Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross #7

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

The Seven Sayings of Jesus upon the Cross are not listed in a single Gospel. They are found throughout all four. Therefore, a precise order in which they were spoken cannot be found. Although we do not know the exact order, we have a traditional ordering which is generally accepted based on context.

Why seven? It could hardly be a coincidence. The number 7 means perfection or total completeness. Jesus now completes His perfect mission. However, with this saying it is really not His last word. Jesus would be resurrected in three days and spend forty days speaking to His disciples many more words. Today, Jesus lives on in eternity and will never say His last words. Yet we come to an account of the last words spoken by Jesus before His death. “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).

In life, you expect there will be bad days. The very worst day of Jesus life was one filled with betrayal, beatings, mocking by mobs, denial by disciples, forsaking by the Father, reviling by rulers, darkness, thirst, and death. And yet, it is called by some: “Good Friday.” How did Jesus take the worst day and make it the best day? The seven sayings can give up a clue. He forgave those who sinned against Him. He found someone in a worse state than Himself and gave the hopeless Hope. He took time to think of taking care of the family and friends. Praying to God during struggles over sufferings. Asking for help when in great need even if it is just a little something to tame your thirst. Recognize that this day too will come to an end. And finally, surrender the events of the day of your life into the hands of God.

Jesus Died…

• At the Hands of Men

The last day of Jesus’ life was one of serious sufferings at the hands of wicked men. Jesus had predicted that such a day would come. “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful” (Matt 17:22-23). He warns the inner circle of disciples (Peter, James and John) “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners” (Matt. 26:45). The soldiers abused him saying, “‘Hail, King of the Jews!”’ and they struck Him with their hands” (John 19:3). In Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, he claimed that with “wicked hands” (Acts 2:23) they crucified Him.

In the Garden they came and laid hands upon Him for His arrest. With their hands they removed His garments and laid him bare while holding a scourge in their hands to whip him till his flesh was beat from his bones. Hands of wicked men would pluck the hair from His head. Hands would push down upon his skull a crown of thorns. These same hands would take the homemade scepter and beat Jesus about the head. Servants of the High Priest would use their hands to slap His face. The hands of Roman soldiers would nail him to a cross and then cast lots for his garment.

• Voluntarily Giving Up His Life

Human hands abused and killed Jesus but, in another sense, Jesus voluntarily gave up His life. The Bible claims that Jesus submissively, yielded up His life. “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit” (Matt.27:50). Luke’s account reads, He “breathed out His spirit.” John wrote in his Gospel, “He bowed His head and gave up the spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus predicted He would give up His life. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17-18).

Jesus could have prevented His suffering and death. After Peter’s feeble attempt to defend Jesus with a sword, Christ said, “do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Later in trial “Pilate said to Him, ‘Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?’ Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin’” (John 19:10-11). Jesus came to earth under God’s power and authority and would leave the same way. His crucifixion was not a mere result of man’s execution but by Divine resolution

The Greek term for “commend” means Jesus “dismissed His spirit.” He voluntarily “gave it up” to the Father. He “yielded up.” As He gave himself over to the hands of men for crucifixion, He now willingly gives up life back to God. Jesus determined that we would die that day with the thief. But the thieves had to have their legs broken to speed up their deaths. Jesus willed Himself to die before His legs needed to be broken.

• Entrusting His Soul to God

The seventh saying is an anthropomorphic address to God. God is described as if He were man. God does not have hands. “Commend” is to “give someone something in trust” (Kittel). He voluntarily yields His spirit into the hands of the Father. Thus, entrusting His soul to God. Job trusted his soul to God. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him” (Job 13:15). David demonstrated a similar kind of trust in God. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). Paul was of the same persuasion. “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

Whatever is entrusted to the hands of God is safe and secure. There are no better hands. The Allstate commercials slogan is you’re in good hands – the good hands people”. God would raise Jesus in three days. After another forty days Jesus would ascend to the right hand of God.

Can you entrust your soul, your eternal future with God? If so, then you can entrust your time, money, family, possessions, etc. into the hands of God?

• Fulfilling Prophecies

Several Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the seven sayings of the cross: Is. 53:12; Matt. 1:21; Ps. 22:1; Ps. 69:21; Ps. 31:5. Several hundred years earlier the Psalmist predicted this statement of Jesus. “In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth” (Ps. 31:1-5).

Jesus drew attention to this saying with “a loud voice.” He did not just want God to hear what He was saying, He spoke so that all present might hear His words and draw their attention to the prophecies.

• With a Song and a Prayer on His Lips

The psalm 31 is a both a prophecy, prayer and song. Jesus died while meditating on the Scriptures. He died with a prayer and song on His lips.

• Submitting to the Father

As He lived life in submission to the Father’s will so He died yielding to the Father. Jesus’ use of “Father” was radical for His times. It was not blasphemous but speaks to a glorious relationship.

• With Hope in His Heart

Jesus did not believe death to be the end. He had an eternal spirit that will survive death. For Him it was not a leap in the dark but a leap into the hand of God. It was not going to an unknown country but going home. There is a tribe in Africa in which, when a believer dies, they do not say. “He departed,” but rather, “he arrived.”

Jesus’ spirit went to Paradise. He told the penitent thief that they would be arriving there later that day. The thief knew about his future in death. Do you? Stephen spoke a similar saying as he was stoned to death, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). Thousands of faithful Christians have died with these words in their heart and on their lips. Although a greedy and wicked man, Balaam the prophet desired, “let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!” (Num. 23:10). There is no better way to depart this world than dying like Jesus with the words of Stephen on our lips and the hope of being with Jesus in Paradise.

If your spirit does not go into the hands of God for safekeeping, it will go into the hands of God for judgment. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).

– Daniel R. Vess