The Seven Last Words of Christ: Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
by Daniel Burton
I like to believe that everyone held out hope until the very end. Surely, this was not how the Savior would die. This was not the death befitting a King, let alone the Savior of mankind. Had Jesus’ mission failed? Was this a sign that the reasons Christ came had not been accomplished? For us today, we are able to review scripture and see that the death of Jesus Christ did not indicate that the mission had failed but rather that the consequences of our sins had been fulfilled. Christ died a grueling death, arduous and straining for His last breaths until the end. This was the moment, the crescendo of all human history coming to an apex here. The world would be forever changed by the events of today and the spiritual fates of mankind would awaken to the fullness of a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Yet, in this moment, there was the pain of the people standing by watching friend, son, teacher, and prophet’s life come to a brutal close. Even worse, Jesus died on the cross, a sinners death, trusting in the fullness of God.
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
For a moment, go back to the previous night. Jesus sat alone praying in the Garden of Gethsemane knowing full well what would occur through the night and into the morning. During that moment, he prayed “‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42, NIV). Jesus desired that there be another way to achieve the mission of saving humanity and restoring the fabric of creation to its rightful standing. But he also knew that no other way existed. Thus, he trusted His Father, equal with God and different in person. Then, at the end, He placed His life in the hands of His Heavenly Father. The fullness of God handed Himself over to the fullness of God, all for the sake of law breakers, the unrighteous, and sinners.
No Better Hands
For all the pain and the anguish that Christ felt, He understood that this was the plan to save mankind. The punishment of sin required that blood be spilt and death should occur. Jesus would be the sacrificial lamb that would take the place for our sins. This act would require complete trust in the Father. They were all there in the beginning; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son and spoke through His word. The Son, expressing Himself through the Spirit crafted creation out of nothing into the glorious creation that we have today. Now, Jesus hangs on the cross, trusting fully the sovereignty of the Father to work all things for good. No other hands existed that Jesus would entrust Himself to as no other hands had the fullness of power and glory that could only come from God.
Sin must be punishmed, but the hands of God do not point sternly but lay open for people to return. There are no better hands to run to than the hands of God. Click To TweetJesus’ gave His life over to the hands of the Father. The punishment of sin is not an act that devil is given permission to carry out. In His rebellion, the devil was stripped of all rights and privileges. Instead, the punishment of sin is carried out by God. Jesus understood this position fully and entrusted Himself to the hands of God the Father. Ultimately, The Father does not desire to punish all of mankind but instead to redeem and save them. Sin must be punished, but the hands of God do not point sternly but lay open for people to return. There are not better hands to run to than the hands of God. It was to these same hands that Jesus delivered Himself to, for our benefit.
Our Lives Handed Over
Jesus lived and died fully perfect and righteous in everything He did and His very being. We, though, remain different from Christ in that respect. Jesus cleansed us to be Holy and Righteous but we did not start there. Our hearts craved rebellion against God and the desires of the flesh. The very things we long for are the things that Jesus Christ died on the cross to redeem us from. Christ presented a unique opportunity to mankind that requires us to hand our lives over to the hands of God.
By the driving of nails into the hands of God, the chasm between God and man lifted opening a path to return home to our Heavenly Father. Click To TweetIn order to live, we cannot be the ones holding our lives. We have tried that in the past and only pounded the wedge between God and man further. By the driving of nails into the hands of God, the chasm between God and man lifted opening a path to return home to our Heavenly Father. We have been given the ability to approach God. All that remains is to leave our old life behind. Our wants and our desires must give way to the new work that Christ is worked on our behalf. Our sins and flesh no longer bind us and restrain us. As we hand our lives over to the hands that created the universe, we can rest in knowing that our lives have been placed in the hands of a fully capable and omnipotent God. He alone is able to guide us and care for us. Despite our past of treason, God’s love still pours out on us and He welcomes us into the protection of His unyielding hands.
For more in this series, check out Seven Last Words of Christ.
