Seven Statements From The Cross
Updated: Apr 7
When Yeshua was being crucified He was in full control of the situation. His body was being tortured horribly as was the Roman way of crucifixion, but His mind was in full capacity. His seven last sayings show us that He knew exactly why He had been brought to that place and He knew His mission and would accomplish all that had been written about Him. As He was being tortured the promises of Yah were flowing through His mind and bringing Him comfort in His time of need.
First Statement
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. - Luke 23:34
Here Yeshua makes intercession for those who are transgressors against Him. He is declaring Himself to be the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 where the prophet declares:
53:12 ….and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53 gives a detailed description of what Yeshua faced as He hung on the cross. Even while in agony He was declaring Himself to be the Suffering Servant.
Second Statement
Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise – Luke 23:43
Here Yeshua, even when being crucified, shows compassion for a lost sinner and proclaims the truth of His coming Kingdom. Please see article - The Thief On The Cross for more insight:
https://www.ourancientpaths.org/post/2017/05/31/the-thief-on-the-cross
Third Statement
Woman, behold thy Son – John 19:26
Even though God incarnate – Yeshua the man made sure that His Mother was going to be taken care of. This would have been His responsibility as the eldest son. He intrusted her to the care of John.
Fourth Through Sixth Statements
My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? - Mark 15:34
I thirst. - John 19:28
It is finished. - John 19:30
These 3 statements are tied to Psalm 22. Yeshua was quoting from Psalm 22 which is another prophecy concerning the suffering Messiah. As His lungs were filling up with fluid and as He would have had to push and lift Himself up to take a breath, He managed to quote scripture to those who were standing nearby. His quotation began with verse one:
My Ěl, My Ěl, why have You forsaken Me – Far from saving Me, far from the words of My groaning?
and ended with the last verse where the Psalmist declared:
They shall come and declare His righteousness To a people yet to be born, For He shall do it!
(Or, as Yeshua declared "It is finished", for it had now been done).
Sandwiched in between He stated “I thirst”. Interestingly, right in the middle of Psalm 22 we find the following:
Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
In full control of His mind He declared that He was the fulfillment of the prophecies made about Him in Psalm 22.
Seventh Statement
Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. - Luke 23:46
This is a direct quote from Psalm 31:5. As He hung dying on the cross He was no doubt reciting this Psalm from memory:
Psa 31:1 In You, O יהוה, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.
Psa 31:2 Incline Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be a rock of refuge to me, A house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:3 For You are my rock and my stronghold; For Your Name’s sake lead me and guide me.
Psa 31:4 Bring me out of the net which they have hidden for me, For You are my stronghold.
Psa 31:5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O יהוה Ěl of truth.
The words "I commit" in this verse are more correctly translated "I deposit" and they denote a temporary deposit, not a permanent one. It denotes that a future "reclaiming" is going to happen. Three days later that reclaiming took place.
Yeshua was declaring that they did not kill Him. They never could have, but He willingly gave His life for His friends. He chose the time that He would give up His life – and into His Father's hands He let His life breath return (temporarily).
For this purpose He came into the world. His mission was not only completed but “perfectly” completed. All things written about Him came to pass. While hanging on the cross He cried out for the world to hear – that He was the Suffering Servant that would bring salvation to the world - bearing the sins of the whole world upon His shoulders. In Jewish understanding He was the one they believed would come - Messiah the Son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant.
I pray that this has blessed you, the reader, in some way and I encourage you to read the entirety of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.
Shalom,
Leisa
