The Manifestion of Supernatural Knowledge and Control (John 19:28-30)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/17/2017 9:55 AM

My Worship Time                  Focus:  The Manifestation of Supernatural Knowledge and Control

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  John 19:28-30

            Message of the verses:  “28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

            What we see in these verses happened after the loving exchange that Jesus had with His mother, and what He does now He does to fulfill Scripture:  “21  They also gave me gall for my food And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21).”  John MacArthur points out that the Septuagint uses the same Greek word translated ‘soul wine’ in verse 29.”  Now of course the soldiers were not conscience of them fulfilling prophecy, they were doing this to torment Jesus by prolonging His life, but that to was in His control.

            Let us look at Matthew 27:34 “they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.”  This, I believe, happened earlier and Jesus refused to drink it.  What the soldiers offered now was some kind of cheap wine that they drank, and I suppose that doing the job that they were doing caused them to want to consume a lot of wine, but at any rate they offered this to Jesus as they put it “upon a branch of hyssop” so He could get some.  John MacArthur writes of the first beverage offered in Matt. 27:34 “That beverage, which contained gall, was intended to help deaden His pain so He would not struggle as much while being nailed to His cross.  Jesus had refused it, because He wanted to drink the cup of the Father’s wrath against sin in the fullest way His senses could experience it.”

            We next look at the words “it is finished,” and we have talked about this Greek word in other Spiritual Diaries.  “Tetelestai” is the Greek word, and Jesus actually shouted this as seen in Matthew 27:50 and Mark 15:37.  Redemption had been paid for as the word means “paid in full” a word that was stamped upon a prisoner who was leaving prison after his crime had been paid for.  This was a shout of triumph from the lips of our Lord as His work on earth was completed, as He paid the price of our sins and now would return to the Father, return to the glory He had before the world was created, return to sit at the right hand of God the Father, but this time He would be the God/Man with scars to show the victory over sin and death for those who would accept His sacrifice alone for their salvation. 

            John MacArthur concludes this chapter from his commentary by writing “No human words, no matter how eloquent, can adequately express the meaning of Christ’s death.  But the words of the familiar hymn ‘At Calvary’ express the gratitude every believer feels:

Years I spent in vanity and pride

Caring not my Lord was crucified,

Knowing not it was for me He died

On Calvary.

 

Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

Pardon there was multiplied to me;

There my burdened soul found liberty,

At Calvary.

 

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned,

Then I trembled at the law I’s spurned,

Til my guilty soul imploring turned

To Calvary.

 

Now I’ve givn’n to Jesus everything;

Now I gladly own Him as my King;

Now my raptured soul can only sing

Of Calvary.

 

O, the love that drew salvation’s plan!

O, the grace that brought it down to man!

O, the mighty gulf that God did span

At Calvary!

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is because of Calvary that I spend as much time as I do studying the Word of God and then putting my Spiritual Diaries onto my blogs so others can understand what the cross can mean to them.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust that the Lord will use the words that I write to bring many to salvation, and growth in the Lord before He returns in triumph one day soon.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Abraham” Genesis 22:5).

Today’s Bible question:  “Where did Jeroboam place the golden calves?

Answer in our next SD.

5/17/2017 10:28 AM