Notes. John xix. 38—37.
28. — [After tMs.] When our Lord had commended His mother, Marj, to John, I believe that the miraculous darkness for three hours came on. During those three hours I believe our Lord said nothing, except " My God, my Uod, why hast Thou forsak- en Me ? " As the darkness was passing away, He said, " I thirst." This, and the two last sayings, " It is finished," and *' Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit," were all that He said during the last three hours. Thus three of Hi» seven sayings on the cross were before the darkness, and four after it, or during it.
The order of the famous seven sayings was as follows : —
1. " Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do.'*
2. " To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise."
3. " Woman behold thy son. Behold thy mother."
4. " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me."
5. " I thirst."
6. " It is finished."
7. " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
[Jesus knovning... accomplished, etc.] In order to understand this verse aright, there is one point concerning our Lord's death which must be carefully remembered. His death was entirely a voluntary act on His part. In this one respect His death was unlike that of a common man ; and we need not wonder at it when we consider that He was God and man in one Person. The final separation between body and soul, in His case, could not take place until He willed it ; and all the power of Jews and Romans together could not have effected it against His will. We die because we cannot help it ; Christ died because He willed to die, and not until the moment ar- rived when He saw it best. He said Himself, " No man taketh life from Me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." (John x. 18.) As a matter of fact, we know that our Lord was crucified about nine o'clock in the morning, and that He died about three o'clock in the afternoon of the same day. Mere physical suf- fering would not account for this. A person crucified in full health was known sometimes to linger on alive for three days ! It is evident therefore that our Lord willed to give up the ghost in the same day that He was crucified, for some wise rea- son. This reason, we can easily suppose, was to secure the fullest publicity for His atoning death. He died in broad day- light, in the sight of myriads of spectators ; and thus the real- ity of His death could never be denied. This voluntariness and free choice of His death, and of the hour of His death, in my judgment, lie at the bottom of the verse before us..