John 19:25-37

• JOHN 19: 25 - 37

In verses 26 and 27 we read, Dear Woman, here is your son, and to the disciple, here is your mother. From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. The term, “The disciple whom Jesus loved” is one that John used of himself, so we can conclude that the cries from the cross that he has recorded in his gospel are ones that he actually heard, and this one was directed at him.

There is no mention of Joseph, Mary’s husband and it is supposed that Joseph was dead. A widow would need a means of support and that would come from her family. We know from other accounts that Jesus brothers ridiculed him; perhaps their mother was not in favour with them by supporting Jesus. As the oldest son, it would have been Jesus duty to look after her. (this is only my speculation) We are told however that John took Mary into his home. This cry was clear to both John and Mary. He was saying to his mother, go with John and to John, look after my mother, so when John took her into his home, it was an act of love and obedience. Even in his suffering, Jesus as a son, was still concerned for the welfare of his mother and honoured her as a parent. By saying to John, “Behold thy mother” he was saying to him, I want you to take on the duties of a son to my mother, and I think that by implication she lived in John’s house for the rest of her life.

Although Jesus knew he would rise from the dead, He would also have known that he was not going to be on earth to look after her and it is for this reason that I think she stayed with John until the end of her life.

It is also my opinion that there was a reason for choosing to give this duty to John. Jesus would know all things. He knew what manner Peter would die and presumably he knew in what manner the other disciples would die. John is the only one we who seems to have seen old age. He therefore would have been the one disciple who would live long enough to look after her.

2. Today we consider 5th utterance of Jesus' I am thirsty. At first glance this statement appears the least important of all Jesus sayings on the cross.

• It consists of three words in English but only one word in Greek.
• In contrast to My God, My God, it seems less weighted with truth.
• However, we'll discover that this word is as important as the rest of Jesus' words

What truths are discovered in this word from our Lord? Truth #1

I.'I AM THIRSTY' REVEALS THE HUMANITY OF JESUS

1. One of first tools of interpretation that Bible students learn is to look for plain meaning of the text. Don't get fancy. Look for literal meaning of a passage.

• The most literal way to interpret V28 is to see that Jesus was thirsty!
• Not surprising when you consider the last eighteen hrs of his life.
• In the garden he sweats blood. Then he was scourged, crowned and naked. He was certainly dehydrated. He asks for wine! Fever caused parched lips, eyeballs burned in socket, excruciating headaches, swollen tongue,

2. Why does John include this detail? When John wrote this gospel a heresy called Gnosticism invaded church. It taught that the spirit was good, and physical matter was bad.

• Jesus was good not bad, so Jesus was spirit, not flesh. He walked without footprints
• This meant that Jesus sufferings on cross weren't real. He was just acting.
• Jesus' death was faked since a spirit cannot die. This was Gnosticism.

3. Why was this heresy dangerous? Bible prophetically taught that the saviour would be born to the human race Is7,9. Is53, It taught that the saviour would be a lamb!

• For our sins to be forgiven required a perfect, sinless human sacrifice.
• If Jesus was a spirit and not flesh and blood then our sins are un-forgiven.
• And we are still under judgment of God. But the Christ was man, God man and lamb of God

1st truth we discover in Jesus' words 'I am thirsty' is his humanity which was necessary for redemption.

II.'I AM THIRSTY' REVEALS Jesus' SCRIPTURAL FOCUS IN LIFE and DEATH

1. Look carefully at V28. It says that Jesus knowing¡­that the scriptures might be fulfilled said. Bible tells us Jesus' mental focus was upon fulfilment of Scripture.

• John uses two important words in V28; NASB accomplished, bring to close
• To finish by adding last stroke with nothing more to be added.

To say, I thirst, shows that Christ was physical as well as spiritual and it fulfilled the prophecy of Ps69:21 “ and for my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink”. Jesus said this so that this scripture would be fulfilled.

Even in agony, his mind was clear and thinking about the fulfilment of scripture and in that short phrase, “I thirst” He did it knowing that he would be given wine vinegar to drink, and thus the scripture would be fulfilled. This would only have been seen as a sign of his messiah ship later, it would not have occurred to people at the time.

After all his suffering, it is likely that he would be severely dehydrated. So apart from fulfilling the scriptures, this would have been a practical move and it stands as evidence that Christ had a human body. His suffering was real

As and aside, to counteract Gnosticism, John also records that Jesus legs were not broken ( thus fulfilling prophecy and he also records that Jesus body was pierced with a spear producing a flow of blood and water and further more to make sure that this is not here say, John records that he was there. He saw it, and you only get blood and water flowing from a corpse.

IT IS FINISHED

This was a cry of triumph. He had obeyed his heavenly father in all things. He had accomplished his mission.

We saw that the curtain in the temple was torn, and Now Jesus says, “It is finished”. The ceremonial law was now abolished and we have access to the holy of holies. We because Jesus finished the task have access to the father in way that those in the Old Testament did not.

It is finished; the power of sin has been broken. The Lamb of God had been sacrificed and taken away the sin of the world.

It is finished, his suffering was over, the storm was passed and he was entering into the Joy before him.

Just like Luke’s Gospel we are told that he gave up his spirit. It seems to me that they saw something different in the manner Jesus died. He, unlike us, gave up his spirit to death. We are overcome by it.

In fact, it is far more natural for us to cling on to life with every fibre of our being. However that is not what Jesus did. WE are told that he bowed his head. It is as though he said, “It is finished”, then composed himself.

It is finished, the devil was defeated. The cross, the instrument of death has been used to bring about eternal life for those who are saved. ( there is an irony in this)