Jul 3, 2022
Scripture Reading: John 19:16-30
If someone can read this passage about the substitutionary death of Christ and not be moved, then that person is either quite thoughtless or spiritually dead. Given who Jesus is, the condescension He subjected Himself to is utterly indescribable.
During the crucifixion, Jesus said seven things which the gospel writers record. John 19 contains three of these sayings.
When Jesus said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son," (Jn 19:26) He was pointing Mary to the disciple next her for her ongoing care. When Jesus said, "Behold your mother," He was probably speaking to the apostle John. In His profound agony, He thinks about the welfare of His mother. (Three of Jesus' sayings during His crucifixion were about other people.) Such is the Christian bond that Jesus entrusts the care of His mother to a believer rather than to His unbelieving blood brothers.
John introduces Jesus saying, "I thirst," (Jn 19:28) by saying that Jesus knew that "all was now finished." We are struck by the realization that Jesus is in full control of the situation. John also tells us that this saying was a fulfillment of an Old Testament text … alluding to Psalm 69:21. Everything that happened in the death of Christ was according to an inexorable plan.
Jesus wanted to moisten His mouth so He could declare, "It is finished!" (Jn 19:30). This Greek word was a business word signifying that a transaction had been completed by a full payment. The work of redemption was completed and the Father was satisfied. Christ paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay