A look at the last words of Jesus from the cross and what they might mean.
The last words of a famous person are often seen as having a great deal of importance. Somehow there is something extra special about the last thing that someone says. As it turns out Christians don't think that the words of Jesus from the cross were his last but they still carry a great deal of significance.
The different gospel writers record different words and here is a list of them:
Then Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" Luke 23:34.
This first saying of Jesus on the cross was Jesus' prayer for forgiveness for those who were crucifying him: the Roman soldiers, and apparently for all others who were involved in his crucifixion.
And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise". Luke 23:43
Jesus is crucified between two thieves. In Luke's Gospel, one of them supports Jesus' innocence and asks him to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. This is Jesus' reply.
Jesus saw his own mother, and the disciple standing near whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son". Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother". And from that hour, he took his mother into his family. John 19:26-27
Jesus entrusts Mary, his mother, into the care of a disciple. Traditionally, this is thought to be John the Evangelist, but he is only referred to as the beloved disciple.
Around the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, saying "Eli Eli lama sabachthani?" which is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46
And at the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, "Eloi Eloi lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34
Of the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross, this one stands out. It is the only saying recorded in two gospels, Matthew and Mark. Intriguingly, this saying is given in Aramaic with a translation (originally in Greek) after it. This phrase also appears on the opening line of Psalm 22. In the verses immediately following this saying, in both Gospels, some who hear Jesus' cry imagine that he is calling for help from Elijah (Eliyyâ). The slight differences between the two gospel accounts are most probably due to dialect. Matthew's version seems to have been more influenced by Hebrew, whereas Mark's is perhaps more colloquial.
He said, "I thirst". John 19:28
This saying perhaps represents the total humanity of Jesus, and the thirst for God of those who are put far from him. As he is given sour wine to drink, soaked in a sponge on a hyssop stem, this may be a reference to Psalm 69:21, where sour wine is offered. It may allude to Jesus' statement about drinking the cup that the Father gives him (John 18:11).
Jesus said, "It is finished". John 19:30
Jesus announces that his work is completed. Sometimes the meaning 'the debt is written off' is read into this verse. Although this is often seen as a theological statement (that the debt of humanity to God is cancelled, that Jesus had finished his mission, and so on), the Greek (τετέλεσται) is best translated by a simple English word: "completed", or "finished".
And speaking in a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit". Luke 23:46
This saying is based on Psalm 31:5. Because of this, it is unlikely that 'my spirit' refers to a disembodied soul, but simply to one's self: I put myself in your hands now.
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