Seventh in a series on the Seven Last Words of Jesus
by Pastor Paul Wolff
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46)
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| Christ’s last words before He died were “Father into Your hands I commit my Spirit” |
Sinful people weren’t alone in wanting Jesus dead. God the Father also wanted Jesus dead. It wasn’t for hatred or anger or the punishment for any sin that God wanted Jesus dead. Jesus was without guilt for any sin, because He committed no sin – neither in thought, nor word, nor deed. God had twice proclaimed of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased.” Yet, Jesus carried in His body the guilt of the sins of the whole world. At His Baptism, Jesus had agreed to be the scapegoat and the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world, and for this God wanted Him dead. It was not out of anger that God wanted Jesus dead, but out of love – both from the Father and the Son (and the Holy Spirit). Because Jesus was carrying out the Father’s will and bearing the sins of the world to redeem us all from our sins, this was another reason why God the Father was well pleased with His beloved Son.
Yet, God wanted Jesus dead. If you thought God wanted you dead, would you still trust God? Would you still love God? Jesus did, and still does. Remember that both His first and last words on the cross were prayers to His beloved Father. “Father, forgive them” and “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” These prayers were prayed by a faithful Son who loved His good and gracious Father, even when it felt like God was His enemy.
Remember that by the time Jesus spoke these words He had been through hell – literally. He had endured the full wrath and anger of God the Father over the sins of the world. He had suffered God’s wrath, and it was finished. All that remained was for Him to die. Despite all that He endured, Jesus still had not lost His love for the Father, or for you. Jesus was quoting Psalm 31 which says, “In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” (Psalm 31:1-5) Jesus was completely trusting in God to rescue Him from death, even after the Father had forsaken Him and poured out His wrath on Him for the world’s sin. Jesus had no assurance as a man that God would restore Him to life, except what was written in the Holy Scriptures. That was more than enough.
Jesus had known that it was the Father’s Will for Him to die at least since He was twelve years old and was learning from the teachers in the temple in Jerusalem. Though the Gospel of Luke does not tell us what they talked about, it was likely they talked about the Passover, since they were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Jesus likely was interested in the sacrificial lamb of the Passover meal, and what that had to do with God’s salvation and the messiah. He would have learned that the Passover lamb was slain in place of the firstborn. The lamb died, so that the firstborn son would live. If the teachers didn’t mention it, Jesus might have asked if the messiah would be like the Passover lamb. The answer is found in Isaiah 53: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6-7)
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| Jesus was not afraid to entrust His life into the hands of God, even though God was punishing Him for the sins of the world. He knew from Scripture that God would rescue Him from death. |
Jesus knew that as the Christ, His life would be like that sacrificial lamb, to suffer and die to take God’s punishment for the sins of the world. This would rescue and redeem people from their sins. This was God’s Will, so Jesus was willing to do this to please God, His Father. Jesus could also take comfort in other Scripture passages such as 2 Samuel 7:13-14 where God said to King David, “I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son.” If the Christ would reign as King forever, He would have to live, even if He would die. As a man, Jesus did not use His Divine Omniscience to know the mind of God. Jesus had to trust the Word of God in the Holy Bible just as you and I do. And yet, as Job observed when he suffered, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10) Jesus accepted and endured the wrath of God because it was His beloved Father’s Will. He trusted that God intended it for good because God is good, and Jesus loved God the Father with all His heart, and with all His soul, and with all His strength, (see Deuteronomy 6:5) and He loved His neighbor as Himself (see Leviticus 19:18).
Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” How do you know God will deliver you? Jesus was there dying on the cross to deliver you from your sins. He will never let you fall. These final words of Jesus on the cross are a prayer that every Christian can – and should – pray as you contemplate your own final hour and death. Your spirit can be in no better place than in the hands of God. It is true, though, that you have no more assurance that God will rescue you from death, than the promises that God has given you in Holy Scripture. These promises were more than enough for Jesus, and they are also more than enough for you. God’s word is eternal, and He keeps His promises. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Luke 21:33) God’s word is more sure than the ground you stand on.
Jesus also promised, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Since God gave the One whom He loved so dearly to save you, you can believe that God will never leave you nor forsake you (see Joshua 1:5) and will rescue you from sin and death. “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”
Articles in this series:
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.
Woman behold your son. Son, behold your mother.
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
I thirst.
It is finished.
Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
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