THE 7 LAST SAYINGS OF JESUS CHRIST

1ST SAYING

Luke 23:34a

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

SIGNIFICANCE:
  Jesus, being a man, proved to us that even in our pains we still have the power to forgive our transgressors.
  And we can see how Stephen Substantiated that at his execution in Acts 7:59-60.
  Still no one is forgiven against his or her will; each one must respond to God's call for repentance and turn to him for forgiveness (Acts 2:38-39).
  But Stephen, who was following Jesus' example; praying that his murderers would find salvation, may have contributed to Saul's later conversation, although Saul had to repent and turn to God to receive forgiveness (Acts 8:1; 9:1-18).


2ND SAYING

Luke 23:43

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

SIGNIFICANCE:
  Even at the point of death, there's still room for repentance. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and AFTER THAT to face judgment.” This judgement of God does not come to man while he's still breathing, but after his death. Even while giving up his ghost, he can still obtain mercy. That's why it's wrong to judge the dead, you never can tell where he is now.

3RD SAYING

John 19:26-27

[26] When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 

[27] And to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

SIGNIFICANCE:
  Jesus, being the firstborn son, was expected to care for the family after his father, Joseph, died. Now that he was dying, what would become of her? We can only conjecture that none of his brothers were present at his crucifixion. That's why he certainly transferred his obligations to John, the disciple whom he loved like a brother.
  Jesus had promised us that he's not going to leave us comfortless (Jn. 14:18), and that's why he sent the Holy Spirit; whom he referred to as ANOTHER COMFORTER (Jn. 14:16).
  God is not a man that will turn down on His words. He has promised never to leave us or let us down (Heb. 13:5). He is always with us (Matt. 28:20).

4TH SAYING

Matthew 27:46

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

SIGNIFICANCE:
  This statement was made after He had traditionally made “the Word of Relationship.”
  Jesus, being a man, felt abandoned; he felt separated and questioned God
  Jesus had proven that God is always with us. But for the first time, he felt separation from God, thus questioning God.
  Now, there are times we feel abandoned by God, thus questioning God. God won't be mad at us for questioning Him. An instance in the Bible was Gideon in Judges 6:12-18.
  When we go deeper into what Jesus said, you will observe that He quoted the words of Psalm 22:1, perhaps even the whole psalm. This psalm begins with despair but ends with renewed trust in God.
Psalm 22:24
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
  “For all the promises of God in Him [Jesus Christ] are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20). We should ALWAYS REMEMBER GOD'S PROMISE. “... I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:15).

5TH SAYING

 John 19:28

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

SIGNIFICANCE:
  Earlier before the crucifixion, Jesus was offered wine to drink, but he refused to drink it (Matt. 27:34). Because:
1. He had to fulfill the scripture in Psalm 69:21 (cf. Psalm 22:15). He needed to say “I thirst.”
2. He needed to bear the pain of our iniquities (Isa. 53:11; Heb. 4:15).
  Sometimes, gall [which is probably refers to the same thing as the myrrh mentioned in Mark 15:23. Or it may be that both gall and myrrh were added to the wine], was mixed with wine and offered to victims of crucifixion as an anesthetic to reduce suffering.
  Applying this to our lives, we need to persevere when things are not working out well and keep trusting God. Because everything is timed by God, and His timing is always the best, so that we may not glory in ourselves, but give Him the glory.
  Look at heroes of old, how through faith and patience inherit the promises of God (Heb. 6:12). Heroes like Abraham, Joseph, Ruth and the host of others in the scriptures.

6TH SAYING

John 19:30

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

SIGNIFICANCE:
  Travelling back to His conversation with the Samaritan woman, He said, “My food, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (Jn. 4:34).
  Then travelling to the garden of Gathsemane, a day prior to His crucifixion, He said, “may your will be done.” (Matt. 26:42).
  Now, on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” (Jn. 19:30). The will of God had been accomplished.
Acts 2:23
This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
  Adam Hamilton writes: “These last words are seen as a cry of victory, not of dereliction. Jesus had now completed what He came to do. A plan was fulfilled; a salvation was made possible; a love shown. He had taken our place. He had demonstrated both humanity's brokenness and God's love. He had offered himself fully to God as a sacrifice on behalf of humanity. As he died, it was finished. With these words, the noblest person who ever walked the face of this planet, God in the flesh, breathed His last.”

7TH SAYING

Luke 23:46

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

SIGNIFICANCE:

  Earlier on, according to Matthew and Mark's account, Jesus had cried out in a loud voice “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34). But when you read on, you will observe that he was mocked (cf. Matt. 27:47-49 & Mk. 15:35-36). Thereafter both Matthew and Mark wrote that Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice before He breathed His last (Matt. 27:50 & Mk. 15:37). They did not record what He said, but thank God Luke did.
Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
  This same Jesus that said that God had forsaken Him, declared Him not as “God” this time, but as “Father”. To show His mockers that God who is His Father, had not abandoned Him (Ps. 22:24).
  Also, He was not actually making a request, but He was making a declaration of what was written in Psalm 31:5
Psalm 31:5
Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
  At His death, He left us an example, what can be termed as “a model of prayer”, Hamilton wrote, “for everyone when afraid, sick or facing one's own death. It says in effect:

 I commit myself to you, O God. 

   In my living and in my dying,

   in the good times, and in the bad,

   whatever I am and have, I place in your hands, 

   O God, for your safekeeping. 

 Matthew Henry's commentary on this verse says:
 Christ hereby signifies his dependence upon his Father for his resurrection, by the reunion of his soul and body. He commends his spirit into his Father's hand, to be received into paradise, and returned the third day. By this it appears that our Lord Jesus, as he had a true body, so he had a reasonable soul, which existed in a state of separation from the body, and thus he was made like unto his brethren this soul he lodged in his Father's hand, committed it to his custody, resting in hope that it should not be left in hades, in its state of separation from the body, no, not so long as that the body might see corruption.