The Seven Words of Christ from the Cross

No words have ever been more important than the seven words of Jesus on the cross.
They are held together by the central word, the fourth, "My God, why have you abandoned me" (Mark 15.34).
In the first three words, Jesus speaks in his divinity with power to save, even from the cross.
In the final three words, he speaks as man, the Son of the covenant, who will return in victory to his place at God's right hand.

Transcript

1. Jesus’s Seven Words from the Cross Paul Wells African Bible University February 2017
2. Presentation • Methodological considerations • Introductory questions • The Unity of the seven words reconstructed • Presentation of 1-3 and 4-7 • The centrality of word 4 • Theological interpretation of the whole with relation to messianic consciousness and mediation
3. Working hypotheses 1. Nothing can be known of Christ’s consciousness in and of itself 2. It can only be known in so far as it is unveiled by Christ himself, according to his will to do so 3. Christ’s will is dependent on the Father’s will and authorised by it 4. It is only as he is designated as Mediator by the Father that Christ constitutes himself Mediator in his humanity 5. The office of Mediator is revealed by words and acts in its threefold office-function 6. Knowledge of this is impossible apart from the presupposition of the inspiration of Scripture as word of God
4. Methodolgy 1. Consequently, to talk of the messianic consciousness apart from inspired revelation is speculative 2. Inspiration allows us to suppose that the recorded events and words correspond to an historical reality 3. A diachronic and segmented interpretation of the seven words robs them of their depth 4. Taken as seven synchronic words they become a structural text 5. As such they can be seen as complementary and interpretative of the meaning of the cross
5. The seven words 1. Father forgive, Luke 23. 33-34 2. Today, in paradise, Luke 23.43 3. Mother your son, John 19. 25-27 4. Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? 5. Mark 15.34, Matthew 27.46 (Psalm 22.1) 6. I thirst, John 19.28 (Psalm 69.21; 42) 7. It is finished, John 19.30 8. Into your hands, Luke 23.46 (Psalm 31.5) What is the order? Why seven? - a valid theological interpretation
6. Introduction 1 Messianic consciousness: did Jesus actually say these words? The majority of critics say NO (Moltmann) However, 1 This is a determining time 2 Would liberty of interpretation have been allowed to human witnesses? 3 Words 4, 5 and 7 are fulfilments of Scripture and consistent with the messianic vocation 4 The words are spread over 4 gospels
7. Introduction 2 2 Are they all ipsissima verba? Evangelicals might differ at some points. As there are no problems of Gospel harmony, it seems to be the case They seem too specific to be free interpretations They are all paradoxical (they reveal messianic intent while hiding it, K. Schilder)
8. The unity of the seven words, 1 The seven words are held together by the central word, the fourth, "My God, why have you abandoned me" (Mark 15.34) Jesus is alone and isolated
9. The unity of the seven words, 2 In the first three words 1. Father forgive, Luke 23. 33-34 2. Today, paradise, Luke 23.39-43 3. Mother your son, John 19.25-27 Jesus speaks TO MEN in his DIVINITY with power to save, even from the cross
10. The unity of the seven words, 3 In the final three words 5. I thirst, John 19.28 (Psalm 69.21; 42) 6. It is finished, John 19.30 7. Into your hands, Luke 23.46 (Psalm 31.5) Jesus speaks as a man TO THE FATHER in his HUMANITY, as the Son of the covenant, who will return in victory to his place at God's right hand
11. My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Mt 27. 46, Mk 15. 34 Common grace Special grace Particular love Father forgive them Today with me Woman your son… Lk 23. 34 in paradise son your mother Lk 23. 43 Jn 19. 26, 27 Father into your hands It is finished I thirst my spirit Jn 19. 30 Jn 19. 28 Lk 23. 46 Return to glory Finished work Perfect offering
12. The seven words and self-conscious mediation No words have ever been more meaning-laden than the 7 words of Jesus on the cross The 7 together indicate the whole of Christ’s personal Lordship 1. Lordship is expressed in covenantal context 2. Jesus occupies a unique place as Mediator 3. The 7 show that Christ’s death was “for us” – a vicarious sacrifice for sin 4. Jesus constituted himself mediator in a way that shows conscious intention
13. 1. A self-conscious mediation 1. The structure of the seven words imply mediation 2. Mediation implies a dialectic 3. Mediation finds expression in incarnation (Chalcedon) 4. Christ mediates in the munus triplex as king, priest and prophet - a hermeneutic key to the interpretation of redemption 5. Mediation has a triple finality: - reconciliation, Christ for us; - union with Christ, Christ in us; - the promise of new creation, Christ with us eternally
14. 2. Mediation as isolation from God and man Jesus closes down his earthly ministry in the first three words. The final three lay the foundation for reception by the Father Historical reality and literary structure go together. Jesus is the only Son abandoned, in the unique sacrifice for redemption, in an act that prefigures the final judgment Christ has undergone the judgment. The right to resurrection and judgment is his There is progression TO isolation and progression FROM isolation. Each word has its foundation in the fourth word.
15. 3. Penal and sacrificial mediation “It is the office and prerogative of presenting Himself before God to obtain grace and favor, and appease his wrath in offering a sacrifice which is acceptable to him.” (GC, 38) “As a pure and stainless Mediator he is by his holiness to reconcile us to God … as priest Christ obtains God’s favor for us and appeases his wrath. To perform this office Christ had to come forward with a sacrifice.” (ICR, 2.15.6)
16. 4. Augustine on priestly mediation, Hebrews 5.1 “Four things are to be considered in every sacrifice, • to whom it is offered, • by whom it is offered, • what is offered • and for whom it is offered.” Priests who are called to sacrifice do so as representatives of others because of their solidarity with them
17. 5. Mediation and double substitution “divine self-substitution” (J. Stott) Incarnation is the primary substitution - the second Adam, Christ’s active obedience The cross is the second substitution and the end of incarnation, Christ’s passive obedience - Sufficiency unlimited (impersonal) (expiation, satisfaction >> humanity) - Efficacy definite (personal) (reconciliation, redemption, intercession - propitiation >> divinity)
18. Vicarious mediation and praise Calvin, ICR, II.16.2
19. Someone learns, as Scripture teaches, that he was estranged from God through sin, is an heir of wrath, subject to the curse of eternal death, excluded from all hope of salvation, beyond every blessing of God, the slave to Satan, captive under the yoke of sin, destined finally for a dreadful destruction and already involved in it:
20. and that at this point Christ interceded as his advocate, took upon himself and suffered the punishment that, from God’s righteous judgment, threatened all sinners; that he purged with his blood those evils which had rendered sinners hateful to God; that by this expiation he made satisfaction and sacrificed duly to God the Father; that as intercessor, he has appeased God’s wrath; that on this foundation rests the peace of God with men; that by this bond his benevolence is maintained toward them. Will the man not then be even more moved by all these things that so vividly portray the greatness of the calamity from which he has been rescued?