The Last Seven Words spoken by Christ Aaron Hackett| Theology | 04/29/2019

Luke 23:24 “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Jesus Christ is hanging from a tree. In the traditions of the Jews, it was considered a curse. Just as God commanded Moses to uphold a bronze serpent from a wooden pole to cure the Israelis from the snake bite (Numbers 21:9), Jesus was raised up to cure the curse of humanity. He was the “perfect ” offering that was pleasing to God to take the sins of the world. Jesus begged God the Father to forgive humanity, because we are not deeply aware of our offenses before God Almighty.

 

Luke 23:43 “This day. You will be with Me in Paradise”

When we come near our end, we will either be like the unrepentant sinner, or the repentant sinner. There is no “grey area”. Either you fear Almighty God and want to be saved, or you reject Almighty God and join the devil and his demons in hell. God is always calling us to repentance. He is like a lover, chasing us because he wants us. But he will never force his love on those who reject him. This action is showing us, that in the end, if we truly acknowledge before God that we are sinners and want to be with him, he will forgive our sins and we will be with him in paradise.

 

John 19:26-27 “Woman, behold thy son…son behold thy mother”

Jesus loves his mother very deeply. In ancient traditions, it is a close male relative that takes care of the mother. Joseph had passed many years before. Jesus entrusted his loving Mother Mary, to the disciple whom he loves. This is a prefigurement of the future, when God will entrust humanity to  her and we become her “children”. Mary is the mother of all of us. We can go to her for intercession, because she can bring them to Jesus. She is the bridge that we can claim our daily graces from God himself.

 

Matthew 27:46 “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me”

Many bible scholars have different opinions on why Jesus is saying this prayer. From the Study of Dr. Lindsey Graham, he believes that Jesus is seeing all the evil around him. Because he is Man, he can see the devil and his demons along with all the hateful people that crucified him. In his earthly body, he is crying to God to deliver him from this evil and his enemies’.

 

John 19:28 “I thirst”

Jesus is not thirsty from the lack of water, but for a thirst to save as many souls as he can. He offered himself as a quiet lamb. He didn’t call down a “Host of Angels” to save him. He willingly accepted the wrath of God, in order to open the gates of Heaven. He was sent also to reunite those who have died before him. Abraham, Moses, the Prophet Elijah, etc. He wanted to reunite all those who are waiting and those who will come after him to be reunited in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

John 19:30 “It is finished”

Jesus is near his end. He has fulfilled everything that God the Father has asked of him. This is the reason of why he came into the world. To bring the Truth to the heart of every man, woman and child. He is the perfect  truth, and those who follow the truth, will hear God speak into the depths of his or her heart.

 

Luke 23:46 “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit”

Jesus is the example of offering yourself daily to God. He offered his life up to the will of His Father to save humanity. He obeyed his Father’s every word until his death. His continues to show his obedience to God. We also, must show our obedience to God. For how can we truly love God, if we don’t follow his commandments? We must be good servants, in order to please the Master. Not by empty words, but by living the Commandments of God and by showing love towards our friends and our enemies. That is the power of “true conversion”. Not by the swords or by force is a person converted, but by the power of God working in their lives. God will shatter your defenses, and you will realize in that moment in time, you are truly loved by God.  

 

God Bless you all,

 

Aaron JP