The gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion record seven things that he said whilst hanging on the cross. The fifth is found in John 19:28 where we read that Jesus said, ‘I thirst.’
Now there may be some who might be tempted to say, ‘So what?’ in response to being told how Jesus expressed that he was thirsty during his crucifixion. After all, surely it is only to be expected that Jesus would want a drink after having hung on a cross for almost six hours. Even so, these words of Jesus are worth a closer look – and not only because his experiencing thirst was predicted in ancient psalms written almost a thousand years earlier – both in Psalm 22, that we considered yesterday, and in Psalm 69, where it is further prophesied that he would be given ‘sour wine’ to drink, something that we read was fulfilled in John 19:30.
Something else that we need to recognise from the fact that Jesus was thirsty is just how human he was. There is an earthliness to Jesus’ tongue sticking to the sides of his mouth because of how dehydrated he was [Psalm 22:15], and it reminds us that, as well as being 100% God, Jesus was also 100% man. Which, though impossible for us to fully comprehend, is nonetheless important, because it was only as a consequence of him being fully human that Jesus was able to be a suitable sacrifice for sinful men and women – those who, though made in the image of God, were no longer able to fully reflect his perfect holiness as a result of their rebellion against him,
And so it was that ‘though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.’ [Philippians 2:6-8]
But there is more to be appreciated from Jesus’ words than the fact that they both fulfil prophecy and point to his paradoxically being both fully human and fully divine. Because the scriptures frequently describe how Jesus gives up things that we require, things that, because of his sacrifice, are subsequently made available to us. And so, just as we are told that he became sin so that we might become righteous [2 Corinthians 5:12], that he suffered so that we might escape judgement, [Isaiah 53:5], and that he died so that we might have eternal life [John 3:16], so too are we told that by his becoming thirsty we are invited to drink.
It is not, however, sour wine that we are offered. On the contrary we are invited to drink the ‘living water’ that is so satisfying that those who drink it, Jesus said, would never go thirsty again. [John 4:13]
Now, if you are wondering where to find this liquid refreshment, you will be interested to hear the answer Jesus gave to a Samaritan woman who asked the self-same question. Jesus said to her that, if we thirst, we should go to him and drink [John 7:37], and that having drunk the living water that only he can provide, it will become in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life. [John 4:14].
After Jesus had died, but whilst he was still hanging on the cross, John records how, in order to confirm that he really was dead, a soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear ‘and at once there came out blood and water’ [John 19:34]. The blood was the blood that he shed for the forgiveness of our sins, and the water is a reminder of the eternal life that only his death can bring about.
So then, let Jesus’ thirst be the means by which you yourself are refreshed. Let his death be the means by which you live. Draw near to him in faith – believing what he says is true and recognising all that he achieved for you on the cross. Receive his forgiveness for all that is in your past, trust him to sustain you in all that troubles you today, and hope in all that he has promised for your future. Come if you are thirsty, come to the living water that only Jesus can give you.
Drink you fill – and let your soul live.
Related blogs:
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 4 – ‘My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?’, click here.
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 3 – ‘Mother, behold your son! Behold your Mother!’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 2 – ‘Tomorrow, you will be with me in paradise’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 1 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’, click here.
To read ‘What becomes of the broken hearted – sorrowful yet always rejoicing on Palm Sunday’, click here
Some musings 