I Thirst: John 19:28-29

Of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross, many have viewed this as the least of them. When one takes a closer look, just the opposite is true.

The crucifixion of our Lord, was not the agony and death of a mere man, it was a supernatural event. Our Saviors "thirst" was much more than physical. Three things point to this.

Firstly: this is the only utterance on the cross that references Christ's physical suffering or discomfort. The physical suffering was not the major way in which he suffered. We tend to focus on the physical.

Suffering the divine wrath of God was the real issue. As men, we can never really comprehend this concept of the wrath of God, let alone it's outpouring on God's son, our Lord. This shows us something of the dignity and composure of our Lord, even on the cross. His only personal reference was, "I thirst".

Secondly: this was more than a natural thirst. You remember that there were 3 hours of daylight suffering followed by 3 hours of darkness. Many looked on at his physical sufferings and were moved by them. It's during the 3 hours of darkness that our Lord absorbs the full wrath of God for our sins.

Now he is not suffering at the hand of men, but at the hand of his Father. God rightly hid this from the face of men. They would not have been able to bear it. Here, in the darkness, was this amazing display, not apprehendable to man. Here in the darkness was God's righteousness, his hatred of sin, his holiness, poured out in wrath upon our substitute. Here was laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

How did all this make him thirsty? Matthew 27:48 reveals that after 3 hours of darkness, He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." It was at this time, after he had suffered the wrath of God, Matthew notes that someone put vinegar on a sponge and put it on a reed to give it to Christ to drink.

It was after suffering the wrath of the Father, the withdrawing of his "presence", that he says, "I thirst". John leaves this detail out of his account. His thirst was the agony of soul in the midst of God’s wrath. He may have had a physical thirst, but this was his real thirst: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God". "As the hart pants for the water brook, so my soul pants after You… my heart and my flesh cry out for you." His thirst was his suffering the withdrawal of his Father's felt presence.

Lastly, it was the fulfillment of prophecy. Here, in the midst of abandonment and unimaginable wrath, our Lord is careful to obey the will of His Father. This shows us that he was not simply asking for a drink, but in doing so, was zealous to do the Father's good pleasure. It was in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. He was completely conscious and rational and was still thinking about his Father's will.

Here was no victim; he died a conqueror, a finisher, a completer. Your salvation and mine is a perfect work in Christ Jesus. Do you thirst? Come to Him and receive him, He will receive you, if you truly thirst.

by John Roberts