Victorious in Death

MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus … said … It is finished; and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.” —John 19:30

JOHN 19:17-22, 28-30

JESUS’ trial was now over. Pilate had reluctantly consented to his crucifixion. He had been flogged, and a crown of thorns had been placed upon his head—a derisive symbol of the “crime” for which he was being put to death. They took him to a place called Golgotha, meaning “the place of the skull.” It is claimed by many that the location of this place can even now be identified, but that has no importance so far as the redemption of mankind is concerned. It is the fact of Jesus’ voluntary death as a human, and on behalf of the world, that provides salvation, not the place where he was crucified.

“Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.” This title angered the Jews. “Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.” Pilate refused to yield to this demand, and he answered, “What I have written I have written.” He knew that Jesus had not even claimed to be king of the Jews, and he also knew that Jesus really had not committed a crime of any kind that make him deserving of punishment by death.

As Jesus hung upon the cross he became very thirsty, which was not uncommon. His ordeal was especially severe. He had an encounter with the two thieves who were crucified beside him, assuring one of them that his prayer to be remembered in his kingdom would be answered; that he would be with him in paradise. He had recognized the temporary withdrawal of his Heavenly Father’s favor, and had cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”—Matt. 27:46

And now his ministry was nearly over, as well as his suffering on the cross, so he said, “I thirst.” “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” It is believed that this “vinegar” was a sour wine. Together with hyssop it apparently had a deadening effect, and was often used in cases of crucifixion.

Our memory verse is meaningful. Jesus said, “It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.” We like the Revised Standard Version translation because it uses the word “spirit” instead of “ghost.” Another of the Gospel accounts quotes Jesus as saying, “Into thy hand I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Even the word spirit as a translation is not the best. “Life” would be better. Jesus said to his father, I commend my life into your hands to do with me as you wish. What a wonderful display of resignation to the divine will this was! Jesus knew what the Heavenly Father had promised him, and he knew that those promises would be fulfilled.

“It is finished.” Two things are involved here. His excruciating ordeal upon the cross was about at an end. He had not looked forward to this with joy, but when the final test of obedience was upon him he said, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11) And now he had finished drinking this cup, and he was ready to say to his Heavenly Father, “Into thy hand I commend my spirit.”

But Jesus’ entire early ministry was also now ended—a ministry which had been characterized by his statement in the temple when he was a mere lad: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Throughout every hour of every day which made up his three and one-half years of service Jesus had zealously been “about” his Father’s business.

An important feature of Jesus’ ministry was the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom, which was an oral presentation of the kingdom hope, frequently illustrated by the miracles which he performed. Certainly in the kingdom the blind eyes of the people will be given sight, and Jesus illustrated over and over again that divine power was able to accomplish this glorious work on behalf of the world of mankind.

Another aspect of Jesus’ ministry was the training of his disciples to be his ambassadors in the world after he returned to his Heavenly Father. The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit, so Jesus was limited in what he could say to them; but patiently he imparted important truths to them, knowing that later the Holy Spirit would call these things to their attention. And how kind he was to them, referring even to Judas who betrayed him as a “friend.”

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