Never Be Thirsty Again!

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture),

“I thirst.” – John 19:28

What was Jesus thirsting for? Many scholars believe that Jesus was thirsty because

he craving some relief for his parched body hanging out in the blazing Middle Eastern

sun. In his humanity Jesus was like us and endured all of the frailties of human existence.

When we look to the cross this Holy Week we know that the One hanging there

understands all of our humanity. We have a God who knows our struggles, our

disappointments, our fears, our temptations; we are not alone in our suffering.

There is another understanding of these words, “I thirst.” The night before Jesus carried

the cross to the mount, he prayed about drinking from a cup that he wished he would not

have to drink from:

“He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this

cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)

Jesus was embracing an old Hebrew metaphor of death in these words. What is Jesus

thirsting for? He is asking to drink from the cup of death. He drinks the cup of death

so that our souls who quench for Life never have to drink this cup. Jesus was thirsty

for us so we never have to be thirsty again. – Ron Friesen