Jesus Last Words

Most Christians revere the four Gospel account of the words Jesus spoke while on the cross.  Mark and Matthew are very similar.  Luke and John seem to deviate some.  John was standing near the cross with Mary, directly below it.  John's account is on what Jesus said to him and Mary privately - turning responsibility of Mary, Jesus' mom, over to John; a plea of thirst, statement of completion. Matthew focuses on what Jesus said in a loud voice.  Luke hears what Matthew hears but must have been closer because he heard Jesus say, "Father unto your hands I commend my spirit.

Jesus spoke seven things while he was on the cross.  Each phrase recorded in the gospels give meaning to the Gospels claim of who Jesus is?

1. "Here is your mother" - John 19: 27 - Jesus has given us an example to honor our parents in life and death. Jesus was the first born which made him legally responsible for her welfare.  Jesus entrust this care to John who takes this commission seriously.
2. "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" - Luke 23: 34 - Wow! Most of us would be asking God to get us down and save us.  But Jesus was concerned about the souls of those responsible for crucifying him.  This is love.  Conditional love.
3. "Today you will be with me in Paradise" - Luke 23: 43 - Here the key is faith, God's grace.  The thief's faith saved him.
4. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Matthew 27: 46; Mark 15; 34; Psalm 22:1 - Here Jesus is quoting Ps. 22:1 which signals the hope and triumph, the obvious meaning of Jesus cry.  This is a very real prayer reflecting the agony of the cup drunk to its dregs on the cross.  Isaiah 59: 2 - "But your iniquities have separated you from your God  . . . .  Jesus is forsaken because he who had no sin took our sins upon him.  (Atoning for our sins), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
5. "I am thirsty" - this fulfills scripture Ps. 69:21:  I thirst reminds us of Jesus' physical nature / His humanity, His willingness to fulfill the prophetic scripture, His deteremination to complete His task. 
6. "Into your hands I commit my spirit" - Ps. 31;5.  This is part of an evening prayer used daily by devout Jews.  Jesus spoke in a loud voice, firm and confident, He spoke His Father with intimacy, He entrusted himself to His Father.  He speaks a word of surrender giving up His human life back to His Father.
7. "It is finished" - Amazing : completion / fulfillment / finishing - all three mean the end; the debt has been paid; obedience fulfilled.  

What should we learn from this: We are to live lives of purpose, focus, obedience, be willing to suffer to achieve God's purpose.  We don't give up just because the going gets ruff.  When our time comes we want others to be able to say we fought the good fight, we finished the race and remained faithful. 2 Timothy 4:7.