Words shape our lives. We speak them, write them, text them, and some sign them with their hands. From our earliest days, words become the way we express thought, emotion, and belief. They carry intention. They reveal the heart. And in moments of extreme suffering or profound love, words matter most.
No words in human history carry greater weight than the final words spoken by Jesus from the cross.
The seven last sayings of Jesus, recorded across the four Gospels, were not the fading thoughts of a dying man. They were deliberate, purposeful, and deeply theological. Even as His body was broken, Jesus remained fully conscious, fully obedient, and fully in control. Scripture tells us that He spoke “with a loud voice” even in death (Luke 23:46), something unheard of for victims of crucifixion. What held Him to the cross was not nails, but love.
Jesus’s First saying was about “Forgiveness.”
Jesus models divine forgiveness, interceding for His enemies. As the Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, He could be heard saying.
34 “Father, forgive these people,” Jesus said, “for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 (Living Bible)
After Jesus was placed on the cross, the Roman soldiers gambled for His clothing—fulfilling Psalm 22:18.
18 “They divide my clothes among themselves by a toss of the dice.”
He interceded not only for the soldiers, but for all unbelievers who will stand guilty before God. Jesus’s prayer demonstrates His divine mercy and unconditional love. Despite being falsely accused, mocked, and crucified, He prayed for the forgiveness of His persecutors. This act of compassion fulfills the prophecy in the book of Isaiah.
10 But the Lord was pleased with this humble servant who suffered such pain. Even after giving himself as an offering for sin, he will see his descendants and enjoy a long life. He will succeed in doing what the Lord wanted. 11 After his suffering he will see the light, and he will be satisfied with what he experienced. The Lord says, “My servant, who always does what is right, will make his people right with me; he will take away their sins. (53:10-11 ERV)
Even in agony, there was no bitterness in Him—only mercy. This prayer would soon bear fruit when thousands in Jerusalem repented and believed.
In the book of Acts we’re told of the events a Pentecost where Peter addressed the crowd and warned them.
40 “Peter warned them with many other words; he begged them, ‘Save yourselves from the evil of the people who live now!’ 41 Then those who accepted what Peter said were baptized. On that day about 3,000 people were added to the group of believers.” (Acts 2:40-41 ERV)
From our Lord’s first statement on the cross both you and I can learn to
Forgive those who hurt you—even if they don’t realize it or ask for it. Pray for your enemies or difficult people in your life, Ask God to soften our heart and help you let go of resentment.
Jesus’s Second saying was about “Salvation.”
At the beginning, the two criminals crucified beside Jesus joined the crowd in mocking Him. Yet, in a miraculous moment, one of them underwent a sudden change of heart. The Holy Spirit transformed his soul—turning a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. With newfound faith, he turned to Jesus and made a humble plea.
“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom”
(Luke 23:42).
This man had already begun to recognize that Jesus was unlike any other. Then he said, he acknowledged Jesus as King and expressed his desire to be counted among those who would share in His kingdom. Jesus answers the man by declaring,
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
These words spoken to the repentant thief, reveals Jesus’ authority to save and the immediacy of salvation. Jesus extends grace to the thief crucified beside Him. This statement emphasizes that salvation comes through faith, not through human works. Even at the point of death, Jesus demonstrates His authority to save and offers the assurance of eternal life to all who believe in Him.
That word “paradise,” echoing Eden itself, affirmed that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, even at life’s final breath. The thief could offer no works, no restitution—only trust. And that was enough. Even in death, Jesus extends grace, showing that salvation is by faith, not works.
It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. (Ephesians 2:8–9 MSG).
From our Lord’s second statement on the cross both you and I can learn to
Trust in God’s mercy, not your own merit. Remember that it’s never too late to turn to God. Don’t be paralyzed by guilt or past failures—God meets you with grace right now. Share hope with others who feel unworthy.
Jesus’s Third saying was about “Compassion.”
Seeing His mother standing near the cross, Jesus felt compassion for her. Then Jesus entrusted her care to the disciple John, saying,
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27 ESV)
Even while bearing the weight of the world’s sin, Jesus fulfilled His responsibility as a son. This moment highlights the value Jesus places on family and community. His belief in the spiritual family, forged in obedience to God, endures forever.
Since Jesus, as the eldest son, was responsible for his mother’s care, entrusting this responsibility to another before he died was important.
Jesus entrusted the well-being of his mother to John rather than to one of her biological sons because they had not yet believed in him.
Also, Jesus consigned his mother to John’s care because none of his brothers were present at His crucifixion, and John was the nearest available relative.
Caring for aged parents was part of honoring them, a requirement of devoutness, and a responsibility incumbent most directly on the eldest son.
Jesus’ compassion, fulfilling the command to honor one’s parents (Exodus 20:12). Even in suffering, He provides for His mother’s well-being.
From our Lord’s third statement on the cross, both you and I can learn to
care for others with compassion and family-like love
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so must love one another. (John 13:34 NIV).
Jesus’s Fourth saying revealed His Separation.
Then came the most agonizing cry of all. As darkness fell over the land from noon until three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out,
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 ESV)
This was not despair, but fulfillment. Quoting Psalm 22:1,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus identified Himself as the suffering King spoken of a thousand years earlier. He was bearing the full weight of sin, becoming the substitute Isaiah described when he wrote,
“The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6 ESV).
Though sinless, He was made sin for us.
21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV).
From that moment, He experienced the separation sin creates, drinking the cup of divine wrath to its sediments.
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)
Because He was forsaken, we never will be, for he has said,
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).
From our Lord’s Fourth statement on the cross, both you and I can learn the depth of Jesus’ spiritual anguish as He bears humanity’s sin, experiencing separation from the Father. It shows that Jesus understands human pain and that Scripture was fulfilled through His suffering.
21 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! (2 Corinthians 5:21 TLB)
Jesus’s Fifth saying revealed His Humanity.
After emerging from those hours of darkness, Jesus spoke again, revealing His humanity: “I thirst” (John 19:28). Dehydration was a cruelty of crucifixion, yet this too fulfilled Scripture. Psalm 69:21 had foretold,
21 “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”
Jesus had refused earlier pain-numbing wine, choosing instead to remain fully aware as He completed the Father’s will. Our Lord knew what was going on; He was fully in control as He obeyed the Father’s will. He had refused to drink the pain-deadening wine that was always offered to those about to be crucified.
When Jesus said, “I thirst,” He was enduring real physical suffering, for He had a real human body. He had just emerged from three hours of darkness when He felt the wrath of God and separation from God. When you combine darkness, thirst, and isolation, you have–hell!
One of the soldiers took pity on Jesus and moistened His lips with the cheap vinegar wine the soldiers drank. We must not imagine Jesus hanging many feet up in the air, almost inaccessible. His feet were perhaps three or four feet from the ground, so it would be easy for the man to put a sponge at the end of a reed and give Jesus a drink.
From our Lord’s fifth statement on the cross, both you and I can learn of Jesus’ true humanity and physical suffering, and His awareness of fulfilling prophecy even in His final moments. It reminds us that Jesus identifies fully with our human weakness.
15 “We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 GW)
Jesus’s Sixth saying revealed His Completion.
Then came the cry of completion. “It is finished” (John 19:30). In Greek, tetelestai—meaning paid in full. The work the Father gave Him to do was complete.
4 “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4 ESV).
The phrase “It is finished” signifies the completion of Jesus’ work on the cross and that the atonement for our sins was fully accomplished. Nothing further needed to be done. His act was voluntary and confident, for he had discharged perfectly the Father’s purpose and was triumphantly leaving the scene of his human struggle.
This expression is almost certainly a shout of victory.
Every prophecy is fulfilled. Every requirement satisfied. The Lamb was without blemish. Redemption was not begun here; it was finished. Nothing could be added. Nothing needed to be repeated. The cross was not a tragedy—it was a triumph and reward.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (Hebrews 10:12 ESV)
From our Lord’s sixth statement on the cross, both you and I can learn that as Believers we can rest in the finished work of Christ, not in our own efforts.
The Seventh and final saying revealed His Trust.
Finally, Jesus spoke a word of trust. “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit” (Luke 23:46),
With this prayer, Jesus willingly dismissed His spirit. No one took His life from Him—He laid it down of His own accord.
18 “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:18 ESV).
Unlike others who died gasping on a cross, Jesus died with confidence, peace, and authority, committing Himself fully to the Father.
Jesus’ final, dying words from the cross: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit also reflect his faithfulness. Immediately after uttering these words, he breathed his last. Jesus closed his earthly ministry with a peaceful prayer taken from Psalm 31:5:
“Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.”
In this prayer, the Psalmist declares his or her absolute trust that God will redeem him or her. Luke’s version of the crucifixion story makes the point that Jesus trusted and had faith in God to the very end. After praying these words, he died. God never let him out of his sight.
From our Lord’s seventh statement on the cross, both you and I can learn that Jesus’ had confidence in the Father’s plan even in death. This is the model for believers to entrust their lives to God’s will.
19 So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you. (1 Peter 4:19 TLB)
As Scripture declares,
“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ESV).
And yet, the cross does not stand alone.
The final word from the cross did not signal the end of the story. When Jesus committed His spirit into the Father’s hands, the silence that followed was not defeat—it was anticipation. The body was taken down, the tomb was sealed, and for a moment, it appeared that death had spoken the last word. But the cross was never meant to stand alone. What was finished on Friday would be vindicated on Sunday. The resurrection would confirm what the cross had already declared—that sin was defeated, death was conquered, and Jesus truly is who He claimed to be. The empty tomb would not contradict the cross; it would complete its meaning.
When we step back and listen to all seven sayings together, one unifying word emerges—Love. Every word spoken from the cross flows from it.
- Forgiveness is love extended to the undeserving.
- Salvation is love offered to the repentant.
- Compassion is love caring for others in the midst of suffering.
- Separation reveals the cost love was willing to bear.
- Humanity shows love entering fully into our condition.
- Completion proclaims love that paid the full price.
- Trust reflects love that rests completely in the Father.
The cross, at its core, is love expressed without restraint. And the resurrection stands as God’s declaration that this love was accepted, validated, and victorious.
Until next time, my friends, when we will dive into God’s Holy Word as we look at what we’ve learned about the God/man Jesus Christ, through His Birth, Ministries, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension. And what does it all mean. Now may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.