Jesus’ last words: A Contradiction?
An image circulating on social media says Jesus’s last words are a contradiction. John 19:30 says “It is finished”. Luke 23:46 says “Father into your hands I commend my spirit”. Matthew 27:46-50 “My God why have you forsaken me”. Some people believe that these words, followed by the phrase “he gave up the ghost” simply mean that he died seconds after each word as stated by each evangelist, but this is not derived from the text, the text does not say that as soon as Jesus said these words, he died, having not uttered other words. Only John was present when Jesus died, and his death was attended by a complete eclipse of the sun. So, the other writers (Matthew and Luke) are borrowing from eyewitnesses. Jesus’s final words should not be seen as a stumbling block in the gospel because all three authors confirm that Jesus was crucified, died, and rose again after three days. The timing of his death does not take away from these central truths that make up the gospel. Suppleme