JesusOnCross_01

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

John 19:28

In this series we are taking a brief look at each of the seven statements Jesus made while suffering on the cross.

The series began Friday with a look at Jesus desire to see His enemies be forgiven.
On Monday we noticed Jesus’ words of care for His mother.
Tuesday allowed us to admire the willingness of Jesus to minister even while in the midst of utter pain.
Yesterday we examined His question “Why?”

The fifth statement He made was short, yet powerful. With two little words, Jesus fulfilled the prophesy of  Psalm 69:21, where David spoke of the Messiah being given vinegar to drink. Sure enough, after saying “I thirst” Jesus was given vinegar to drink.

Now there is a bit of confusion about this passage: Some say this was an act of mercy, because what they gave him (called vinegar) would have been a type of sedative that would have eased the pain. Others will say this was further abuse, pointing to Luke 23:36 where the Bible says soldiers went to Jesus MOCKING him and offering him vinegar (the mockery was the idea that a man on the cross immediately needed something to dull the pain).

Both are right. Soldiers did offer Jesus vinegar to mock him, but that happened hours before Jesus said He was thirsty. In Luke 23, the soldiers bring him vinegar and Jesus refuses to drink it (He didn’t need anything to dull His pain). Following that is the mocking, and the accusation being placed over His head, etc, all at the beginning of the crucifixion scene.

What we are talking about here, however, happened at the end of His life, just before He died. On this occasion Jesus said “I am thirsty” and He drank the vinegar offered to Him.

The focus here is not on what He drank or when. It is on the simple fact that He was thirsty.

That’s what is so wonderful about Jesus.  He did not cheat. When He was tempted, He was tempted AS we are tempted; He did not use some supernatural power to resist temptation. He did it as a human being. He showed the way for us as human beings to live and endure.

Jesus being thirsty is just another example of the humanity of our Lord.

He got thirsty. When you think about it, the words are so much of an understatement. Here is a Man Who is battling exhaustion, head pierced with thick thorns on His crown, back ripped to shreds with open wounds scrapping against a splintery wooden board. Here is a Man Who, in the space of a few hours, saw not one but two of his best friends betray Him (Judas and Peter). He has been spat on, laughed at, beaten up, beaten down, and is left to hang naked on a cross.

And after all of that, the only thing He ever says that in any way indicates discomfort is “I’m thirsty.”

I mean, have e you ever stopped to think how much of a Man Jesus is, how much of a Hero He is? Do you not have, now that you stop and think about it, that much more admiration for Him? I mean I know we have reverence, and gratitude, and humility because our sin is the cause of His death. But also we should have admiration for His ability to endure what He did.

And at the end the only thing closest to a complaint is “I’m thirsty.” And He only says it because He has to fulfill Scripture.

It’s amazing, no?

Tomorrow we look at the sixth thing He said.

Until then,
have a great day!