The 7 Statements of Jesus on the Cross.

The 7 Statements of Jesus on the cross explore the words of the Christ as He spent His last hours suffering and dying for our sins.

The First Statement of Jesus

I am going to quote 7 statements that Christ made. You have probably heard every one of these in dividually, but maybe never spoken all together in public: This is the King James Version: 

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.  Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.  Woman, behold thy son!  Behold thy mother!  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  I thirst.  It is finished.  Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Luke 23:34

The first three are spoken between nine a.m. and noon, in the sunlight. Statements four to seven are spoken from noon to three p.m. and there is no sunlight – only darkness.                  

The first words:  Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Soldiers had never heard such words from the cross, only  anger or begging for mercy. Jesus is saying, “forgive them”– and condemn me. Jesus begins and ends by addressing his Father.  He never stopped being a Son to his Father.

The Second Statement of Jesus

The second statement, Luke 23:43 

“Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” How did this thief recognize Jesus as a king?  Jesus was bloodied and spiked with nails. His only crown was thorns. Religious leaders couldn’t see the king in Jesus when he was healthy and going about doing miracles only God could do.  Imagine – the first person to appear in paradise was a forgiven thief and rebel. Luke 23:43

The Third Statement of Jesus

The third statement, in John 19:26-27 –  “He saith unto his mother, ‘Woman, behold thy son!’ Then saith he to the disciple, ‘Behold thy mother!”

Rather than think about his own comfort and relief, Jesus took care of his mother.

The Fourth Statement of Jesus

From noon till 3:00 p.m., we hear the last four statements.  The fourth, Matthew 27:46,

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

This was the only time Jesus prayed to “My God”.  In fact, Jesus is the only person in the New Testament to address God as “My God”.

I think Jesus is using this deep, mysterious question to make us think about the answer:  Why forsaken? Jesus was forsaken by God to make it possible for God not to forsake you and me.

The Fifth Statement of Jesus

The fifth statement, in John 19:28 was,

“I thirst.”

His thirst shows that, up to the end, Jesus did not shield his own body from physical needs. The One who fed thousands, did not create a crumb of bread for himself; the one who promised living water to a Samaritan woman did not create a cup of water for his own thirst.

The Sixth Statement of Jesus

The sixth statement, in John 19:30 reads,

“It is finished.” 

What things were finished? His work was completed. Sin’s penalty was paid. His suffering was over. The animal sacrifices were ended.  His victory over Satan – complete. His Father’s business – accomplished. But we need to notice this – he did not just make the final payment for sin – He made the only payment.

The Seventh Statement of Jesus

The seventh and last statement, in Luke 23:46 was,

“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Jesus cried that in a loud voice. Death did not take him; He stepped from life to death by his own will. Jesus said in John 10:88 – “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”

Do the seven statements of Jesus on the cross touch your heart? How? Share with us. Contact us at HopeStreamRadio,  or comment below.