I am Thirsty

John 19:28-29

“28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 29  A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.”

Jesus knew that the suffering required of Him was over.  The act of sacrifice and redemption were complete and he told the guards that he was thirsty.  

Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, he met a Samaritan woman at a well and he said to her, “Will you give me a drink of water?” The woman replied, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?”  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The Roman soldiers did not know who they had crucified.  They did not know who asked for water. 

They gave him sour wine, 

the cheapest of all wines.

They did not know the gift of God.

 May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)