28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:28-30 (ESV)

He knew

Jesus knew that His work was finished. This was the final task, the crowning act of what God the Father had sent Him to do. He had redeemed mankind to enable restoration of relationship with God.

Thirsty

It is so incredibly humbling that the Creator of water and human beings had to ask for a drink. Not only did it prove His complete humanity, “he wished to give them the fullest proof of his being the Messiah, by distinctly marking how every thing relative to the Messiah, which had been written in the prophets, had its complete fulfilment in him.” (Clarke’s commentary) Ps. 69:21 is the scripture He quoted. Another prophecy fulfilled.

The last time John recorded Jesus indicating thirst was in John 4:7 when He spoke with the woman at the well. The one who gives living water which leads to eternal life, the one who causes rivers of living water to flow from those who believe in Him (John 7:38), is asking for a drink. 

“Jesus didn’t accept a pain-numbing drink at the beginning of His ordeal (Mark 15:23), but now He accepted a taste of greatly diluted wine, to wet parched lips and a dry throat so He could make one final announcement to the world with a clear, loud voice.” (enduringword.com)

Give up His spirit

The Greek for It is finished is just one word (τελέω, teleo, ‘to finish’). “It was a Conqueror’s cry; it was uttered with a loud voice. There is nothing of anguish about it, there is no wailing in it. It is the cry of One who has completed a tremendous labor.” (Spurgeon) 

Because Jesus didn’t sin He wasn’t under the contract of death due to sin. For Him to die, He had to willingly give up His spirit. His mission for His incarnation was finished. The hard work of love to save mankind and make the way of reconciliation to God was done. The price was now being paid!

RЯeflection

• Time for some thanksgiving!
• “Has he finished his work for me? Then I must get to work for him, and I must persevere until I finish my work, too; not to save myself, for that is all done, but because I am saved.” (Spurgeon)