THE FIFTH “WORDS FROM THE CROSS”

Both Mark and John recorded the account of Jesus’ next succinct cry from the cross, as well as the response of a by-stander.  Immediately after Jesus’ cry, “Eloi, Eloi…My God, why?”, Mark, in the earliest Gospel, related:

“When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, He’s calling Elijah.’  One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.  ‘Now leave Him alone.  Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down,’ he said.” (Mark 15:35-36)

Then, John’s parallel account:

“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus lips.  When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’”  (John 19:28-30)

Although no time period was mentioned except the word “Later…”, we can assume that it meant after the three hours of darkness.  And, in spite of the incredible physical and spiritual pain Christ had endured up to this point, we know from these fifth words that He was fully conscious and cognitive of everything that was happening to Him. John specifically emphasized that Jesus knew that “…all was now completed” and that Jesus wanted to make sure “…the Scripture would be fulfilled”.  It was His resolve to fulfill to the letter the prophecies about how the Messiah would die.

It is important to note that this was the first time that Jesus had asked anything for Himself.  Thus far, throughout His arrest, His trial, His beatings and His crucifixion, He had not uttered a word for Himself.  Every word had been to others and for others.  He said, “I am thirsty”, but He did not say it until “all was completed”.  The work of redemption was done…completed… finished.  Now that His work for us was done, He could give brief attention to His own great physical need.

There were two very specific prophecies that Jesus was fulfilling in this request, found in Psalm 42 and Psalm 63. 

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’”  (Psalm 42:1-3)

“O God, you are My God, earnestly I seek You; My soul thirsts for You, My body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  (Psalm 63:1)

Certainly there was an incredible and incomprehensible paradox in this request.  How can the One who was (and is) the very “water of life” (John 4:14; 7:38-39) cry out, “I am thirsty”?  Here was/is the One, who is God’s own spiritual Water for thirsty humanity, literally dying of thirst.  He, who had become God’s water of life to the multitudes, was now asking others for something to quench His dying thirst.  We just have to bow in reverential silence before this great spiritual mystery.

The very fact that Jesus was given sour wine to drink was another fulfillment of prophecy.  Psalm 69:21 specifically foretold, “They put gall in My food and gave Me vinegar for My thirst.”  This was just one more incredible proof for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures and proof of Christ’s deity.  There would have been absolutely no way Jesus could have orchestrated the fulfillment of this Scripture while impaled on a cross.  But, as John had said, this small detail took place, “…so that Scripture would be fulfilled”.

Finally, it is important to note that this last drink offered to Jesus was done with a soggy sponge “…on a stalk of hyssop plant.”  You may wonder why this is significant.  Just this.  If you go back and re-read the Exodus story, you will see a very interesting detail about the “hyssop plant”.  God specifically told the people through Moses:

“Go at once and slaughter the Passover lamb.  Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe.  Not one of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.  When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.”  (Exodus 12:21-23)


Was the use of this “hyssop plant” just a capricious fiat of fate?  Hardly.  I believe it was yet another very clear revelation that Jesus was indeed God’s perfect Passover Lamb, who was being slain for the salvation of the world!  It was now His sinless blood that was going to be applied to our lives to the degree that we would not come under God’s judgment – just like the ancient Israelites.  Because of His blood poured out on the cross, we too experience God’s protection.  We too are passed over by God’s judgment because we have “…crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).  As the Apostle Paul proclaimed, “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).  And the “hyssop plant” is proof!

As we conclude these fifth words from the cross, let’s remember that this was not a god or demi-god dying, untouched by the human condition.  No, this was perfect humanity dying in thirst – just like millions of others who have died of thirst.  In some mysterious way, every child, young person and adult who cries out in times of personal drought, whether physically or spiritually, echos Christ’s cry from the cross!  And best of all, He understands their thirst!  Their thirst, their dry mouth, their parched lips, their need to drink.  Once again, no one can ever say to Christ, “But you don’t know what I’m going through.”  Let me assure you, He knows.