John 19:16-30: Saving Last Words; Easter 2025

Scripture Reading

Acts 2:22–24, 32, 36 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it… This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses… Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

John 11:25–26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

John 12:31–32 “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.””

Intro

Last words matter.

If given the opportunity all of us would want our last words to mean something… to say something important…

To say something worthy to be remembered.

“Famous Last Words.”

In John 19:16-30 John gives us Jesus’ Famous Last Words.

His Last Words on the cross.

The Last Words of His perfect, humble, and sacrificial life.

But they are so much more than Famous Last Words… they are Saving Last Words.

Words that promise and proclaim the hope of Eternal Life.

With His Last Words from the cross Jesus gives us the Hope of Easter.

The Good News of the Gospel.

The anchor… the foundation… the Hope! for why we are saved.

So with this Easter, I want to look at Jesus’ Saving Last Words to remember and celebrate the Hope we have in Him and the Grace of His Death and Resurrection.

Hope and Grace… Jesus’ Saving Last Words for all who believe.

We are going to have three points today looking at the three Last Words of Christ on the Cross in the Gospel of John.

“Behold Your Mother!”

“I Thirst.”

And “It is Finished!”

Each one showing us how:

Number 1. Jesus Fulfilled the Law on Our Behalf

Number 2… that Jesus Suffered as a Man in Our Place for Our Sins.

And Number 3… That Jesus Satisfied the Wrath of God Once and For All.

Let’s start with point number 1…

I. “Behold Your Mother!” - Jesus Fulfilled the Law on Our Behalf

John 19:16–18 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

Before we get to Jesus’ Saving Last Words from the Cross… we need to get to the Cross.

And in these two verses, in characteristic John fashion, John does not want us to miss what’s going on here.

Throughout the Passion Narrative, John’s been hinting at and pointing to the Theology behind the History.

Not just the Historical Facts but what Jesus is actually accomplishing on the Cross.

These are not random events but God is telling the story and proclaiming the Good News of Christ on the Cross.

Laying Down His Life

John says He went out, bearing His own cross.

Notice the language.

Yes… the soldiers took Jesus, but He went out.

And He went out… bearing His own Cross.

Jesus is the active one here… He is no mere victim.

This is something John wants us to see… how Christ actively and voluntarily laid down His life out of His great love for us.

Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus said, “I lay down my life… No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up…This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).

No one took Jesus’ life… He laid it down of His own accord.

And Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Sin Offering

John even says He went out… as in out of the city of Jerusalem… to the place that is called The Place of the Skull.

Why?

Well under God’s Sovereign Hand… the Romans had no idea they were doing this… they were taking Jesus outside the camp… outside the city… where the sin offerings… after they had been offered in the Temple, were taken to be burned (Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:12, 16:27).

Jesus was the True and Final Sin Offering. (Hebrews 10:4, Hebrews 9:26).

He is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices.

That’s why Hebrews says in Hebrews 13:11–12 “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.”

So Jesus went out to offer His Life as a sacrifice for our sin.

Conquering Death

And in doing so… He conquered death.

Golgotha… the Place of the Skull… is significant.

A Skull is a symbol of death.

And Jesus died at the Place of the Skull for the wages of Sin is Death and in His death we have life! (Romans 6:23).

Sinner’s Death

And then John says, “There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.”

Jesus died with a sinner on His right and a sinner on His left.

As Isaiah Prophesied He was numbered with the transgressors.

But Isaiah goes on to say Yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).

Jesus died a sinner’s death to save sinners from their sins.

He took our place and now makes intercession for us.

Its all the hope of the Gospel right there.

King of the Jews

Then we come to verse 19.

John 19:19–22 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

This is another one of those instances where under the Sovereign hand of God Pilate said more than he knew.

Jesus really was a King… the King!

And He wrote it in three different languages: Aramaic, Latin, and Greek and all three tell us something significant about Jesus.

Aramaic

Aramaic was the local language.

The language most commonly spoken and understood by the Jews in Jesus’ day.

And as the language most commonly spoken by the Jews, Pilate’s message said Jesus really was the King of the Jews!

The long-promised Messiah… the Son of David who would make all things right and all things new!

The Promised Seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:16).

Latin

Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire… the most powerful empire on earth.

And when Pilate wrote “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in Latin… the official language of Rome…

Unwittingly Pilate was saying Christ is over Rome… He is over Caesar.

He is the True King and the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

Greek

And finally, in Greek.

Greek was the international language of the Empire.

It was spoken by both Jews and Gentiles and the common language everywhere.

Well what was that saying?

What does God want us to see?

That the Gospel is for all men from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 7:9).

It is the Good News for everyone!… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

Jesus is the King and as King He saves all who come to Him…

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never [no never, not ever] cast out (John 6:37).

Summary

Again… its all the hope of the gospel in that one little sign.

Jesus is the Promised Messiah and Blessing to all nations.

He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

And He saves all who come to Him.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

It doesn’t matter your past… it doesn’t matter your sins…

It doesn’t matter how far off or how lost or how much of a mess you made of your life.

There is more than enough grace in Christ.

Lots

Verse 23…

John 19:23–24 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

This was a fulfillment of a prophesy in Psalm 22:18.

And it wasn’t like the Roman soldiers said, “Hey, lets’s help Jesus fulfill this prophesy.”

This was all a part of God’s sovereign plan.

It was the will of the Lord to crush Him (Isaiah 53:10).

Acts 2:23 This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Jesus said, “For this purpose I have come to this hour” (John 12:27).

God sent Jesus to die on the cross to bear our sins and Jesus… out of His great love for us… did it.

We even see this in the Theology behind the History.

If you can bear it… our Lord was stripped and crucified naked.

The tunic was the undergarment woven in one piece.

Jesus was stripped until He had nothing left.

Why?

Because on the cross Jesus bore our sin.

He bore our guilt… condemnation… and shame our sin deserves.

Before the Fall… the man and the woman were in the Garden and they were both naked and were unashamed (Genesis 2:25).

But after the Fall, the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths to try and cover their nakedness and their shame (Genesis 3:7).

But there are no clothes that can cover the shame of our sin.

Our sin is not out here… its in the heart.

And the only thing that can cover us and wash away the guilt and our shame of our sin is the blood of Christ.

The root word of Atonement itself means to cover.

Christ was stripped naked to cover us in dazzling white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13).

He bore our sin.

Women

Then John says…

John 19:24–27 So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Jesus’ mother was obviously Mary.

His mother’s sister was probably John’s own mother making Jesus, James, and John all cousins on their mothers’ side (Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:56).

Mary the wife of Clopas was the mother of one of Jesus Disciples named James the Younger (Mark 15:40, Matthew 2:10-4).

And Mary Magdalene was a woman saved through Jesus’ ministry who had seven demons come out from her (Luke 8:2).

And these four women are set in direct contrast to the four soldiers who gambled for Jesus’ clothes as John’s subtle way of saying, “What are you going to do with Jesus?”

Are you going to Reject Him… Deny him.. Ignore Him?

Or Believe in Him?… Follow Him… Trust Him at the foot of His cross?

And then verse 26…

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

This is where we get to the first of Jesus’ Saving Last Words.

And there are two things I want you to see.

Number 1…

1. The Sacrificial Love of Christ

He says woman as in Dear woman.

The woman who gave me birth.

Nursed me.

Cared for me.

Taught me to walk.

The woman who counted all my fingers and toes now nailed to this cross.

The woman who wiped away all my tears who can now only stand by and watch.

Seeing His own mother suffer would have increased Christ’s own suffering.

Mary was told, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel…and a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Luke 2:34-35).

And now it was here.

And Jesus was forced to bear witness to it.

Just another knife in the heart.

To see His own mother suffer at His own agony.

But even in the moment of His greatest pain… His greatest sacrifice… He loved her.

He said, Woman behold your son!

And John… that’s the disciple Jesus loved… behold your mother.!

Take care of her.

With some of His last words Jesus wanted to make sure His mother was taken care of.

This picture of Christ’s sacrificial love.

But its so much more than that.

These words are not only sentiment… they are also the words that give us the very reason for why we are saved.

And that’s the second thing I want you to see with Jesus’ Last Words…

2. Christ’s Fulfillment of the Law

The 5th commandment says Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land (Exodus 20:12).

And part of honoring your father and mother is taking care of your aging parents which Jesus does here because His adoptive father Joseph is probably dead at this point leaving Mary as a widow.

And even though Jesus had other half-brothers, none of them were believers yet so Jesus entrusted His mother to the one He could trust most to take care of her even if she was excommunicated from the synagogue and Jewish life as a believer in Jesus Christ… the Apostle John (John 9:22).

But here’s the point, even in death Jesus fulfilled the Law on our behalf.

Galatians 4:4–5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Jesus lived the perfect and sinless life we failed to live.

This is what we call the Active Obedience of Christ.

And He paid the penalty of the Law our sin deserved.

This is what we call His Passive Obedience.

His laying down His life and suffering on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God our sins deserved.

And when we put our faith in Christ that Active and Passive Obedience… that Perfect Righteousness according to the Law!… is credited to us and we are counted righteous in Christ.

This is what we call the Doctrine of Justification.

By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone we stand before God and are declared righteous in Christ.

By the Active Obedience of His perfect and sinless life we are accepted before God and by the Passive Obedience of His death the wrath of God is satisfied and all of our sins are paid and forgiven so that now there is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Justified once and for all!

All because Christ fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf.

Summary

Saving Last Words.

If Jesus had not said, “Woman, behold, your son!” and “[Son!} Behold, your mother!” none of us would be saved.

He kept God’s Law perfectly both in life and in death and and paid the penalty of the Law our sin deserved so that we are counted righteous and redeemed from under the Law in Him.

His Perfect righteousness is credited and counted to us.

As Isaiah said By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11).

“Behold Your Mother!” - Jesus Fulfilled the Law on Our Behalf

Number 2… looking at Jesus’ Saving Last Words He said, “I Thirst” because Jesus suffered as a man in our place for our sins.

II. “I Thirst!” - Jesus Suffered as a Man in Our Place for Our Sins

John 19:28–29 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

With these words we see that Christ truly suffered in the flesh (1 Peter 4:1).

He suffered as a Man.

Out of all of Jesus’ last words on the cross, these are the only ones that refer to His physical suffering.

And that’s important because Jesus died as a man to pay man’s debt of sin.

Incarnation

As Christians we believe that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God incarnate in Human flesh.

John said all the way back in John 1… In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14).

He is Truly and Fully God and Truly and Fully Man.

As Man He was able to voluntarily offer His life as a substitute for our sins.

And as God He was actually able to pay for our sins out of His infinite perfection and worth.

Suffered as a Man

But when Christ suffered on the cross He suffered as a Man… as our substitute.

There was no “God force-field” between Him and His suffering.

He said Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? (John 18:11).

And He drained the cup of God’s wrath down to the dregs (Psalm 75:8).

He drank all of it until there was not a single drop left for any of His people.

This thirst and physical suffering was a fulfillment of Psalm 22:15 where looking forward to Jesus it says, My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

Jesus suffered the full and complete weight of our sin with no comfort or relief.

Without a single ounce of God’s wrath held back or spared.

And that’s where the Sour Wine comes in.

Sour Wine

This is different then the wine mixed with myrrh that they offered Jesus on the way to the cross that you see in Mark 15 (Mark 15:23, 36).

That wine was used as a sedative and given to lessen someone’s pain which is why Jesus refused to drink it.

He had to bear the full weight and penalty for our sin.

But after accomplishing everything necessary on the cross, He said I thirst and they gave Him sour wine… or vinegar… to drink.

This was no act of mercy.

It was a fulfillment of…

Psalm 69:19–21 You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

No comfort… no pity… just wrath.

Agony and despair.

This sour wine-vinegar was not given to quench Jesus’ thirst but but given as a mockery to only increase His bitterness and suffering.

Even at death He was robbed of respite or comfort because He bore the full wrath of God against our sins.

Life Giving Water

And there’s the Good News.

Because Jesus thirsted, you and I never have to be thirsty again.

There’s an irony here and there’s a reason why John highlights how Jesus said I thirst in His last moments on the cross.

Water is a huge theme in the Gospel of John.

The one who said I thirst… hanging on the cross as He suffered for our sins… was also the one that said:

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37).

Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Everyone who drinks of this water [this physical earth water drawn from a well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).

Jesus is the fount of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13).

From His thirst Jesus purchased for us living water welling up to eternal life.

And He gives this life… this water as a gift… the water that I will give Him will become in him a spring of water.

And that spring of water comes with the idea that it ever flows.

It never runs out.

All who come to Christ will never be thirsty again.

All because Jesus said I thirst on the cross.

Transition

Saving Last Words.

“Behold Your Mother!” - Jesus Fulfilled the Law of God on Our Behalf

“I Thirst!” - Jesus suffered as a man in our place for our sins to give us life-giving water.

And finally, Number 3…

III. “It is Finished!” - Jesus Satisfied the Wrath of God Once and For All

John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Some of the most precious words in the whole Bible.

It is finished.

Jesus didn’t just suffer the wrath of God… He satisfied the wrath of God once and for all.

He completed the work the Father had given Him to do (John 17:5).

Christ’s whole life came down to this one moment.

For this purpose I have come to this hour… to offer His life as a sacrifice for sin and save His people from Judgment (John 12:27).

It is finished was a victory cry!

The other Gospels say He shouted it with a loud voice because the redemption price was fully paid (Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46).

Jesus atoned for sin.

Satisfied the wrath of God.

Fulfilled the Law.

Conquered Satan.

And delivered His people once and for all.

The Bible says Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13).

He suffered God’s curse.

He died for our sin.

Christ cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

God poured out on Him the rejection and wrath our sins deserved and he paid it in full.

Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer such a cruel, shameful, horrible death on the cross?

Everything we’ve talked about today.

The pain.

The Humiliation.

The mocking the ridicule.

The thirst… agony… sorrow… shame… and nakedness.

What was it all for?

Because that’s what our sin deserves.

And what Christ suffered in three hours we would suffer for eternity in Hell and not be one second closer to ending it.

That’s why the Bible calls it the second death (Revelation 20:14).

Its an eternal death…

Eternal wrath and condemnation from God.

Eternal fire and suffering.

The Eternal weeping and gnashing of death.

Dying but never dead.

And by His once for all Sacrifice Christ saved us.

He died under God’s curse to satisfy the wrath of God once and for all.

Hebrews

It is finished.

The Glory of Christ’s Priesthood is that He offered the full and final sacrifice for our sins.

Under the Old Covenant there was a yearly reminder of sins (Hebrews 10:3).

Year after year you’d have the Day of Atonement where the Priest would offer a bull for himself and two goats on behalf of the sins of the people (Leviticus 16).

Why?

Hebrews 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

They don’t actually satisfy the wrath of God.

They just point to the only sacrifice that actually does.

That’s verse 5.

Hebrews 10:5–7 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ”

What will?

That Jesus would come and offer His own life as a sacrifice.

A body you have prepared for me in comparison to the burnt offerings and the sin offerings that you have taken no pleasure.

And by that will… verse 10… we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Now What is all that saying?

That Christ offered Himself… His own body… as the only sacrifice that can take away sins.

Where the Day of Atonement took multiple sacrifices and had to be repeated year after year… Christ atoned for our sin by a single offering once and for all.

Hebrews 10:14, 9:12 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified… He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

It is finished.

Christ endured to the end.

He accomplished all things necessary for our life and salvation.

He does not give a partial forgiveness or a limited forgiveness or a mess up too bad and you lose it forgiveness…

He gives us the riches of forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7).

A complete forgiveness… a full and forever forgiveness!

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace (John 1:16).

All the grace necessary for all our sins.

Why?

Because He is the propitiation for our sins - the sacrifice that satisfies the wrath of God once and for all (1 John 2:2).

Held Together

Jesus could have come down at any point from that cross.

He could have called down an army of angels.

Done some miracle.

But He endured to the bitter end.

The Creator of all things in whom all things hold together held together the Roman Soldiers beating hearts as they drove the nails in His hands (Colossians 1:16-17).

Held together the crown of thorns and the wood of the cross digging into His back.

He held together the sky, the air, the very ground He was bleeding on till it was finished all out of His great love for us.

Gave Up His Spirit

And then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Again… no one takes His life from Him.

I lay it down… I take it up (John 10:17-18).

Christ offered His life as a voluntary sacrifice.

It was an active… willful laying down His life.

It was not Him simply being killed.

Jesus offered His life with a purpose… to redeem His people from their sins.

As Isaiah said Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong…

Talking about Salvation.

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 (Isaiah 53:12).

Conclusion

Behold your mother!

I thirst!

It is finished!

Saving Last Words.

And the Good News of the Gospel is that these words are true.

They are not some vain or failing hope… but a sure word and promise of salvation.

How do we know?

Because Jesus didn’t stay dead.

He is Risen.

The Stone has been rolled away.

Acts 2:24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it.

Jesus conquered death and rose again to give us new, eternal life.

Jesus’ Last Words… His Saving Words… are Good News because Jesus rose from the grave.

That’s what the hope of Easter is all about.

Vindicated

The Bible says that God declared Jesus to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of Holiness by raising Him from the dead (Romans 1:4).

And that by His resurrection Jesus was vindicated by the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16).

That is proven true or declared righteous.

What does all that mean?

That by His resurrection Christ proved He really did fulfill the Law of God on our behalf.

He really is the Eternal Son of God incarnate in Human Flesh who died in our place for our sins.

And It really is… finished.

He really did satisfy the wrath of God once and for all by His once for all perfect sacrifice.

Come

The Good News of the Gospel… the Hope of Easter… and Jesus’ Saving Last Words say, “Come.”

Come and drink the living water without price (Revelation 22:17).

Come… Believe in Jesus.

Receive and Rest on Him.

Trust in Him.

Give Him your life.

And from His life He will give you Eternal Life in Return.

As Jesus said in John 10… I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…. I know my sheep and I call each of them by name (John 10:11, 3).

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28).

Let’s Pray