Seven words on the cross (6) (John 19:28-30)

Seven words on the cross (6)

 

 

 

[John 19:28-30]

 

 

                This is the fifth words Jesus said on the cross: “I am thirsty” (Jn. 19:28).  Jesus obeyed God's covenant on the cross and said, "I am thirsty" (v. 28) to fulfill Psalms 69:21, “knowing that all things have already been accomplished” (Jn. 19:28).  Immediately one of those present ran and took something like a sponge, soaked it in sour wine and put it on a reed (Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36), brought it to the mouth of Jesus who was nailed to the cross.  At that time, Jesus received the sour wine (Jn. 19:29-30).  The sour wine that Jesus received here was vinegar.  The fact that Jesus, who was thirsty, received vinegar would have made Him more thirsty, suffered more, and brought Him closer to death.  A scholar named John Stott said that after Jesus received this sour wine, He said “It is finished” and died within a few seconds (less than a minute) (Stott).  To that extent, sour wine was poisonous and harmful.

 

                This is the sixth word Jesus said on the cross: “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30).

 

Look at John 19:30 – “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”  Jesus' word here, "It is finished," is a short word, but this word contains many meanings.  A scholar named Arthur Pink even said in his book ‘Study of the Seven Words of the Cross’ that Jesus’ one word “It is finished” contains all of the gospel of God (He said, ‘In these words is contained the background of the convictions of believers, in which all joy is found, and all the consolation of God is implied’).  He said Jesus' "It is finished" in seven ways.  The first is the fact that all the prophecies written about the Messiah (Christ) that were to be fulfilled before the death of Jesus Christ have been fully fulfilled.  One of all the prophecies fulfilled is the original gospel, Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”  The seed of the woman here refers to the Messiah, that is, Jesus Christ.  In other words, Jesus Christ prophesied that He would be conceived by the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20) and born (v. 16) through the virgin Mary, a woman (Lk. 1:34) [Note: (Gal.4:4) “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law”].  After Adam and Eve, all people were conceived as father and mother, but Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary and was born into this world.  The prophecy says that Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman, will bruise Satan’s head, and Satan will bruise Jesus Christ in the heel.  This is the beginning of the prophecies about Jesus Christ.  Here, the prophecy that Satan would bruise the heel of Jesus Christ prophesied that Jesus would suffer on the cross.  And here, the prophecy that Jesus Christ will bruise Satan's head means that Jesus Christ trampled on Satan and Satan's group (authority) and won through the cross (Col. 2:15) and defeated the old serpent, the devil, and Satan.  They were arrested, bound for a thousand years, thrown into the abyss, locked up, and sealed so that they would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were over (Rev. 20:2-3). They would be cast down and tormented day and night forever and ever (v. 10).  Although Satan caused Jesus Christ to suffer on the cross, Jesus suffered all the suffering and died after saying “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30) but was resurrected on the 3rd day and ascended to heaven after 40 days, sat down on the shining throne.

 

                Jesus Christ won the victory on the cross.  Look at Colossians 2:15 – “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  Through His death, Jesus Christ destroyed the devil who had the power of death and freed all those who were enslaved from the fear of death throughout their lives (Heb. 2:14-15).  And the Lord spiritually supports and helps us, the descendants of Abraham (v. 16).  Then, who in Genesis 3:15 says that Jesus Christ bruised Satan's head on the cross and made Him victorious?  It is God the Father.  God the Father gave the Son Jesus to the cross, and the Son Jesus obeyed God the Father, suffered on the cross, and died after saying “It is finished”.  And the eternal God the Holy Spirit cleanses our conscience from dead works with the blood of Christ, which God the Father offered Jesus without blemish, and makes us serve the living God (Heb. 9:14).  In this way, the triune God, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, accomplished our salvation and gave us new life.  So, we are no longer afraid to die.  The reason is because the sinless Jesus Christ, who has flesh and blood like us, destroyed the devil who had the power of death through His death and freed us who were enslaved from the fear of death throughout our lives (Heb. 2 :14-15).  That's why we can give praise to God by believing verses 4 and 5 of the hymn "Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned”: (v. 4) To Him I owe my life and breath, And all the joys I have He makes me triumph over death, And saves me from the grave, And saves me from the grave, (v. 5) Since from His bounty I receive, Such proofs of love divine, Had I a thousand hearts to give, Lord, they should all be Thine, Lord, they should all be Thine.  Amen.  I hope and pray that Jesus, who said, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30), won the victory on the cross (Col. 2:15) as we walked this pilgrim’s way in this hope, and we too will receive the Lord’s victory.  And until we gain the final victory I hope and pray that we will love the cross and hold on to the rugged cross until we receive the shining crown.