Southern Christian University

NT 3404 Mt., Mk., Lu. And Jn.

James A. Turner

The Sayings Of Jesus On The Cross

Introduction:

1. The gospel writers do not give us all of the details about the order that Jesus gave these sayings.

2. What order do you think that he gave these sayings?

3. The following is the order I think that they may have been given.

I. “FATHER FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.”

1. Luke says, “ And when they came unto the place which is called The Shull, (or Calvary) and there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. And Jesus said, Father forgive them; for they know not what they do (Lu. 23:33-34).”

2. This reference strongly indicates that this was the first saying.

3. Our God is surely a forgiving God. He wants all men to be saved (II Pet. 3:9; I Tim. 2:4; Heb. 2:9).

4. He forgives all who apply the cleansing blood of Christ (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Ex. 12:7, 12:13).

5. An alien sinner applies the blood by believing (Jn.8:24; Heb. 11:6) by repenting (Lu. 13:3; Acts 17:30; Acts 2:38) and by being baptized (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16).

6. Baptism is a form of (Rom.6:17-18) the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-7). Christ’s blood was shed in his death (Acts 20:28; Jn. 19:32-35; I Pet. 1:18-20), and it is at the point of baptism that the alien sinner applies the blood, and is saved from sin (I Pet 3:21; Rom.5:9); and baptism puts one into Christ (Gal3:26-27; Rom. 6:3-7), and His church (I Cor.12:13; Eph. 1:22-23, Eph 1:18).

II. “WOMAN, BEHOLD, THY SON!”

1. John says, “These things therefore the soldiers did. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister and ------; When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he said unto his mother, Woman behold thy son (Jn. 19:25-26)!”

2. John is describing himself in verse 26 as the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” See also Jn.21:20-24.

III. “BEHOLD, THY MOTHER.”

1. Verse 27 reads, “Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home.”

2. John nearly always, if not always, speaks of himself in second person.

3. This surely shows the great confidence that Jesus had in the apostle John.

IV. “VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.”

1. One of the malefactors “railed on him”, but was rebuked by the other malefactor,

“And he said to Jesus,” remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. And he

said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise

(Lu. 23:39-43).”

2. Does this mean that this criminal was saved? Absolutely it does.

3. Some today say that they want to be saved like the thief on the cross!

4. How should you answer them?

a. Do you really want to be hanged on a cross in order to be saved like the thief on

the cross?

b.They will probably say, “The thief was saved without baptism, which shows that

baptism is not essential to salvation.”

c. How do you know that the thief was saved without baptism? Mt. 3:1-5 tells us

about John’s preaching in the wilderness of Judea and commanding the people

to repent. Mt 3:5-6 reads, “Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea,

and all the region round about the Jordan; and they were baptized of him in the

river Jordan, confessing their sins.

d. While Jesus was on earth he had the power to forgive sins (Mt. 9:6), but the law

of Christ is now in affect (Mt. 26:28; Heb. 9:15-18) and His law says that

baptism saves the alien sinner (Mk. 16:16; I Pet. 1:18-20, 3:21; Acts 8: 35-39,

22: 10, 22: 16).

V. “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?

1. Mt. 27:45-46 reads, “Now from the sixth hour (12AM our time) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3 PM). And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli, la-ma sabach thani? That is My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

2. Jesus had prayed three times, and asked his Father, that if it was his will “let this cup pass away from me.” Mt. 26:36-46; Lu. 22: 39-47.

3. It was not the Father’s will that the cup should “pass away” from Jesus.

4. It was God’s plan before he made man that Jesus should die as a sin offering for man (Isa.53:10-12; Gen 3:15; I Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8; Eph. 1:3-7, 2:1; Acts 13: 48; Rom. 8:29-30; II Tim. 1:9; II Thess. 2:13-14; Eph. 3:10-11).

VI. “I THRIST”

1. John 19:28-29 reads, “After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scriptures might be accomplished, (Isa.53:10-12) saith I thrist. There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: so they put a sponge full of vinegar upon hyssop, and brought it to his mouth.”

2. Ps. 69:21 reads, “They gave me also gall for my food; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

3. The heat of the day and the loss of blood must have been natural causes for his thirst.

VII. “IT IS FINISHED”

1. John 19:30 reads, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished ; and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.

2. It took the perfect sacrifice of the perfect and sinless Son of God to satisfy the justice of God as an atonement for sin (Isa. 53: 10-12; Rom. 3: 25-26; Heb. 10: 4-10).

3. When Jesus died the veil of the temple was miraculously rent showing that the way into heaven had been made (Heb. 6:19-20, 7:24-28, 9:8).

a.. Mt. 27:50-54 reads, “And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from

the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent; and

the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep

were raised; and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they

entered into the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and they

that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the

things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of

God.

b.Do you suppose that the prayer of Jesus, “Father, forgive them for they know

not what they do” was beginning to be answered?

c. Mark and Luke mention only the renting of the veil of the temple (Mk.

15:37-39; Lu. 23:44-45), and surely it was by inspiration that Matthew puts it

first! Would you have put it first?

VIII.“FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT”

1. Luke 23: 46-47 reads, “And Jesus, crying with a loud voice said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost. And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.”

2. “What think ye of the Christ? Whose son is he (Mt. 22:42)?

3. What then will you do unto Jesus who is called Christ? Mt. 27:21-22.