What did Jesus think about on the cross?
April 6, 2007
By Randy Mantik
Someone wrote a song that said, “While He was on the cross, I was on His mind.” That started me thinking. Have you ever considered what was happening in Jesus’ mind as He was being crucified? I went to Scripture and was surprised at what I discovered.
1. He thought about joy.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, NIV).
Think of that. As He underwent the cruelest form of human torture ever invented, Jesus thought about joy. What happens to the human body during crucifixion has been well-documented by many physicians. Their findings reveal it was not being nailed to the cross that caused the greatest suffering and eventual death of the person, but the slow process of suffocation. Yet through all of that, the Bible says Jesus had in mind the joy set before Him. He endured the worst because He could see the best — the finished product. He knew it would be worth it all.
2. He thought about thirst.
“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’ ” (John 19:28).
This is the One who said to the woman at the well, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). I believe Jesus experienced not only a physical thirst, but a spiritual one as well that came from His longing for the presence of His Father.
A psalm of David speaks of the suffering of this thirst, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15). Jesus experienced thirst on every level, a thirst more intense than we can imagine. But He knew unless He did, He could not become the Spring of Living Water. Charles Spurgeon writes, “In that place of thirst, grace hath dug a fountain which ever gusheth with waters pure as crystal.”
3. He thought about His mother.
“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26,27).
As Mary’s first-born son, Jesus took His responsibility to watch out for her welfare seriously. It appears at times, Mary and the rest of the family had some real doubts and questions about Jesus: “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind’ ” (Mark 3:21). But on that awful day as Jesus hung there on the cross, Mary was there believing in and grieving for her Son. Jesus wasn’t consumed by His suffering. In the midst of it, He thought about taking care of His mom. He knew He could no longer care for her as an earthly son would do, so He entrusted her to John. What a precious expression of love and care.
4. He thought about being separated from His Father.
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ — which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ” (Matthew 27:46).
Of all things Christ dreaded on the cross, I believe this was the worst. From eternity past, He had been in continual fellowship with His Father; He had never known anything else. Suddenly He was alone, bereft of that beloved presence, enduring unspeakable agony — we cannot even begin to comprehend it. But for us He endured His Father having to turn away from Him because, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
5. He thought about forgiveness.
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots” (Luke 23:34).
This is so amazing. Puny, defiant mankind was crucifying the very Son of God. The Creator allowed himself to become subject to the creation and to endure the worst hell could invent. The hymn writer says:
Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in;
When Christ the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.
6. He thought about the thief on the cross next to Him.
“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise’ ” (Luke 23:42,43).
Matthew records at one point “the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him” (Matthew 27:44). But after this thief watched the unbelievable grace demonstrated by Christ on the cross, he began to see things as the centurion did. “The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man’ ” (Luke 23:47). The thief became a believer. And think of this: Have you ever considered who the first person was to enter paradise with Jesus? It was this thief! How amazing! Another verse to the hymn above says:
Was it for crimes that I have done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity grace unknown,
And love beyond degree!
7. He thought about the plan.
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).
This completely sums it all up. Jesus never lost sight of the plan. On the night Jesus was betrayed, John says, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:3 NIV). He never lost sight of the goal.
I ask you, what are you thinking about day to day in your walk with Christ? The key thought to keep in mind about Jesus’ passion is the word, “Remember.” Remember what happened on the cross. Remember to place yourself at the foot of Calvary. But also remember what happened at the tomb when it was emptied.
Our lives can be full and new as we remember Christ’s love and sacrifice for us so we could have everlasting life and live in fellowship with Him. Remember:
But drops of grief can ne’er repay,
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee,
‘Tis all that I can do!
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While Calvary’s cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.
At the cross, at the cross,
Where I first saw the light
And the burden of my heart rolled away;
It was there by faith, I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day!
What did Jesus think about on the cross? He thought about you and me. Remember.
Randy Mantik is senior pastor of Crossroads Church of the Assemblies of God in Pembine, Wis.
