THE SHOUTS OF JESUS

Part Two

Jesus’ Payment for Sin

 By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

This series called “The Shouts of Jesus” is covering the three specific instances recorded in scripture where Jesus did not just speak words; but shouted them loudly. We will continue to see that in these scriptures each “shout” demonstrates a specific ministry to mankind; His power over death, His payment for our sin and His provision for His Church. While Jesus may have shouted numerous times during his life we only see three instances recorded in scripture that specifically state that He shouted loudly. My focus in this series is to show the significance of each shout expressed by Jesus at the specific time it is spoken and how it relates not only to His earthly ministry, but also the eternal will of God for mankind.

 

We will continue to see that in each passage we study that such “shouts” were demonstrating the power of God and a specific ministry to mankind. Two of these “shouts of Jesus” occur in the past, one of which we covered in John 11. Jesus’ shout at the tomb of Lazarus, “Lazarus Come Forth!” demonstrated Jesus’ power over death and brought glory to not only His Father, but also Himself. In this segment of this series, the second shout of Jesus, we learn that this shout will demonstrate Jesus’ payment for our sins by His death on the cross. The last shout we will cover in the third and final part of this series. This last shout has yet to be heard, for it will be sometime in the future.

 

The series of events that took place before Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross covered a span of between about twelve hours, from the time Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane to His death. During this time He was verbally insulted, abused and interrogated, beaten, scourged, denied food and drink, had iron spikes driven through his ankles and wrists and finally a spear pierced his body cavity.

 

While on the cross Jesus spoke seven times.

 

First, He prayed aloud a prayer for those who were crucifying Him.

 

Secondly, He assured the repentant thief on the cross he would be with Him in paradise.

 

Thirdly, He shouted a loud cry of woe asking why His Heavenly Father had forsaken Him.

 

Fourthly, He spoke lovingly to His mother Mary and instructed John the Apostle to care for her.

 

Fifthly, He said He was thirsty.

 

Sixthly, He stated that His ministry of sacrifice for the sins of the world was completed.

 

Seventhly, He gave up His spirit to His Heavenly Father.

 

I will cover each of these spoken phrases, but will spend more time on those words spoken loudly in His shouts, for they emphasize in great detail significant truth important to us as followers of Christ.

 

I will attempt to cover the words Jesus spoke on the cross in the specific order that they were said to help you understand the progression of what took place. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John share numerous details about the crucifixion and the sequence of events. But to fully understand what happens and in what order you must read each account and understand that the only disciple present was John. Matthew, Mark and Luke wrote their accounts as they learned what took place from those who were present which included John, but also other eye witnesses such as Mary Jesus’ mother and other friends, relatives and followers of Christ. What follows is a compilation of the sequences of words spoken by Jesus during the crucifixion and what was taking place when He spoke these words. My focus will be on what He spoke while being crucified and the purpose for saying or shouting such words.

 

Luke 23:33-36

“33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”

 

First, we discover in Luke 23:33-36 Jesus’ first spoken words recorded by Luke. The scene is of two criminals and Jesus being crucified on crosses at a place called “The Skull (Golgotha).” The exact site of where the crucifixion occurred is not known for sure. To be honest, the location is not important. What is important is what took place, the death of Christ for the sins of all mankind. After all the torture Jesus had been through at His trials, carrying the crossbeam (patibulum) to Golgotha, hearing the shouts of ridicule, taunting and condemnation, as well as enduring the pain of the crucifixion process, He prays for all those people present and says, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” His love, compassion and forgiveness for others, is a godly example for us. In our own daily living we experience persecution and unfair actions expressed against us at times. Sometimes we are physically or verbally abused. At times we can experience trauma by the hands of those who dislike or hate us. Jesus’ example can give us the fortitude to forgive and love as He loved. This does not mean we are to be doormats for abuse, but it does mean we are to seek to respond in love whenever possible.

 

Luke 23:39-43

“39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

 

Luke tells us of the second statement Jesus spoke on the cross. Jesus was crucified between two criminals. One of these men hurled abuse at Him. These words were taunting words of disbelief and mockery. “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” The other criminal recognized the innocence of Christ and the unjustness of His punishment. He criticized the other criminal for his verbal abuse. “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” These two criminals illustrate the two types of responses to the ministry and message of Jesus. Some responded with skepticism, disbelief and ridicule. Others responded with repentance, submission and respect. The second criminal asks Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” In some way, God has spoken to the heart of this criminal. Possibly he had heard Jesus speak in the past or heard a message of truth spoken by an Apostle or follower of Jesus. This perceptive criminal recognizes Jesus for who He was, the Son of God, Savior of the World, the Living Word. Jesus responds to His cry for mercy, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” We see here the simplicity of the Gospel. You do not earn your salvation by works. You are given the gift of salvation by simply trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Jesus perceived the repentant heart of this criminal and granted him forgiveness. If the criminal had survived his crucifixion, Jesus would have expected to see him living the life of a Christian, but there was no chance for this to take place. The mercy of Christ is specifically appropriate for each person whatever state or circumstance they are experiencing in life. Jesus Christ is always willing at any time in a person’s life to response with forgiveness if they are willing to repent of their sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior of their life.

 

The crucifixion gives us another glimpse of the dual nature of Jesus, the deity and humanity which are both manifest in Jesus. Here on the cross Jesus grants the penitent thief salvation which only God can do and later we see Jesus state, “I thirst” which illustrates His humanity.

 

Next we come to Jesus’ cry of abandonment as He senses His Father having to turn away from His Son because of the sin that He is taking upon Himself (Isaiah 53:6), the sin of the entire human race; past, present and future. When we attempt to grasp the immensity of the sin that Jesus took upon Himself it is impossible for us to do so. Consider the extent of the sin of horrendous murder committed by various evil dictators:

 

20 million killed in the Soviet Union by Stalin

6 million Jews during WWII by Hitler

3 million killed in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge

40 million killed by Mao Zedong in China

            …to list only a few

 

Then consider the plethora of sin world which is involved in crime, abuse, murder, human trafficking, pornography and adultery. Then consider all of these sins piled up from the entire history of the world.

 

Then remember what we might erroneously call “tiny or small” sins that all of us commit such as; envy, anger, jealousy, envy, rudeness, lust, etc. Some of these we take action on others remain in our thoughts, but they are sin none the less.

 

Also remember that Jesus’ didn’t just die for the sins that took place before His crucifixion. He died for all sins that had taken place and would in the future by the entire human race! The height, depth and width of these sins are unimaginable. W. Herschel Ford describes Jesus’ experience of taking on the sin of the world by stating,

 

“Jesus abhorred sin, He loathed sin, His holy soul shrank from it. But on the Cross all our sins were laid upon Him and sin coiled itself about Him like a poisonous serpent. And He willingly endured it all. Why? Because He loved us…Is there anyone in this world who would drink a cup of poison to save you? Jesus did. Is there anyone who would take a rattlesnake into his bosom to save you? Jesus did. Is there anyone in the prime of life who would turn his back upon everything and die to save you? Jesus did.”

 

Jesus took upon Himself the sin of the world so that men and women who repented of their sin and accepted Christ’s sacrifice on the cross could have fellowship with God.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

 

Sin is so repugnant to God He is not able to associate with it in any form. His holiness and purity is so perfect that He cannot look upon ungodly acts of men and women (Habakkuk 1:13). We cannot fully comprehend this purity and holiness of God. The sin Jesus took upon Himself and the judgment He experienced was horrible torture for Christ to experience. It caused a breach in His relationship with His Heavenly Father. We should understand that when Christ experienced being forsaken by His Father, He did not shout “at” God, but “TO” God. Charles Spurgeon compares it to “a child crying in a dark closet for His Father…It is a cry of FAITH!” Christ for the first time experienced separation from His Father and shouted to God as an expression of His loss of that most intimate relationship. It is possible as Jesus experienced this separation from His Father He is also sensed the spiritual torment of those people who have no fellowship with God or of those who have fallen out of fellowship with Him.

 

Matthew 27:45-47, Mark 15:33-39

“45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

 

Here Jesus is quoting Psalms 22, written by David in time of distress. We see here the deep meaning scripture had to Jesus. Jesus often quoted the Old Testament in His teaching and here He quotes it at His crucifixion. Psalms 22 was written by King David as a result of his own time of struggle, but it also prophetically illustrates the separation of Jesus from His Heavenly Father. In spite of all the sufferings and torment that Jesus experienced on the cross, Jesus never wavered in His faith. These words of anguish He shouted, “My God, My God,” reflect that God was still His loving Heavenly Father whom He loved. Jesus knew why His Father had forsaken Him, He simply expressed His reaction to the loss of their close fellowship.

 

Many times Jesus had said that God was always with Him, now God had withdrawn His presence from Him. God has turned away from Jesus because of mankind’s sin that was being placed upon His Son in order for payment for the sin to be accomplished. Jesus has no doubt about the love His Heavenly Father has for Him. But, He is expressing the absence of His Father’s presence because of the sin He is taking upon Himself. There are times that we fail to sense God’s presence. Sometimes this is because we have failed to remain in communication with the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It is also true that struggles and hardships at can cause us to focus on our difficulties and struggles rather than on our relationship with our Heavenly Father as well. There are still other times when we have sinned and have not repented and asked forgiveness. This causes a breach in our relationship with God. In such times, we must confess our sin so fellowship with God can be reestablished (1 John 1:9). But Jesus had committed no sin and was willing bearing our sin to make it possible for us to be able to fellowship with God. Jesus does not give up in His torment on the cross. Jesus continues to hold onto His deep implicit faith in God. Jesus’ faith stood the test. What a love offering for us who do not deserve such mercy and grace. God’s love is amazing and Jesus’ sacrifice is overwhelming!

 

In Matthew and Mark we see in the sixth hour darkness falls upon the land. This darkness is an unnatural event. It is not the evening hour, nor is it an eclipse. Astronomers find no evidence for an eclipse taking place at this time in history. This is a miraculous event caused by God to signify His only Son Jesus taking upon Himself the sin of the entire human race. The sin involved is the sin of people who have died in the past, those currently living and for all those individuals who would yet be born.

 

For three hours Christ experiences the withdrawing of His Father from Him. It is impossible for our hearts and minds to grasp the immensity of the sin that Jesus took upon Himself. This was God in the flesh enduring punishment for the sins of the world. While we know of Jesus as the baby born in a manger, this was not His true beginning. In actuality, Jesus had no beginning for He is a member of the Triune God we worship. God the Father, Son and Spirit have always existed, even before the existence of the Universe which they created. God the Father, Son and Spirit have always been in complete and absolute fellowship with one another, except during the crucifixion.

 

It is a fact that the depth of pain we experience in life from the loss of a friend or family member is directly related to the intimacy we have had with them in a relationship. The deeper the intimacy, the deeper the pain when we suffer the loss of that relationship. That is why we grieve so deeply over the loss of a spouse, a child, a close friend. That is why when Jesus experienced the loss of intimacy with the Father on the cross He grieved so immensely. It was the loss of fellowship with His Heavenly Father that He had experienced for eternity past.

 

Scripture does not describe the response of God the Father on having to turn away from fellowship with His Son. It must have grieved Him deeply. While we don’t know what emotions God had to endure, we must believe it was as intense and personally heart-breaking as it was for Jesus. God the Father was pleased with what His Son had to do to save us from our sins, but He could not look upon the sin Jesus bore. We must remember that God the Father and God the Son took this action because of their love for men and women like you and I. The turning of the Father from fellowship with His holy, pure Son was a unique and horrible experience for both Father and Son. The crucifixion of Jesus was the only adequate payment for the sin of the world that could be made, for “none are righteous, no not one.” (Romans 3:10, Psalms 14:1-3, 53:1-3) No words can adequately describe what Jesus went through on the cross. We cannot comprehend the deep separation Jesus felt as He took on the judgment for the sins of the entire world, past, present and future. While Jesus’ sacrifice is adequate to save all of mankind; it is only effective to do so if each person accepts the sacrifice He made.

 

When my daughter Annie was almost two-years-old she came down with the flu. As parents we became very concerned with her condition and called the doctor. He told us that watch her closely and if she cried and there were no tears she was becoming dehydrated and would need medical attention. We grieved over her pain and torment with this illness and watched closely. Sure enough, after hours of dealing with horrible symptoms we noticed she no longer had tears when she cried. We took her to emergency and they attempted four times to get an IV in her to hydrate her. Each tiny wrist and each small ankle were poked with an IV needle to establish an entry point for fluids to be administered. But her blood vessels were so shrunken due to dehydration the nurses were unable to start an IV and proceed with care. She was crying loudly and distraught. We were fearful as parents; for what else could be done? Finally she was taken from us to ICU for a special nurse to attempt one more time. I will never forget the screams of her as she was taken away from us, helpless loving parents. For parents to be separated from their child in such a situation is unbearable; full of grief, concern and pain. I am sure God the Father felt such pain during the crucifixion for He is a loving God. He loved His Son, but He loved us so much He gave His Son to die on a cross for our sins.

 

Our daughter was treated by the ICU nurse who was able to establish an IV. Annie recovered fully and we were pleased beyond measure with the outcome. Annie had to endure pain and suffering in order to live. Jesus Christ had to endure unfathomable amounts of pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual in order for us to live by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. Before we accept Christ as Savior we are under a death sentence. We have no relationship with God. Jesus’ sacrifice made it possible for us to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. All we have to do is accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Once this commitment is made we are forgiven of our sins and sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to us as an encourager, teacher and One who convicts us of future sins we commit. Though all our sins are forgiven as a follower of Christ upon conversion, we must continue to confess any sins we commit to remain in fellowship with God.

 

We must also remember that while the death of Christ on the cross was horrible, His rising from the grave was glorious. Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection would bring salvation to as many as would accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Jesus’ experience on the cross, of having fellowship with His Father in Heaven removed from Him and enduring the penalty for the sins of the world demonstrates not only Jesus Christ’s love for us but also the love the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit have for us as well.

 

The next words spoken by Jesus are to His mother and John the Apostle.

 

John 19:25-27

“25 But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.”

 

Several followers of Christ witness His crucifixion; which include Mary His mother and John the Apostle. It must have been horrible for Mary the mother of Jesus to witness the death of her son in this way. Jesus, possibly in a deep and loving manner addresses Mary, “Woman, behold, your son!” Concerned for her well being, Jesus then says to John; “Behold, your mother!” In essence, Jesus is asking John to care for His mother, by accepting her as he would his own mother. Thus Jesus is both honoring the woman who bore Him and the apostle He loved so deeply, by asking him to take care of His mother. Unfortunately John is the only Apostle who witnesses the crucifixion. All the others have run for the hills. It is commendable and responsible for Jesus to take care of His mother, Mary. While Jesus was on a divine mission to die for the sins of the world, He also made sure He took care of His earthly responsibilities by making sure His mother was under someone’s care. We need to remember this as we serve God. We mustn’t forget to take care of earthly responsibilities, especially for friends and loved ones, while we are also serving God at church, in ministries and Christian causes. This also applies to our work, be it at home or in the world. We are called to be Christ-like in all areas of our lives, not just in the spiritual ministries to which we are called. We honor and obey God, walk as Jesus walked and are obedient to the Holy Spirit; when we work at jobs, complete our household chores, fulfill being role models at home for our children and treat others with love and respect.

 

Next, John records the last few words before Jesus shouts again.

 

John 19:28-30

“28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”

 

Jesus at this point is nearing His death and the end of His life on earth. He is completely exhausted physically and has endured separation from His Father. He has experienced the wrath of God for the sins of the world. He is preparing to give up His spirit and die. He states He is thirsty and some people give him sour wine to drink from a sponge that is attached to a branch of hyssop. While the hyssop plant has branches, they are usually no higher than three feet and not overly sturdy. It is possible that the branches of hyssop was attached to the end of a strong stick and the sponge of sour wine was laid upon the hyssop branches. This stick with hyssop may actually have been a broom, for in the area at this time such hyssop brooms were being used. Jesus receives the sour wine and as a prelude to His final shout states that His sacrifice for the sins of the world. He says, “It is finished!”

 

Both Mark and Luke record the next shout of Jesus which is a victory cry triumph as He completes His ministry of dying for the sins of the world. These will be the last words He speaks on the cross. Jesus is still vibrant in spiritual strength. Note that He willingly gave up His spirit into the hands of His Father. His life was not taken from Him, He gave it up of His own free will. He had endured scorn and ridicule, beating and scourging as well as the horrors of the cruelest torture known to man, crucifixion; but He chose to give up His life by His own free will.

 

Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46

46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

 

Here again Jesus quotes scripture from Psalm 31:5. At this moment several remarkable events take place that further verify the power of God, the power of Jesus Christ and the hope we have to live eternally in heaven.

 

Matthew 27:51-54, Mark 15:38

 

First, the veil of the temple which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple is torn in two. This event marked the removal of limited access to God.

 

“51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.”

 

The veil in the temple divided the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. No one else was permitted because of the holiness of God. The historian Josephus reported that the veil in the temple was 4 inches thick and was replaced every year. He also states that horses tied to each side could not pull it apart. The symbolic event of the temple veil being torn in two at the crucifixion of Jesus symbolizes that now God is now accessible through His Son Jesus Christ. Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord is able to come into the presence of God through prayer.

 

Now, by the death of Christ, anyone could come before God and ask forgiveness of their sins, fellowship with God and seek power to live the Christian life through the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives within them. Jesus being the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world, made it possible for anyone to be forgiven of their sins. All that needed to be done was for a person to repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

Yet another miraculous event took place at the death of Jesus. The tombs of many followers of Christ who had died recently were opened and they were resurrected from the graves. They came out of their tombs to come back to their families and testify to people of the miraculous saving power of Jesus Christ.

 

“52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.”

 

This is a foretaste of what will take place on the Day of Christ spoken of in the Bible when Christ returns to gather His Church to Himself. The dead in Christ will rise first, their bodies being changed into glorified bodies and reunited with their spirits, which had ascended to Heaven at the time of their death to be with Jesus Christ.

 

We are given another account of a witness of this event in verse 54 and in Luke 23:47. A centurion makes two comments as recorded in scripture.

 

“54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

 

This expertly trained and battle hardened man of high rank recognizes that Jesus was no ordinary man. He was convicted by what he had seen and admits that Jesus must have truly and absolutely been the Son of God. This centurion had very likely witnessed numerous deaths in battle; so many, that he was calloused to the scene of torture and death. But there was something different about Jesus. How Jesus remained Himself all through the process of crucifixion, a witness to the love of God, the power of God and the awesomeness of God convicted the centurion to make this statement. But in Luke the centurion makes another statement.

 

Luke 23:47

“47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”

 

Here we see the centurion praising God and proclaiming that Jesus had been pure, holy and innocent of any blame. For a centurion to be praising God and Jesus in this manner very likely means that He had possibly come to faith by witnessing Jesus death.

 

What is your response to the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross? Have you grasped its eternal significance? If you are reading this as a follower of Christ I hope it challenges you to make a difference in the lives of others by sharing the Gospel with them. While Jesus’ death on the cross is adequate to save the entire world, it is only effective to save those who repent and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. Jesus as Savior means you accept the sacrifice He gave of Himself on the cross to die for your sins. He died in your place, so you would not have to experience the wrath of God and have the punishment of eternal death in Hell. Yes, eternal death in Hell. Those who fail to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will not simply cease to exist upon their death; they will live eternally in Hell experiencing eternal torment for their sins and their failure to accept Christ as their payment for their sins. Accepting Jesus as Lord means you seek to live by the Holy Scriptures, allowing the Holy Spirit, who is given to you upon your conversion, to mold you into a holy and pure person. You seek to walk as Jesus walked in your thoughts, deeds, actions and feelings. You obey the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, for His ministry is to bring glory to Jesus, by instructing and convicting you to live like Jesus.