The seven sayings of Jesus Christ on the Cross

The seven sayings form part of a Christian meditation that is often used during Lent, Holy Week and Good Friday. The traditional order of the sayings is:

1. Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.
2. Luke 23:43: Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.
3. John 19:26–27: Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother.
4. Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
5. John 19:28: I thirst.
6. John 19:29-30: It is finished.
7. Luke 23:46: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

The Seven sayings are the most important sayings of Jesus Christ. As this was said at the last moments just before his death on the cross, this signifies a lot about Jesus’ character. Many have analyzed these sayings from both Human and Godly perspective of Jesus Christ, as he is both a human and God.

The sayings gives us a very deeper understanding and for our learning of Jesus Christ. The purpose and the destiny of Jesus are displayed in the saying. The Hope and the power are displayed in the sayings. The need of the hour is to understand from God’s perspective as to what he wants us to understand from Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. The Cross signifies the end to the beginning. The end is to the death which is by our sins, but a new beginning from his blood, which washes away all our sins. Jesus’ most precious and holy blood is the only way for us to be reconciled to the Father in Heaven. Jesus is the way the only way to the Father. Apart from him there is no other way.

These sayings are not only for this period of our lives, but its forever. Every day and every moment our life has to signify his Glory, not only from our works, but by recognizing his work, the work on the cross. On the way to the Calvary, he not only carried the cross, but the sins of the entire world. Each step towards the cross for him was a designated way for us to come closer from the separation to the Heavenly Father. Jesus was the true lord, “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Let us understand God first – Is Jesus a Man – Yes, He is

Is he a God – Yes, He is

Is the Son of God – Yes, he is.

As human – As John says: Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God.

As God – His birth, Miracles, Teachings, Life, Death and Resurrection

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me. Now that you have known me,’ he said to them, “you will know my Father also, and from now on you do know him and you have seen him.”

Son of God – God has glorified and Jesus glorified God at various times in the gospel – The first time as Jesus was taking the Baptism – Father said – “This is my beloved Son”, 

The voice of the Father came also when Jesus said, “Father, bring glory to your name!” Then a voice spoke from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again.”

The Trinity – God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit.

The Godhead is one and the same, but in different forms. How is it possible? Well the very basic way to explain it is this, the concept of God is very true and it is important to note that Godhead is true as it is; this is just a way to explain it. The trinity of God is like the form of the water. The one is in Solid form as ICE, The other is in liquid for as H2O, and the other form is in as Gaseous – Water vapor.

Jesus was a Human too, but Holy, without any fault, he won the Death and resurrected – Through the power of God. God assigned Jesus an assignment to save the world from its sin – The sin through the Flesh – The body, which was originally made as holy as God himself, as God says “Let us make man in our image”. But because of the first sin – The sin of disobedience, we lost such state. Death became a part of life. Jesus came to remove this part which separated us from the Father. As he says he is the way. Here we have to understand that there is no other way to the father, except through Jesus. Many may think, what they do as Godly service to human kind, goodness, or being good or helping, feeding will be enough to be with the Father, but the fact is only Jesus can help us to be with the Father, we have to do all according to the law – The good deeds in deed, but more than that, we need to believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord, we should confess through our mouth as he is the Lord, we need to believe that God has risen Jesus from the Death, i.e. Christ overcame the death.

The fact that one should believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior is that – We will have hope not only in this life, but also the life that is to come. We believe that our works, each word, each thoughts will be judged, but ours is already judged through Jesus Christ – Who bore our sins and made us, clean through his blood. It is not through any of my work, but the work of Jesus Christ on the cross which saved me from the condemnation from the faults, and the evil that I have done in the past.

The First and the foremost thing Jesus said on the cross

LUKE 23:34 – “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus said this because of many reasons. The verses just before the saying, there were a lot of incidents happened.

The Soldiers mocked him – Sayings King of Kings, Come lets us divide his clothes.

They mocked him saying, “If you are really the Son of God, save yourself”

Jesus said to forgive in the midst of the most difficult time. But the Nature of God is Forgiveness. No matter what one has said or done, he will be forgiven. It is human nature to go astray, to sin, to do mistakes. But all that God expects is to find the right way in him, to repent, to be able to overcome such sinful nature from his holy nature, trusting him. Believing that Jesus Christ has dead for the Sins and the power of God enabled him to overcome the death and he resurrected by that power. Our sins should always be put up on the death that Jesus sacrificed, the strength to overcome such sins in the present and future is to ask him to lead us, guide us through the power which enabled him to overcome the death itself – The power of his resurrection. The resurrection power of Christ, which brings back our life. The power which enables us to follow him, to worship him and to glorify him. Jesus Christ the power and wisdom of God.

God’s Nature is forgiving; this is not just because he loves us. Not just because we need a way out to escape the sufferings and return for our sins. But most of the times we doesn’t know what we are doing. And there are some straight forward sins – The sins that God hates. Disobedience (The First Sin Adam & Eve, Negligence of His Gifts (Parable of the Talents).

Matthew 27:25 - The whole crowd answered, “Let the responsibility for his death fall on us and our children!”

1^st John 2:2 – And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.

Hebrews 10:10 – Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body once and for all.

Through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the Cross, we got the opportunity to communicate to the Father.  1^st Peter 2:5 – Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness is Lord’s Prayer: When Jesus taught how to pray, He mentions about forgiving one another. “Forgive us our sins, for we forgive everyone who does us wrong.

“If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive other, then your Father will not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.

In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus taught us the lesson – We should forgive each and every one, no matter what they have done for us or what they may do. Because we have been forgiven from the compassion Jesus showed us.

Matthew 18:23-35

King James Version (KJV)

23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account

of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand

talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and

children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me,

and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him

the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an

hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou

owest.

29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me,

and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto

their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave

thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on

thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was

due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every

one his brother their trespasses.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Even when the phrases brought the women committed in Adultery – To Stone her. Jesus forgave

Jesus taught us the value of forgiveness or the Joy of forgiveness – in Luke 7 – Whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little Love.

The second saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

 “I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me.”

Luke 23:39-43 – One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” The other one, however, rebuked him, saying “Don’t you fear God? You received the same sentence he did. Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong.” And he said to Jesus, “Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!” Jesus said to him, “I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me.”

To know the importance of the second saying of Jesus on the cross, we must understand on what context he said to the person, who along with Jesus was crucified.

à He was crucified along with Jesus, but this person was crucified for his wrong doings. He realized his mistake and asks God to remember him.  “Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!”

à When the other criminal on the left said “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” – he was insulting Jesus. But The other one, however, rebuked him, saying “Don’t you fear God? You received the same sentence he did. Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong.”

This saying of his shows that he fears God – The one who rightly judges. He know who Jesus was – as he says,  but he has done no wrong.

à His confidence is shown in the last thing he asked Jesus – He didn’t say, Jesus are you able to remember? Or will you be able to remember? Or will you remember? He straightaway said “Remember me”

The third saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

John 19:26-27 – Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, “He is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “She is your mother.” From that time the disciple took her to live in his home.

Jesus came to make the reconciliation for our sins, that by his stripes we are healed. He made that account clear, he cleared our debts, and he forgave our sins.

He loved the disciples, the people who were there; he loved them to the end. He loved the sinners too. Jesus did an amazing work by reconciling his relationship – To his mother “Here is your Son” and to the disciple, “She is your mother”

He made this reconciliation through obedience, through his love for one another. His reconciliation shows that he was accountable for the best possible relationship existence. He did say, just before this incident,

Luke 23:27-28 (KJV)

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

Jesus was always concerned for us, when he had compassion on the people, Matthew 9:36 - But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

When he healed the mother of Peter also, He had compassion on his loved ones.

This saying though it doesn’t directly teach us what we need to do, it does say how we need to be. Jesus even at the most difficult time, at the cross, the most difficult moment, looked at the eyes and heart of the people and he took the things which will benefit them, which will bring them into the understanding of what God can do to their lives through Jesus.

His love and compassion is more than any other thing in the world.

Isaiah 49:15 (KJV)

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Proverbs 23:22 (KJV)

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Reconciliation is very important in relationships; Jesus looked at the hearts of the people – His disciples, his mother. He recognized that they in deed need help and support of one another. He did say that the Holy Spirit will help you understand everything about him, the Holy Spirit will have compassion and he will counsel.

John 16:7-15 (KJV)

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The fourth saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

Matt 27:46 (KJV)

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Just before the arrest, at the garden of Gethsemane – Jesus Prays: Matt 26:39 (KJV) saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

John 12:27 (KJV) Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Jesus know that he is going to suffer for the sin of the world, the only thing he had in his mind was to do everything according to the Father’s Will. Time and time again he asks the Father to help and support. He reminds of the kind of death he is going to die, not to give up, but to establish the covenant with the Father.

Jesus when he said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? – He meant that God chose Jesus as the lamb for sacrifice. The sin of the whole world was upon him. God has to forsake Jesus for our sins. It is the utmost love that he showed us. Jesus accepted this burden upon him.

Psalm 22

David complains in great discouragement

To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Job also in his sufferings did not curse God, but uplifted him, Blessed the name of the Lord. Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Heb 12:1-7 (KJV)

Chapter 12

We must persevere in our purpose

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

The fifth saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

“I am Thirsty”

John 19:28 (KJV)

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Jesus was both human and God, This word on the cross “Thirsty” signifies his need to turn, transform the lives of the people, who never knew the importance of the living water, the thirst less living water that flows from the heart of the believer whoever believes that Jesus is God and he died for my sins and raised him from the death to have an everlasting relationship with me.

The other thirst is the human thirst, the natural thirst as any human would have. Having undergone such sufferings and pain on the cross, the agony and pain of his flesh, he said “I am Thirsty”

God made people of Israel to pass through the red sea, he made Moses to strike on a rock and there came water, which filled their thirst. Jesus’ first miracle was “Turned the water into wine”, He walked upon the waters.  

1 Peter 3:16-22 (KJV)

16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Jesus also healed a man who was waiting for the miracle for about 38 years, for the right time for the to put him in the pool, when the spirit troubled the water.

John 5:1-16 (KJV)

Chapter 5

Christ on the sabbath day cures the man who was diseased thirty-eight years

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

The sixth saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

“It is finished”

John 19:30 (KJV)

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When Jesus said “It is finished”, he proclaimed the accomplishment, the complete and fulfillment of the Father’s will for his life. Death is an end; Jesus put our sins to death. He resurrected to give us Hope in him, whoever believes in him as God, will have everlasting life.

Isaiah 46:10 (KJV)

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Finishing our debts on the cross and beginning in him a new life is the Hope for everyone who believes in God Jesus.

God has to finish this because of our disobedience from the Garden of Eden to every moment that we may disobey his word,

Gen 3:22-24 (KJV)

22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

But God is merciful to forgive us from our sins,

Heb 8:12-13 (KJV)

 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

John 3:17 (KJV)

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The seventh saying of Jesus Christ on Cross is

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

Luke 23:46 (KJV)

46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

What does it mean to commend the spirit into the Father’s hand?

God’s Hand:

He has written us in his hand’s palm.

God’s hand has not been shortened – there is nothing that is impossible for God, for God everything is possible.

Jesus’s hand – has healed many sickness and diseases, Has helped the poor, Has healed the paralyzed hand, withered hands are healed by him, He helped Peter by stretching his hand.

Commending the Spirit – The Spirit is the most important aspect of life, the place it has to be secured is Father’s hand. There is no other place that we can commend our spirit than our Father’s hand.  Jesus proclaimed that.

Commending our spirit to father means, trusting in him, we believe in his security, His hand holds the time, “Time is in his hand”. His hand has the power – The keys.