Seven Last Words

Matthew and Mark record only "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Luke has three: "forgive them," "today you will be with Me," and "into Your hands I commend the Spirit."

John has three: "behold your son," "I thirst," and "it is finished."

Interesting. Matthew and Mark and Peter (Mark's apostolic authority) weren't there at the cross. Luke's apostolic authority was Paul; Saul was probably there with the Pharisees who were murdering Jesus. Luke also relied heavily on Mary's eye-witness accounts; she was at the cross. John was at the cross, too, and he reports details that Matthew and Mark wouldn't have been there to hear.

(I like in the Passion how Mel Gibson shows Christians in the court of the high priest, the court of Herod, and the court of Pilate. It makes sense that there would be. And it would explain how the Church came to know some of the conversations that transpired that Thursday night and Friday morning.)

Pastor pointed out that it would be particularly important to Paul --given his background as a Pharisee and his persecution of Christians-- to ensure that Luke include the words of Jesus from the cross where He prayed for those who "know not what they do." In other words, Jesus was praying for Paul Saul. And the repentant thief was promised heaven, as was Paul. Finally, when Saul murdered Stephen, Stephen's last words were the same as two of Jesus' here; no wonder Paul wanted those words recorded in the gospel.