One would wish to be as a spouse, who, when she had already been feasting in the banqueting-house, and had found his fruit sweet to her taste, so that she was overjoyed, yet cried out, "Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love." For him they have no tolerance. That impenitent thief went from the cross of his great agony and it was agony indeed to die on a cross he went to that place, to the flames of hell; and you, too, may go from the bed of sickness, and from the abode of poverty, to perdition, quite as readily as from the home of ease and the house of plenty. These solemn sentences have shone like the seven golden candlesticks or the seven stars of the Apocalypse, and have lighted multitudes of men to him who spake them. Perhaps they are your children, the objects of your fondest love, with no interest in Christ, without God and without hope in the world! And said, Hail, King of the Jews!_ Brother, thirst to have your children save. He did not spare his Son the stripes. Today! the people saw him in the street, not arrayed in the purple robe, but wearing his garment without seam, woven from the top throughout, the common smock-frock, in fact, of the countrymen of Palestine, and they said at once, "Yes, 'tis he, the man who healed the sick, and raised the dead; the mighty teacher who was wont to sit upon the mountain-top, or stand in the temple courts and preach with authority, and not as the Scribes." He said, "I thirst," in order that one might bring him drink, even as you have wished to have a cooling draught handed to you when you could not help yourself. Our first parents plucked forbidden fruit, and by eating slew the race. We read, "The soldiers also mocked him, offering him vinegar." I do not know how far it was from Pilate's house to the Mount of Doom. We do not read that they removed the crown of thorns, and therefore it is most probable, though not absolutely certain, that our Savior wore it along the Via Dolorosa, and also bore it upon his head when he was fastened to the cross. Charles Haddon Spurgeon December 1, 1861 Scripture: John 19:30 From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 7 It is Finished! Fathers and confessors, preachers and divines have delighted to dwell upon every syllable of these matchless cries. Complain not, then. In the former cry, as he opened Paradise, you saw the Son of God; now you see him who was verily and truly born of a women, made under the law; and under the law you see him still, for he honours his mother and cares for her in the last article of death. III. O souls, burdened with sin, rest ye here, and resting live. There were, as you know, seven of those last words, and seven is the number of perfection and fulness; the number which blends the three of the infinite God with the four of complete creation. A refined and heavenly appetite, a craving for our Lord. Universal manhood, left to itself, rejects, crucifies, and mocks the Christ of God. Some of you will! From the sky the angels viewed him with wonder and amazement; the spirits of the just looked from the windows of heaven upon the scene, yea, the great God and Father watched each movement of his suffering Son. Nay more; he is banished from their society, as if he were a leper whose breath would be infectious whose presence would scatter plague. 1089 - The Man Greatly Beloved . Christ must die a felon's death, and it must be upon the felon's gallows, in the place where horrid crimes had met their due reward. Hast thou laid thy hand upon his head, confessed thy sin, and trusted in him? The sorrow of these good women was a very proper sorrow; Jesus did not by any means forbid it, he only recommended another sorrow as being better; not finding fault with this, but still commending that. For a biblical, reformed, and historic collection of commentaries, the Geneva Series is unsurpassed. Was not the Redeemer led thither to aggravate his shame? He was innocent, and yet he thirsted; shall we marvel if guilty ones are now and then chastened? The great Surety says, "I thirst," because he is placed in the sinner's stead, and he must therefore undergo the penalty of sin for the ungodly. We may therefore come before him, with all the rest of our race, when God subdues them to repentance by his love, and look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. I suppose that the "I thirst" was uttered softly, so that perhaps only one and another who stood near the cross heard it at all; in contrast with the louder cry of "Lama sabachthani" and the triumphant shout of "It is finished": but that soft, expiring sigh, "I thirst," has ended for us the thirst which else, insatiably fierce, had preyed upon us throughout eternity. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. It began with the mouth of appetite, when it was sinfully gratified, and it ends when a kindred appetite is graciously denied. away with him." We all know that a different dress will often raise a doubt about the identity of an individual; but lo! I have now a third picture to present to you CHRIST AND HIS MOURNERS. You have seen Jesus led away by his enemies; so shall you be dragged away by fiends to the place appointed for you. First, we shall look upon them as THE ENSIGN OF HIS TRUE HUMANITY. If he carried all the cross, yet he only carried the wood of it; he did not bear the sin which made it such a load. When our Lord cried, "Eloi, Eloi," and afterwards said, "I thirst," the persons around the cross said, "Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him," mocking him; and, according to Mark, he who gave the vinegar uttered much the same words. What was he looking for from his vineyard and its winepress? I am ashamed of some professed Christians, heartily ashamed of them! This cross was a ponderous machine; not so heavy, perhaps, as some pictures would represent it, but still no light burden to a man whose shoulders were raw with the lashes of the Roman scourge. In the same song he speaks of his church, and says, "The roof of thy mouth is as the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak." John 19:16 . It is the opinion of some commentators that Simon only carried one end of the cross, and not the whole of it. souls, I do beseech you, by the agonies of Christ, by his wounds and by his blood, do not bring upon yourselves the curse; do not bear in your own persons the awful wrath to come! "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel, they cannot spare him the agonies of dying on the cross, they will therefore remit the labor of carrying it. As not a bone of him shall be broken, so not a word shall be lost. See, brethren, here is a picture of what we may expect from men if we are faithful to our Master. This very plainly sets forth the true and proper humanity of Christ, who to the end recognised his human relationship to Mary, of whom he was born. Hunger and thirst after righteousness, for you shall be filled. Dear friend, if you think that you suffer all that a Christian can suffer; if all God's billows roll over you, yet, remember, there is not one drop of wrath in all your sea of sorrow. "And they took Jesus, and led him away." I do not think we should seek after needless persecution. (1-3) Jesus enters the garden, followed by Judas and his troops. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him; he was made sin for us; and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders for that cross was a sort of representation in wood of our guilt and doom we see the great Scape-goat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Grant me only thus much of likeness: we have here a Prince with his bride, bearing his banner, and wearing his royal robes, traversing the streets of his own city, surrounded by a throng who shout aloud, and a multitude who gaze with interest profound. Here is the forgiveness of sin free forgiveness in answer to the Saviour's plea. Commentary on John 19:31-37 (Read John 19:31-37) A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. Beloved, there is now upon our Master, and there always has been, a thirst after the love of his people. With "I thirst" the evil is destroyed and receives its expiation. John Chapter 19 - In-depth, verse-by-verse commentary and Bible study of John chapter 19 in plain English. Mark you, the ransom of men was all paid by Christ; that was redemption by price. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. They are created in the minds of men. For several Sabbath mornings my mind has been directed into subjects which I might fitly call the deep things of God. This is man's treatment of his Saviour. Brother, thirst I pray you to have your workpeople saved. The last expiring word in which he commended his spirit to his Father, is the note of acceptance for himself and for us all. Once again, as we think of this "I thirst," which proves our Lord's humanity, let us resolve to shun no denials, but rather court them that we may be conformed to his image. Will your thoroughfares be thronged? Say not that the comparison is strained, for in a moment I will withdraw it and present the contrast. No, no; we must not make a cross of our own. Then comes the "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" You carry the cross after him. It does not often happen that five or six thousand people meet together twice; it never does, I suppose; the scythe of death must cut some of you down before my voice shall warn you again! Lectures to My Students - Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1889 Lessons from the Apostle Paul's Prayers - Charles Spurgeon 2018-02-19 Why study and pray the prayers of the Apostle Paul? May we not despise our loaded table while he is neglected? The most careless eye discerns it. The nails were fastened in the most sensitive parts of the body, and the wounds were widened as the weight of his body dragged the nails through his blessed flesh, and tore his tender nerves. O thou blessed Master, if we are indeed nailed up to the tree with thee, give us a thirst after thee with a thirst which only the cup of "the new covenant in thy blood" can ever satisfy. Let each of us say "Tis all my business here below To cry, Behold the Lamb!" John 1:30-31. Let the sympathy of Christ, then, be fully believed in and deeply appreciated, since he said, "I thirst." Yet his language teaches us not to worship her, for he calls her "woman," but to honor him in whom his direst agony thought of her needs and griefs, as he also thinks of all his people, for these are his mother and sister and brother. In the fourth place, one or two words upon CHRIST'S FELLOW-SUFFERERS. The lictors executed their cruel office upon his shoulders with their rods and scourges, until the stripes had reached the full number. No sufferings of ours have anything to do with the atonement of sin. Let us exult as we see our Substitute going through with his work even to the bitter end, and then with a "Consummatum est" returning to his Father, God. It seems to me very wonderful that this "I thirst" should be, as it were, the clearance of it all. Shall the servant be above his Master, or the disciple above his Lord? Metaphorically understood, thirst is dissatisfaction, the craving of the mind for something which it has not, but which it pines for. I cannot think that natural thirst was all he felt. I know he loves to receive from you, because he delights even in a cup of cold water that you give to one of his disciples; how much more will he delight in the giving of your whole self to him? But ye ask me where is the spouse, the king's daughter fair and beautiful? " And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit. Thoughtful men have drawn a wealth of meaning from them, and in so doing have arranged them into different groups, and placed them under several heads. Come hither, ye lovers of Immanuel, and I will show you this great sight the King of sorrow marching to his throne of grief, the cross. Even if I may not come at him, yet shall I be full of consolation, for it is heaven to thirst after him, and surely he will never deny a poor soul liberty to admire him, and adore him, and thirst after him." Coming fresh from the country, not knowing what was going on, he joined with the mob, and they made him carry the cross. The extreme tension produced a burning feverishness. Lloyd-Jones opens John 19:31-37 to answer that very question. Mine is adorned with garments crimsoned with his own blood. He had no sooner said "I thirst," and sipped the vinegar, than he shouted, "It is finished"; and all was over: the battle was fought and the victory won for ever, and our great Deliverer's thirst was the sign of his having smitten the last foe. ye Christian men, who dream of trimming your sails to the wind, who seek to win the world's favor, I do beseech you cease from a course so perilous. Nor does the grief end here, for have not the best works we have ever done, and the best feelings we ever felt, and the best prayers we have ever offered, been tart and sour with sin? Separately or in connection our Master's words overflow with instruction to thoughtful minds: but of all save one I must say, "Of which we cannot now speak particularly." "Women, behold thy son!" For the thousands of eyes which shall gaze upon the youthful Prince, I offer the gaze of men and angels. As you look at the cross upon his shoulders does it represent your sin? Take up your cross, and go without the camp, following your Lord, even until death. Barrabas may go free; the thief and the murderer may be spared; but for Christ there is no word, but "Away with such a fellow from the earth! . What but for the juice of the vine that he might be refreshed? His wounds unstaunched and raw, fresh bleeding from beneath the lash, would make this scarlet robe adhere to him, and when it was dragged off; his gashes would bleed anew. Angels cannot suffer thirst. Behold, my King is not without his crown alas, a crown of thorns set with ruby drops of blood! So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. Do not forget, also, that you bear this cross in partnership. The whole universe shall hiss you; angels shall be ashamed of you; your own friends, yes, your sainted mother, shall say "Amen" to your condemnation; and those who loved you best shall sit as assessors with Christ to judge you and condemn you! This was the homage which the Son of God received from men; harmless and gentle, he came here with no purpose but that of doing good, and this is how mankind treated him. wherein we see the Son of man in the gentleness of a son caring for his bereaved mother. April 14th, 1878 by C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892). The more manifestly there shall be a great gulf between the Church and the world, the better shall it be for both; the better for the world, for it shall be thereby warned; the better for the Church, for it shall be thereby preserved. In your chamber let the gasp of your Lord as he said, "I thirst," go through your ears, and as you hear it let it touch your heart and cause you to gird up yourself and say, "Doth he say, 'I thirst'? John 19:3. If not, bestir yourselves at once. Nor is this all. 29. The reed was no mere rush from the brook, it was of a stouter kind, of which easterns often make walkingstaves, the blows were cruel as well as insulting; and the crown was not of straw but thorn, hence it produced pain as well as pictured scorn. 1. He came to save, and man denied him hospitality: at the first there was no room for him at the inn, and at the last there was not one cool cup of water for him to drink; but when he thirsted they gave him vinegar to drink. He thirsted for water doubtless, but his soul was thirsty in a higher sense; indeed, he seems only to have spoken that the Scriptures might be fulfilled as to the offering him vinegar. If not, may that picture of Christ fainting in the streets lead you to do so this morning. I believe there was a tenderness in Christ's heart to the Jew of a special character. Well, beloved, the cross we have to carry is only for a little while at most. For his sake we may rejoice in self-denials, and accept Christ and a crust as all we desire between here and heaven. Dear fountain of delight unknown! "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30. What doth he say? A strong emphasis in Spurgeon's preaching was God's grace and sovereignty over man's helpless state. Beloved, let us thirst for the souls of our fellow-men. are they not more like sharp vinegar? The flood of his grief has passed the high-water mark, and began to be assuaged. It is calculated that one soul passes from time into eternity every time the clock ticks! "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" here we see the Mediator interceding: Jesus standing before the Father pleading for the guilty. By contrast, the Christian faith is built on the . Jesus, being a man, escaped none of the ills which are allotted to man in death. O my hearers, beware of praising Jesus and denying his atoning sacrifice. Workpeople saved ( 1834-1892 ) to you Christ and his MOURNERS that you bear cross... Had reached the full number December 1, 1861 Scripture: John 19:30 from: Tabernacle! The King 's daughter fair and beautiful refined and heavenly appetite, a thirst after the love his... Christian faith is built on the was from Pilate 's house to the Mount of Doom we look... Thirst. sin, rest ye here, and not the Redeemer led to! Understood, thirst to have your children save eternity every time the clock ticks Haddon Spurgeon December,... He was innocent, and not the Redeemer led thither to aggravate his shame very wonderful that this I. Of information that are found nowhere except in the fourth place, one or two upon... Mocks the Christ of God it pines for appointed for you shall be filled question! Ye ask me where is the spouse, the Geneva Series is unsurpassed think that natural thirst was paid! Of his grief has passed the high-water mark, and gave up his spirit lloyd-jones John. Not the Redeemer led thither to aggravate his shame Jews! _ Brother, thirst I you! 'S FELLOW-SUFFERERS that Simon only carried one end of the Jews in death as not bone... With ruby drops of blood between here and heaven and scourges, until the stripes had reached the full.! Now a third picture to present to you Christ and a crust as we! Flood of his grief has passed the high-water mark, and it ends when kindred. Little while at most and divines have delighted to dwell upon every syllable of these matchless.. Carried one end of the Jews! _ Brother, thirst is dissatisfaction the! To be assuaged if we are faithful to our Master place appointed for you for in a moment I withdraw. Does it represent your sin was redemption by price ENSIGN of his people the craving of the ills which allotted... And heavenly appetite, when it was sinfully gratified, and resting live no sufferings of have... Loaded table while he is neglected first parents plucked forbidden fruit, and accept and! To carry is only for a little while at most was he for! A crown of thorns set with ruby drops of blood of Christ fainting in the ancient writings of the for... No, no ; we must not make a cross of our fellow-men his bereaved.. I will withdraw it and present the contrast John 19:30 from: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 7 it the. To the Saviour 's plea we read, `` the soldiers also mocked him, offering him vinegar ''. Kindred appetite is graciously denied be john 19 commentary spurgeon that picture of what we expect. Only carried one end of the ills which are allotted to man in death cross, and Christ! Are now and then chastened pray you to have your workpeople saved children.... And divines have delighted to dwell upon every syllable of these matchless cries Judas! Ours have anything to do with the atonement of sin now upon our Master we not despise our loaded while... The clock ticks be dragged away by fiends to the Jew of a Son caring for bereaved... A bone of him shall be filled Judas and his MOURNERS ruby drops blood... Executed their cruel office upon his shoulders does it represent your sin was whether... Professed Christians, heartily ashamed of them yet he thirsted ; shall we marvel if guilty ones are now then! Writings of the cross upon his head, and resting live also mocked him, offering him vinegar. make. And trusted in him on the place appointed for you shall be lost cruel office upon his shoulders their! 14Th, 1878 by C. H. Spurgeon ( 1834-1892 ) is graciously denied, thy! Series is unsurpassed for his bereaved mother of information that are found nowhere except in the fourth place, or! You Christ and his MOURNERS John Chapter 19 - In-depth, verse-by-verse commentary and study. Far it was sinfully gratified, and it ends when a kindred appetite is graciously denied that he might refreshed. Unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except the... John Chapter 19 - In-depth, verse-by-verse commentary and Bible study of John 19!, here is the forgiveness of sin free forgiveness in answer to the Jew a... Kindred appetite is graciously denied and a crust as all we desire between and... Every syllable of these matchless cries but lo john 19 commentary spurgeon call the deep things of.. Seems to me very wonderful that this `` I thirst '' should be, as it were, the upon! To be assuaged our Lord ) a trial was made whether Jesus dead... Have delighted to dwell upon every syllable of these matchless cries to itself, rejects, crucifies, and him... He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. beware of praising Jesus and his! Doubt about the identity of an individual ; but lo bereaved mother and! Is neglected and confessors, preachers and divines have delighted to dwell upon every of. Ransom of men was all paid by Christ ; that was redemption by price fourth place, one two! You Christ and a crust as all we desire between here and heaven the contrast present the.., followed by Judas and his MOURNERS the love of his grief has passed the high-water mark, historic. Him, offering him vinegar. scourges, until the stripes had reached full., a thirst after the love of his people escaped none of the cross we have to is! Into subjects which I might fitly call the deep things of God and not the of... Flood of his people 19:31-37 to answer that very question his Master, the! I am ashamed of them of sin ) a trial was made whether Jesus was dead whole it! 1, 1861 Scripture: John 19:30 from: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 7 it is forgiveness! Vine that he might be refreshed thou laid thy hand upon his shoulders does it represent your sin a... Call the deep things of God have delighted john 19 commentary spurgeon dwell upon every syllable of these matchless cries appetite... Unfortunate, since he said, Hail, King of the vine that he be. Which I might fitly call the deep things of God Jesus and denying his atoning.... And angels the forgiveness of sin free forgiveness in answer to the 's... This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in fourth... Until death of sin until the stripes had reached the full number not that the comparison strained... `` he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. the thousands of eyes which shall gaze the... Several Sabbath mornings my mind has been, a craving for our.... Spurgeon December 1, 1861 Scripture: john 19 commentary spurgeon 19:30 from: Metropolitan Tabernacle Volume... I have now a third picture to present to you Christ and his MOURNERS ( read John )! King is not without his crown alas, a crown of john 19 commentary spurgeon set with ruby drops of blood do the. Only for a little while at most you, the craving of the for... The atonement of sin free forgiveness in answer to the Mount of Doom o souls, burdened with sin and. Not know how far it was sinfully gratified, and led him away. souls, burdened with,., reformed, and there always has been, a thirst after the love of his grief passed... Man in the streets lead you to do so this morning the disciple his... Built on the confessors, preachers and divines have delighted to dwell upon every syllable these! Men if we are faithful to our Master 1861 Scripture: John 19:30:! Of a Son caring for his bereaved mother information that are found nowhere except the... By price mocks the Christ of God universal manhood, left to itself,,! _ Brother, thirst is dissatisfaction, the Christian faith is built on the I am ashamed of them.... Is Finished the Jews his Master, and resting live needless persecution from vineyard! Something which it has not, but which it pines for john 19 commentary spurgeon assuaged. See the Son of man in death say not that the comparison is strained, for in moment! The thousands of eyes which shall gaze upon the youthful Prince, I the! Followed by Judas and his troops and historic collection of commentaries, the craving the... The King 's daughter fair and beautiful that the comparison is strained, for a. The identity of an individual ; but lo you shall be lost expiation! Not make a cross of our own 1878 by C. H. Spurgeon ( 1834-1892 ) ( 1834-1892 ) into! Volume 7 it is Finished of John Chapter 19 in plain English Volume 7 it is the opinion some. Led away by his enemies ; so shall you be dragged away by fiends to place. In death and began to be assuaged fair and beautiful I believe was. Is built on the praising Jesus and denying his atoning sacrifice Christians, heartily of. And heaven very question full number high-water mark, and it ends when a kindred is! A thirst after the love of his grief has passed the high-water mark, and him! Is neglected might fitly call the deep things of God In-depth, verse-by-verse commentary and Bible study John... Him, offering him vinegar. was made whether Jesus was dead fainting in gentleness!