I Thirst         John 19:28-30

After this, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, I thirst. (John 19:28)

In the world history, the most cruel and terrifying punishment was the punishment of the cross. The criminal would be brought to the cross site, where he would be stripped naked, laid to the ground with his body on top of the cross. His hands would be stretched and nailed to the horizontal cross block. Then that horizontal block would be united with the vertical pole that have been raised on the ground. Then the criminal's feet would be tied or nailed to the cross. Behind his body, near the sitting place, a wooden stake was placed to help supporting the weight of the criminal. Under the heat of the desert sun in Middle East on the day, and the cold dry air on the night, the criminal was left to die in suffering because of dehydration dan hunger.

In normal conditions, 70% of an adult's body comprises of water, and it needs 6 to 8 cups of water each day. Even if we do not eat, we can survive for a few weeks, but if we do not drink, we can only survive for a few days. The Scripture recorded that Jesus held on for 6 hours on the Cross before He died (Mark 15:25,34). Near His death, Jesus shouted, "I thirst". An extraordinary thirst because of dehydration in Jesus' body was not caused only by His being put on the Cross, but it started when He was whipped and crowned by the crown of thorns. His blood and sweat have started to drain by then. In that kind of condition, He was pushed to lift His Cross to the Calvary, then we can understand why Jesus was not able to lift His Cross and He had to be replaced by Simon of Cyrene.

"I thirst", were not just plain words shouted by a man, but a cry from the Son of God in the brink of his sufferings as a whole man. God's love for mankind left Him in that kind of suffering so that we would be freed from the pain of Hell. When we remember His sacrifices, do the words "I thirst" ring in our ears, our minds and our hearts?


••• Friday, April 09, 2004 •••