In six hours of torture on the cross, Jesus made 7 statements.
We’ve gone through four of those statements so far.
When I come to this fifth one in John 19:28, I almost assumed there’s not much meat here. Two words: “I thirst.” Some translations render it, “I’m thirsty” or “I am thirsty.”
I do notice His humanity again. After much pain and suffering, exhaustion and dehydration, his mouth is parched. We know medically speaking from such pain and trauma and the physical agony caused by such wounds, He would be in a feverish condition, drained of fluids, and His mouth would feel sucked dry. We’re told in historical documents that crucified individuals would beg for water. So it makes sense that Jesus, although He’s supernatural in so many ways, shows His natural desire for liquids.
But then I notice what John says prior in his description…
“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’”
There it is again. “So that scripture would be fulfilled.”
We’ve been talking about all the prophecies from centuries earlier that predicted what would happen during Christ’s final days and hours.
When Jesus said, “I thirst,” from the cross, He was alluding to a prophecy in Psalm 22:15: “My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.”
Ahhhh. See why I love unpacking the Word! I could have glanced right over this. Now, these two words “I thirst” hold even more meaning and power.
There’s more…
“Later,” John says, meaning after three hours of supernatural darkness and being under the weight of God’s Wrath for taking upon the sins of this world.
You see earlier, Jesus refused a drink of vinegar, gall, and myrrh offered to Him to relieve His suffering (Matthew 27:34 and Mark 15:23). After that, the soldiers mockingly offered Him wine vinegar but did not allow Him to drink (Luke 23:36). But now, several hours later, Jesus states, “I am thirsty,” thus asking for a drink. This time, the soldiers give Him some. This action was a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
Again, just as predicted!
“Knowing that everything had now been finished.” Jesus now knew. He recognized the moment that He was ultimately put on this earth for. The sacrificial lamb who shed His blood for us to fulfill God’s redemptive plan for humanity, asks for something to drink, because He still has a victory shout to make.
It. Is. Finished. He didn’t just say it. He yelled it. The work is done He proclaimed. For them. For you. For me.
Oh how the Roman soldiers thought they were just giving him a little bit of vinegar water! They didn’t realize the transformative words they were enabling to come out, to fulfill scripture, to cause grown men and women to weep and be instantly transformed at the foot of the cross!
How many of you know that you can try to dehydrate the Son of God but you can’t drain the endlessly flowing streams of living water! (*Interestingly, since Jesus was separated from the Father, he was cut off spiritually. Is this another reason why He can sympathize with humans who are?)
What do you thirst for?
Jesus thirsted for us physically and also spiritually. His declaration of thirst carries a deeper, spiritual significance. In the Bible, thirst often symbolizes a deep longing or desire. Could this statement be seen as a reflection of Jesus’ desire to fulfill the will of His Father, to complete the work He was sent to do? It’s as if He’s saying, “I am thirsty for the fulfillment of God’s plan. I am thirsty for the redemption of humanity.”
The Greek word used here is “dipsao,” which literally means to thirst. It’s used several times in the New Testament, often in a literal sense, but also in a figurative sense to express a deep longing or desire.
For example, Jesus tells us how to satisfy our thirst in life in Matthew 5:6, by thirsting for righteousness. Blessed (happy, filled) are those who do. Here, “dipsao” is used to express a deep spiritual longing for righteousness.
The world thirsts for money, status, and power. For comfort, luxury, and pleasure. For entertainment, pampering, and consumption. All of which will never truly satisfy.
Only the righteousness found in Christ and what He did for us on the cross, which is imputed to us as believers, will. When we examine the magnitude of His suffering, we see a significant thirst that speaks to us today, calling us to a deeper understanding of His sacrifice and a greater commitment to living out our faith.
Are you longing to cling to Jesus just as you need water and food daily?
Jesus requests this last sip of fluids so He can shout His last words out.
John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, stands at the cross.
He remembers another time Jesus spoke in a loud voice because he documented it in chapter 7 of his gospel.
It was on the last and greatest day of the festival.
“Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (John 7:37-39)
Now it’s all starting to make sense.
He said it, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35
Jesus has now been glorified. The worst death in history of mankind becomes the greatest gift for us.
Do you believe it? Those who do will never thirst. These aren’t my words. He said it!
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.“
Hey, I thought this was going to be one paragraph explaining this “I thirst” statement. Never doubt how active and alive God’s Word is when you devour it.
God Bless,
Coach Theo
Leave a Reply