I Thirst

“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.” (John 19:28)

Our Savior was indeed touched with the feeling of our infirmities, as the Bible says.  He became tired, hungry, sad and angry. He wept and here on the cross, He was thirsty. He was truly God and He was truly man. This cry of thirst is the fifth of the seven sayings of Christ while He was on the cross.

Thirst was associated with crucifixion. There was the loss of blood, first from the brutal scourging, and then the crown of thorns on His brow, and the nails in His hands and feet. Psalm 22:15 gives us a vivid picture of His thirst. “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” The psalmist gives us another prophetic view of this scene. “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalm 69:21) Thus, in announcing His thirst He was again fulfilling prophetic scriptures concerning Him.

Like many country boys, I have had my thirst satisfied as I drank from a spring or a wet weather branch or stream. They gave Jesus a sponge filled with sour wine lifted to His mouth on the stem of a hyssop plant. Jesus suffered thirst on the cross that mankind would not suffer thirst for eternity in hell, if they would repent and accept by faith the payment made by the suffering Savior.