I will give you the answer at the forefront. But there is no doubt many will need an explanation.
Answer: This is the moment that the Spirit left him.
At Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit descended on upon him and remained with him until this very moment. Christ had experienced all the temptations and frailty of being human, but one. Because Jesus had never sinned the Spirit was always with him. But so that Christ could be both the Righteous Judge and the Perfect Advocate he needed to experience all of what it meant to be human. Because of our sins, the one thing that every human will experience is the loss of the Spirit of God. It is the feeling of being truly alone. It is the feeling that we are left on this tiny planet to suffer alone.
Christ said 7 things while on the Cross. I put them in this order.
1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)
This has been interpreted as forgiveness to the Roman soldiers who were crucifying him, who were just following orders and knew not who Christ was.
2. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43)
Jesus was crucified with two other men. One of the men asked Jesus to remember him when he enters his kingdom. In response, Christ gave the man this promise.
3. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
This is the only saying that appears in more than one Gospel. The last thing that Jesus needed to experience to be our judge and advocate was the loss of the presence of God. There is an old say… “Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Because of what Jesus experienced and did for us, He truly is The Christ. Our judge and advocate before the Father.
Now everything was almost done. Jesus just needed to tie-up a few things before he died.
4. “Woman, behold, thy son! Son, behold, thy mother!” (John 19:26-27)
Traditionally this is the moment where Jesus gave the care of his mother Mary to his apostle John the beloved. Jesus clearly would outlive his mother, she would need someone to care for her.
5. “I thirst” (John 19:28)
The whole of verse 28 is important.
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.” (John 19:28)
It was all done now. He had experienced it all. His mother was safe. And for good measure, he would take his last drink and fulfill another prophecy.
6. “It is finished” (John 19:30)
7. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:” (Luke 23:46)
Then Jesus died.
Then Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Judge, Mediator, and God… Died.
Notes
Featured image: Christ Crucified (c. 1632) by Diego Velázquez. Museo del Prado, Madrid
