Last words

Last words

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” – Luke 23:34

John 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished!”

Luke 23:46 Jesus shouted, “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit!” And having said this, he breathed his last.

In the profound moments of approaching life’s end, people’s last words often resonate with deep emotional significance. These expressions reveal core human desires and needs that transcend time and circumstance, capturing the essence of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and the need for emotional closure.

People who know they’re dying often express some variation of one of those four themes – indicating that they waited until it was late to show their appreciation for others or right their interpersonal wrongs (Siddhartha Mukherjee, Oncologist). The four most common phrases uttered on their deathbeds are:

I want to tell you that I love you.

I want to tell you that I forgive you.

Would you tell me that you love me?

Would you give me your forgiveness?

What is the significance of these phrases?

“I want to tell you that I love you” is a phrase that shows the basic human need to express love. As life comes to an end, the need to communicate affection becomes very important.

“I want to tell you that I forgive you” reflects the human desire for peace and resolution. Forgiveness is a powerful tool that frees both the giver and the receiver from the burdens of past grievances. When someone forgives in their final words, it shows an act of release and reconciliation, opening the way for emotional healing.

“Would you tell me that you love me?” shows a deep desire for affirmation and reassurance. In someone’s final moments, seeking love from others is a profound way of seeking validation and connection. This question reveals vulnerability and the basic human need for acceptance and belonging.

“Would you give me your forgiveness?” is a request for redemption and reconciliation. It acknowledges past wrongs and seeks to mend broken relationships. This request emphasizes the importance of closure and the desire to make amends before departing.

They are a testament to the enduring nature of human relationships and the timeless quest for inner peace and connection at life’s end. Mukherjee explained, “They indicate that they harbored grudges, lived with unresolved guilt, or spent years being too afraid to be vulnerable.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Psalms 32:1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered!

Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die for me and provide redemption. Thank You for adopting me into Your Forever Family, showering me with love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

INSIGHT

The last words of the Lord Jesus Christ were quite different from those of fallen people facing the end of their lives. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to die for the sins of the world in order that we may be forgiven. The Lord Jesus Christ did not require anyone to forgive Him because He had sinned against no one. His forgiveness of others transcended mere one-on-one interactions. The forgiveness he offered was total and complete for all who accept

He was concerned that the Father in heaven would forgive people. He was totally selfless, altruistic, and other-centered.

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

This plea for forgiveness demonstrates the grace, compassion, and mercy He offered all people, even those who were crucifying Him. It highlights His mission to provide forgiveness and reconciliation. He did not need to be forgiven because He was without sin.

Luke 23:46 Jesus shouted, “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit!” And having said this, he breathed his last.

The very last words of Christ express trust and surrender and convey His unique and eternal oneness with the Father. It reflects His obedience and willingness to lay down His life, entrusting His spirit to God the Father.

John 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished!”

He completed all the work that God had sent Him to do, including bearing the penalty for sins. Jesus proclaims that all the work the Father had sent him to accomplish is now completed, particularly His work of bearing the penalty for sins. This means there is no more penalty left to be paid for sins. His mission is finished, and sins have been paid for in full.

In 33 AD, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, every sin we would commit had not yet occurred because we would not be born for more than 1900 years. In a fantastic transaction conceived and engineered by the Father, all sins, past and future, were grouped into comprehensive lists. Paul refers to it as a certificate of debt. Jesus paid for all of our sins before we even committed them, once and for all.

Colossians 2:13-14

 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

 14 by canceling the certificate of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

The Greek word translated as the certificate of debt or record of debt is cheirographon, which literally means “made with hands.” It comes from cheir, meaning hand, and poieo, meaning to make. It refers to a handwritten record of debt, a record of indebtedness. Paul uses this term to describe God’s record of charges for breaking His law. In our culture, we would call it the list of charges against us. Each of us has our own list. The Lord Jesus Christ took each of our lists and nailed them all to the cross. When He died, He announced for all time tetelestai, which means “It is finished” or “Paid in full.”

Each child of the King had their entire debt paid in full once and for all.

The last words of the Lord Jesus Christ were uttered on behalf of all humanity. When Christ died, all of our sins were paid for once and for all on the cross. He established a personal account in our names full of forgiveness.

The moment we accept Christ, all of our sins are forgiven. As we go through life, we make withdrawals when we confess.

We actualize the forgiveness in time-space, which is already ours in eternity.

We don’t need to work on being forgiven because Jesus paid the price for all mankind’s sins on the cross. We simply accept His forgiveness (Harry Brewer). 

John 3:16-18

 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

“He died upon a cross of wood, yet made the hill on which it stood” (Frederick William Pitt ).

When your expiration date comes, and it is time to go to the Father, what do you suppose your last words will be?

The Maker of the Universe

Poem by Frederick William Pitt (1859-1943)

The maker of the universe, as man for man, was made a curse:

The claims of laws which He had made, unto the uttermost He paid.

His holy fingers made the bough which grew the thorns that crowned His brow:

The nails that pierced His feet were mined in secret places He designed.

He made the forests where there sprung, the tree on which His body hung:

He died upon a cross of wood, yet made the hill on which it stood.

The sky that darkened o’er His head, by Him above the earth was spread:

The sun that hid from Him his face, by His decree was poised in space.

The spear revealing precious blood was tempered in the fires of God:

The grave in which His form was laid, was hewn in rock which He had made.

The throne on which He now appears was His from everlasting years:

But a new glory crowns His brow, and every knee to Him must bow.

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© Dr. H 2024