Paula Sommerfeldt, I AM Thirsty
“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
John 19:28 NIV
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was fully God and fully human. In the hours leading up to his death, twice they offered Him something to drink: The first time it was “wine mingled with gall”; the second time it was “sour wine” or vinegar.” Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He had fulfilled three hundred and thirty-two prophecies. So we ask ourselves why would He prolong His death by asking for something to drink? I believe Jesus requested and took the drink because He had two more very important things to say. Words that he would not have been able to say without something to moisten His dry and parched lips. Thirst was a major part of the torturing death by crucifixion. We need to remember that Jesus had been hanging on the cross for six hours. The words “I am thirsty” reveals that Jesus was both God and man. “I Am” shows Jesus as the second person of the trinity, and the word “thirsty” shows us His humanity.
Secondly, Jesus asked for something to drink to fulfill prophesy. Look again at those words from John 19:28, “knowing all things had already been accomplished, in that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
Jesus’ Words, “I am thirsty, fulfilled one of the messianic prophesies found in Psalm 69:20-21 NIV, “Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none. They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
These words of Jesus are so important to me personally, and that’s because I know that my Savior can relate to everything that happens in my life. Jesus knows what it’s like to be hungry and thirsty. He knows what it means to be scorned and ridiculed. And that’s because He’s already been there.
So, I thank the Lord for those very human words, “I am thirsty.”
Paula you brought to light for me the fact of prophecy being fulfilled as one of the reason Jesus ask for the drink. It was one of those things I have read, heard but your paper reminded me of another prophecy that declares Jesus is the Messiah.