The Last Words of Christ S28e152 Jn19:25

A group of 4 women and John are "standing nearby" the cross. They are near enough to see what's going on and near enough to hear Jesus' probably quiet voice. Jesus says 7 things on the cross before He dies. 

Everyone should see in their mind what these women see. Everyone should hear what these women hear.  Today, we'll look at the first 3. Please join me. It is so very worth it.  Subscribe for more.

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Transcript

The Last Words of Christ S28e152 Jn19:25

we all must see what the women see: we must all hear what they heard as they stand by the cross.

We are officially doing a sequential walk through the Gospel of John and as we do we sometimes expand our scope into the other factual accounts of the crucifixion, the Passion, of Christ.

Jesus said seven things that we have recorded from the time of his crucifixion to the time of His death. Obviously, all are important. One thing you’ll notice about them is they are BRIEF. This makes perfect physiological sense because He is suffering from air-hunger and slow asphyxiation for thiese three hours on the cross.

Saying #1 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do  Lk23:34 Full disclosure, some manuscripts omit this line.

Jesus continues to pray; He continues His close relationship with the Father; His connection; His intimacy; His purpose in the Father’s will. Here, he asks the impossible-if-it-were’n’t God:

         He asks that the Father who cannot forget that hed would forget

         That He’d treat these transgressing people as if they did not transgress.

         He doesn’t qualify it, IF they repent…ie THEY DON’T DESERVE it

         He just asks God to cast all their sin behind His back Is 38:17

         He asks like it does in Ps 103:12 that the Father would remove their transgressions from them as far as the east is from the west

         Jesus asks, that on account of His prayer, the Father would treat these as if this never happened

For they know not what they do…Many were guilty: Pilate, Jewish officials; Peter; abandoning disciples; crowds intending “crucify Him”. Almost everybody mentioned in scripture with the exception of the faithful women. Anyway, Jesus explains: they know not what they do…If everybody knew, it would have changed things.

Saying #2 also from Luke 23. Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in PARADISE. Here Jesus steals back from Satan the theif on the cross. The 11th hour rescue. He destroys any works-based theology in one sentence. He describes our next heavenly step: PARADISE. Sounds good to me. Defines it in two ways: Paradise and you will be with me.  If this is all you knew about death, it is enough

Saying # 3Jn 19:25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standingnearby, 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.

Mark and Mt emphasize that as far as the disciples go THEY ALL LEFT HIM AND FLED. That’s the bad news. Here is some good: John comes back. During the crucifiction ordeal, JOHN COMES BACK.

John identifies himself only in regards to Jesus: one He loved

         I don’t thing pridefully; Identified correctly.

The women never left as far as is recorded. We find here, “standing by the cross”. Imagine this horror. We talked extensively about the particular humiliatin and suffering of a cross. Here we find 3 marys and an aunt. One of them is His own mother. 

This is such a poignant picture. 

Similarly, we all must see what the women see: innocent suffering. Forgiving words to the guilty of the betrayals, the trials, and the crucifiction process. Saving words to theif. And now: 

CARING WORDS to His mother.

WHEN Jesus saw his mother. And disciple NEARBY. 

Within hearing of his weak voice

I think he did not see them earlier. Had blood in His eyes. He had other focuses that we have heard about: the forgiving to the soldiers. The Paradise to the theif. Prayingto the FatherAnd now, “oh here you are”, let’s take care of family business:

         Mom’s here. John’s here.  Woman, behold your SON.

I want you to adopt him into a familial relationship.

         To John: Behold your mother.

I want you to receive her adoption, and also adopt her: take on the lifelong responsibilities that a child has to their parent. 

         No mother, as long as her children are living should ever be found in need. And we see how it turned out: FROM THAT HOUR, john took her into his home.  We see immediate, practical, care. Literal figurative shelter that started that very night.

we all must see what the women see: as they stand by the cross. Forgiving words to the guilty. Saving words to theif. And now: 

CARING WORDS to His mother.