr, Jesus was the unique Son of God who suffered once for all for the sins of the world and shouldered, as no one else ever did, could, or will, the curse of God for us.” (Kevin DeYoung, 82).

Maybe this concluding illustration will help.

A particular church received personal greetings from the Kejave medical Center staff in Kenya and read of the following amazing story. Eight-year-old Monica broke her leg as she fell into a pit. An older woman, Mama Njeri, happened along and climbed into the pit to help get Monica out. In the process, a poisonous snake bit both women. Njeri first, then Monica.

Monica was taken to Kejave Medical Center and admitted. Mama Njeri went home, but never awoke from her sleep. The next day a perceptive missionary nurse explained Mama Njeri’s death to Monica, telling her that the snake had bitten both of them, but all of the snake’s poison was expended on Mama Njeri; none of it was given to Monica.

The nurse then explained that Jesus had taken the poison of Monica’s sin so that she could have new life. It was an easy choice for Monica. She then received Jesus as Savior and Lord on the spot.

May you know of such grace tonight as we observe the Lord’s Supper. If you have trusted in Christ in this way, you are welcome to partake. If that is still something you are considering, kindly let the elements pass and spend this time in prayer.

And now, let us proceed with the shadows.