While the Easter season is coming to an end, it’s never too late to focus on Christ’s sacrifice, especially with today being Easter Monday in some cultures. Last week, I was encouraged to study the last seven statements that Jesus said while on the cross. Different people might get different messages out of these statements, but I’ll share my thoughts on them.
“Father, Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do”
This phrase can be found in Luke 23:34. While this statement can mean several things, two things stand out to me. First, Christ is reminding us how important it is to forgive. In life, we are going to have people who offend us, hurt us, or wrong us in some way. We can hold a grudge. We can be angry at them. The Christlike response, though, is to forgive the person and move on.
The second thing I got out of this is that we need to be careful how we judge others. Later in this verse, it talks about how some people cast lots for Christ’s clothing. I’ve heard before that this statement refers specifically to them. He knew that they didn’t understand what they were really doing, and He understood that they would need His mercy. We can extend mercy and a lack of judgment in our own lives.
“Today Shalt Thou Be With Me in Paradise”
In Luke 23.43, Christ tells one of the thieves being crucified near Him that this man will see Jesus in paradise. Honestly, this is the statement I struggled to understand the most. With the other statements, I feel like they make sense. Yet, I sometimes think about how that other man was a thief. That sometimes leads me to wonder why he’d be in Paradise and not waiting around in spiritual prison.
I don’t know this man’s complete background. I probably should know more about him. Knowing that he was on the cross, though, I automatically assumed that his thievery must be pretty serious. Then again, as we have learned from the story of Christ’s crucifixion, it’s not always the most serious criminals who were crucified.
Along with this statement being about forgiveness and not judging others, it’s also about our ability to repent. This man, while upon the cross, began to see the Savior for who He really is. The thief was seeking to come unto Christ in his final hours. Through this statement, Christ offered him hope in the world to come.
Like Christ, we can encourage others in their journey. None of us are perfect, but as someone takes a step closer to our Savior, we can also encourage them.
“Woman, Behold Thy Son… Behold Thy Mother!”
John 19:26-27 contains two statements, which go together. To me, these statements emphasize Christ’s unselfishness. He was dying on the cross. He had endured pain that we can’t even begin to comprehend. Yet, His focus was not on Himself or His pain. He focused on ensuring that two people He cared about were cared for when He was no longer able to be with them physically.
These two statements combined remind us how important it is to be unselfish. I’ve heard before that when you’re having a bad day, the best way to make things better is to serve someone else. Even if it’s in small ways, we can all do this.
“My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27:46 has this phrase. This statement is about Christ having to do this part of His mission without Heavenly Father there, guiding Him. This was the Savior’s chance to do it alone. As I was studying this statement, the thought came that this testifies of the Godhead. If the Savior, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost were literally one being, Christ would not have made this statement. He couldn’t leave Himself.
This verse as well as other verses that testify of the Godhead are great reminders of the difference between being one being and being one in purpose. While all three members of the Godhead are one in purpose, they are also three separate beings.
“I Thirst”
I’ve studied a few comments about this statement from John 19.28. Several refer to Psalms 69:21. Verse 29 also cross-references to it. It talks about how Christ will be given vinegar to drink in His thirst. This is fulfilled at this time.
For me, though, this statement demonstrates Christ’s mortal nature. I think sometimes it’s easier to focus on Christ’s immortal nature, which He inherited from Heavenly Father. By focusing on this, we can come to understand how Christ was able to achieve superhuman feats. Without this immortal nature, Christ would not have been able to endure the pain of Gethsemane. A human cannot bleed from every pore and survive.
Yet, it’s also important to understand that Christ was mortal. He got hungry and thirsty. He got cut and bled. This mortal nature and His ability to die is an important element of the Atonement.
Of course, this statement could also lead to discussions on how Christ represents Living Water. We should thirst for Him and His gospel message.
“It Is Finished”
John 19:30 is the Savoir acknowledging that His earthly mission is over. I can imagine all of us in the premortal world cheering. We knew that because of Christ, we could be forgiven and return to Heavenly Father. I’m sure we appreciated Christ’s sacrifice more than we can ever express. Hopefully, we continue to appreciate His sacrifices on that same level.
If we have attempted to live a good life, we can make similar statements on Judgment Day. We can acknowledge we came to Earth, tried our hardest, and achieved what Heavenly Father sent us to Earth to do.
“Father, Into Your Hands, I Commend My Spirit”
Luke 23:46 can be read in much the same way as the previous statement. It is a reminder that the Savior has achieved His Earthly role. Yet, it is also a testimony that this life is not the end. It reminds us that our spirits continue to live on. If we have lived righteously, once our time on this Earth has ended, we will return to our Heavenly Father.
I also feel like Christ is saying that He did what He came to Earth to do, and He’s ready for the next step in His eternal journey. If we have lived righteously in this life, we can also have this same attitude. I did what I was asked to do. I hope that my sacrifice was acceptable. Now, what’s next?
Share Your Thoughts on Christ’s Statements
I would love to hear other people’s thoughts on Christ’s statements. Which statements stood out the most? How did you understand one of his statements differently than how I understood it? Did I go wrong in my interpretations in any way?
