If you could control the moment you died, what would your last words be? As Jesus hung on the cross, He spoke seven times. The first of His final words was a prayer. But not for Himself.
“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Really? They didn’t know what they were doing? 1. The Jewish leaders plotted Jesus’ death for months. They paid Judas to betray Him. They held a mock trial in the middle of the night. 2. The crowd cried out for His crucifixion. They even chose a murderer to be set free rather than Jesus, the One who had healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed thousands. 3. Governor Pilate knew Jesus was only guilty of making the Jewish leaders mad. He tried to set Jesus free, but in the end, he knowingly gave the order for Jesus’ death. 4. The Roman soldiers spit on Jesus, beat Him, jammed a crown of thorns onto His head, and mocked Him. As they led Him to Calvary, they watched Him stumble, battered and bleeding. When they drove the nails through His hands and feet, the soldiers knew exactly what they were doing. Christ’s agony was real. 5. Jesus’ executioners didn’t know what they were doing because sin and “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Yet, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing”Luke 23-34
If they had truly understood who Jesus was and what they were doing to Him—God’s Son, their promised Messiah—do you think they would have never done such evil? The horror of such actions would have overwhelmed them. Instead, they would have fallen down before Jesus and worshiped Him.
Apart from Christ, we are all spiritually blind—and spiritually deaf. In the rebellion of our sin, we are no different than the people in the days of Ezekiel, Jesus, and Paul, who have ears but do not hear (Ezek. 12:2; Matt. 13:13; Acts 28:27). In our sinful state, we don’t hear, see, or respond to the truth.
Unless God opens our eyes to see Jesus and our sin, we will stay as blind and deaf as the dead, because that’s exactly what we are—dead in our trespasses and sins.
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Ephesians 2:1-3
Jesus speaks at various points while on the cross. There are actually seven statements that Jesus made on the cross. Why does Mark focus on only one of those statements?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Psalms 22:1
“And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34
This is the first line of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The rest of the psalm describes prophetically exactly what is happening to Jesus as He spoke these words. In effect, Jesus gives us His personal testimony of His work on the cross, while He is on the cross. If this is the case it was not only a cry because God was far from Him in Jesus’ most desperate hour but it was the first point of a final Gospel presentation.
Anyone who knew the first line of this psalm would know that it pointed to Jesus, in fact, the psalm vividly describes His life on earth. Let’s look at the main points of the psalm and the gospel accounts of His crucifixion.
The rejection of Jesus Christ as God’s Messiah
“But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by people. Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads:” (Psalm 22:6–7)
“Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,” (Mark 15:29)
““He relies on the Lord; let him save him; let the Lordrescue Him since he takes pleasure in Him.”” (Psalm 22:8)
“He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now—if He takes pleasure in Him! For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”” (Matthew 27:43)
The virgin birth of Jesus Christ
“It was you who brought me out of the womb, making me secure at my mother’s breast. I was given over to you at birth; you have been my God from my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 22:9–10)
The persecution of Jesus on the cross
“Don’t be far from me, because distress is near and there’s no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong ones of Bashan encircle me. They open their mouths against me—lions, mauling and roaring.” (Psalm 22:11–13)
“Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.” (Mark 15:32)
Jesus is pointing to this psalm which predicts the very events that are happening to Him while they watch. In a very surreal sense, the people below are watching prophecy unfold. The fact that prophecy is unfolding that shows the Messiah must suffer to save people for eternity should make them come to Him.
Jesus must suffer
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet.” (Psalm 22:14–16)
“They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:18)
“So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it.” This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. This is what the soldiers did.” (John 19:24)
Jesus was mocked and insulted while on the cross
“I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me.” (Psalm 22:17)
“Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross!”” (Mark 15:29–30)
Jesus proclaims the Gospel to people around Him. He is sharing about their need for God.
People need God
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the assembly. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! All you descendants of Israel, revere him! For he has not despised or abhorred the torment of theoppressed. He did not hide his face from him but listened when he cried to him for help.” (Psalm 22:22–24)
Jesus even predicts from the cross by referencing this psalm that the Jews will reject Jesus and the world will accept Him:
Some will reject the Messiah
“I will give praise in the great assembly because of you; I will fulfill my vows before those who fear you. The humble will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lordwill praise him. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will bow down before you,” (Psalm 22:25–27)
Other people than the Jews will share Jesus
Jesus predicts the beginning of the church from this psalm:
“Their descendants will serve him; the next generation will be told about the Lord. They will come and declare his righteousness; to a people yet to be born they will declare what he has done.” (Psalms 22:30-32)
The death of Jesus is only the beginning. Thankfully, the story doesn’t end with Jesus dying on the cross.
The final Gospel presentation of Jesus Christ reminds us that God’s story is not over. Just like every great story has a great ending. Every great story has “a first” line. They also have a great last line.
“The End” does not end at the cross. Instead, the cross means that there is a “To be continued. Jesus will return.”The many prophecies of His Second Coming testify to the fact that we are in the time Jesus prophesied would precede His return to rule and reign on this earth for one thousand years.
Adapted from the article “The Final Gospel Presentation of Jesus Christ” April 29, 2019, by Jim Erwin http://www.patheos.com
What was going through Jesus’ mind as He prepared for His crucifixion?
He certainly was not anxious or fearful, look at His actions. He washes the disciples feet. Jesus was teaching His disciples how to serve others and how to be humble all the way until the very end.
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13:3-5
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mathew 20:28.
Then He calmly predicts His betrayal
“I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am He.” John 13:18-19
Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.John 13:21b
“Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.“John 13:21b The disciples in disbelief asked who?
“Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.” John 13:26
This is just one of the many Bible prophecies Jesus gave the disciples so that they might believe that He is the Son of God. Look at the powerful message Jesus gave them in the following verses.
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.” John 14:27-31
Despite what Jesus told the disciples in advance in these verses, and having lived with Him for three years and seen all the miracles He performed, the Bible tells us that Peter still denied Jesus three times exactly as predicted and only John turned up to be with Jesus at His crucifixion.
The Bible reveals the truth, warts and all, about His followers and is just more evidence for us to believe it is the “Word of God” to be trusted, believed and obeyed.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 