
(John 19:28-29) When the Water of Life Became Thirsty
If you can imagine it, 2 billion people today are thirsty – they have no easy access to clean drinking water. 485,000 people die every year, because all they had was polluted water to drink, and the contaminated water eventually killed them.
In most third world countries, children – especially girls – sacrifice an education so that they can walk many miles back and forth, collecting water for their families.
It’s hard to imagine, but some 4 billion people got up this morning asking this priority question, “Where am I gonna get a drink of water?”
If you understand the scarcity of water back in Bible times – you’ll understand why civilizations fought over wells of water; why the panic of thirst brought the Israelites to threaten Moses’ leadership; why the Psalms equate joy with water; or why the Lord Jesus preached salvation as a drink of never-ending water. (SOURCE: Adapted from James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary (Zondervan, 1985), p. 1355)
It’s hard for us to understand, because water is not much of a problem – unless your pipes freeze in the winter. Water isn’t miles away, it’s at the turn of a faucet.
This reminded me of Chuck Colson’s story of the middle eastern men he brought over to the United States for a series of meetings. It was their first time in modern civilization, and they were amazed at the abundance of everything. When it came time to pack their bags and head home, Colson found them in their hotel room, trying to remove the faucets. He had to explain to them that the sink wasn’t the source of water.
The concept of being thirsty has spiritual significance. David writes that his soul thirsts for God (Psalm 42:2); “My soul thirsts for you like a parched land (Psalm 143:6).
Thirst also can be a metaphor for dissatisfaction – the never-ending thirst for pleasure and material things.
I saw a commercial several years ago where a well-dressed, wealthy middle-aged man, with a woman on each arm and a drink in his hand, which was being advertised, looked into the camera and said, “Stay thirsty, my friend.”
And I thought, how utterly tragic is that advice. How hollow and temporary, and dangerous that advice.
I can remember standing on a hillside on the south of France – below me was the beautiful French Riveria and the famous Monte-Carlo Bay where the rich and famous anchored their yachts. I saw a gray ship anchored there as well, and I asked my host about that naval ship. He said, “Oh, that’s not the a navy ship, that’s the renovated personal yacht – the largest in the world – that once belonged to Aristotle Onassis.”
I had read about him. By the time he was 25, he had earned his first million dollars, as well as a reputation for being a ruthless shipping tycoon. He made national headlines in 1968 when he married Jacquiline Kennedy, the widow of the assassinated president, John F. Kennedy. They were married on his private island off the coast of Greece.
By the late 1960’s his worth was estimated at 1 billion dollars – worth several billion in today’s economy. When he was interviewed in the early 1970’s he said, “All that matters is money. People with money are the royalty now.”
But then, the wisdom of Solomon came true – that money can suddenly sprout wings and fly away (Proverbs 23:5).
Several poor decisions, along with a failing economy, caused Onassis to lose eight hundred million dollars in one year. Not long after, he died as well, a man who had never been able to satisfy his thirst for more.
We’re about to enter a scene where both physical thirst and spiritual thirst are implicated.
If you’re new to our exposition through the Gospel by Luke, we’ve covered the first four statements of Jesus Christ from His cross.
- “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
- To the dying thief, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.”
- “Woman, behold your son” … and to the disciple John, “Behold your mother.”
- Then last Lord Day, we listened as Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!
Now for today, Jesus delivers the shortest of seven statements from the cross. In fact, in the Greek language, it’s only one word of four letters. (SOURCE: Warren W. Wiersbe, Jesus’ Seven Last Words (Back to the Bible, 1981), p. 51)
One little phrase – here it is: “I thirst”.
In this phrase we catch several glimpses into the nature and character of Jesus Christ.
There are at least 4 glimpses of Christ that I want to focus on today.
- First, this is a glimpse into His humanity.
Let me invite you to turn to John’s gospel account – John provides us the record of this fifth statement from the Lord.
John chapter 19 and verse 28 is where we read:
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” John 19:28
Imagine, one author wrote, “The Maker of Heaven and earth has parched lips. The Lord of Glory needs a drink of water.” (SOURCE: Adapted from Pink, p. 86)
This is the mystery of the incarnation – when that little baby born in Bethlehem was the eternal God the Son, now a member of the human race.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Great indeed, we confess, is [this] mystery: God was manifested in the flesh.” (1 Timothy 3:16
In other words, He was God – now in human flesh. Jesus did not cease to be God, He had been forever God – but now He has become forever human. (SOURCE: Arthur W. Pink The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross (Baker, 1958), p. 87)
He is now the God/Man. The Son of God and the Son of Man.
As the Son of God, He had created water. Now, as the Son of Man, He needs a drink of water.
We have studied the life of Christ, presented to us in the gospel of Luke.
While He was never anyone less than God the Son, for all of eternity past – now for a period of thirty-three years and nine months, He entered the human race, voluntarily giving up the independent use of His attributes. And that’s the key principle.
He never served Himself. He never used His miraculous power to make His life more comfortable. And now here, Jesus could have commanded an angel to bring Him refreshing water in a golden pitcher, but instead He agonizes with literal thirst.
This is what Paul meant in Philippians when he wrote that Jesus did not regard equality with God – that is, God the Father – a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself. (Philippians 2:5-6)
That is, He emptied Himself with all the divine rights of the glorious Creator God that He was. He subordinated every action and every word to His Father.
As you track through the gospels, you see alternating scenes where He evidences humanity, then deity. And that’s because He was both.
- You see Him as a human grow tired and fall asleep on a boat, but then awaken and, as God, calm the wind and waves with His command.
- You see Him, as a man, broken-hearted and weeping at Lazarus’ grave, but then, as God, raise Lazarus from the dead.
- You see Him suffering as any man would on the cross, while at the same time listening to Him as the King of Heaven, promise eternal life to the dying thief hanging next to Him. (SOURCE: Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, The Darkness and the Dawn (Word Publishing, 2001), p. 179)
- As a man, He will die on this cross; but as the God/Man, He can bear our sins in His body and pay the price for your sins and mine.
And the fact that He entered the suffering world of humanity, qualified Him to empathize uniquely for your struggles today.
The Bible says in Hebrews 4:15 that we have in Jesus a:
High Priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities – you could translate that “our weaknesses” – for He was tested and tried in every respect as we are, yet without sin ( Hebrews 4:15).
- Is your body struggling with pain today? So was His.
- Are you misunderstood today? So was He.
- Have you been misjudged or misrepresented? So was He.
- Have family members rejected you and refused to believe you? So were His.
- Have you had close friends or family members who left you? So did He.
- Have you ever wondered if your Heavenly Father abandoned you? So did He.
- Have you ever asked God why you were suffering? So did he. (SOURCE: Inspired by Pink, p. 96)
And now, as Jesus says, “I thirst” He is identifying with a suffering human race, fallen and estranged from God because of sin.
This is a glimpse into His humanity.
Secondly,
This is a glimpse into His humility.
This is almost too obvious that we miss it here, but Jesus is asking a favor from His enemies.
You don’t do that.
If you’ve been offended by someone, you’re not about to ask them to give you a lift to work – you’re too busy carrying that grudge.
If you don’t like someone at work, you’re not gonna ask if you can borrow their stapler, or to please get you a cup of coffee.
If you’ve been hurt by someone, you’re not gonna ask them to do anything for you.
Your pride’s been hurt – you’re not about to show them that you have a need.
One author, writing on this text, had evidently overheard someone’s adult son bitterly spit out the words to his father, “I would rather die of starvation than ask help from you . . . I don’t want anything to do with you!”
He went on to write that some of us might not like to ask a favor of anybody, but if we do, we will ask our friends.” (SOURCE: Pink, p. 50)
Imagine, Jesus is surrounded by enemies. They’ve mocked Him, reviled Him, spit on His; those crusty soldiers have long since finished gambling for His clothing – they had driven spikes into His hands and feet.
And yet now the Lord effectively says to His enemies, “I’m thirsty” – He’s asking a favor – would one of you give me something to drink?”
This is a glimpse into His humility – and His graciousness toward others.
And by the way, it’s only now that He even asks for something to drink.
After 3 hours of suffering our punishment; after crying out in agony over His separation among the Godhead, He has now accomplished the work – in fact, the record of scripture has the last 3 statements of 7 occurring quickly, one after another –
“I thirst”,
“It is finished”, and,
“Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.”
So, when Jesus says, “I thirst”, it is only at the end of His life that He identifies a personal need.
In other words, He thinks of Himself last. (SOURCE: Swindoll, p. 186)
Now according to John’s gospel, it seems that a soldier fulfilled the Lord’s request, because soldiers typically brought along a jar like this during their workday.
John writes in verse 29:
A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. John 19:29
According to Matthew’s account, Jesus had been offered wine to drink when He arrived to be crucified.
We know from rabbinical writings that groups of Jewish women would often attend the crucifixions of Jewish men and offer them wine mixed with substances that would dull the pain. (SOURCE: Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, The Crucifixion of the King of Glory (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2021), p. 279)
Matthew writes that it was “wine mixed with gall” and Mark writes that it was “wine mixed with myrrh.”
The terms gall and myrrh were often used interchangeably because they both related to some form of narcotic – they were used as sedatives in the medical world of the first century. (SOURCE: Ibid, p. 280)
When Jesus was given gifts from the wise men, one of the gifts was myrrh.
Myrrh was also formed into a sticky substance that would be used in wrapping linen strips around a corpse.
Myrrh would have been an unusual gift for Jesus, but it all foreshadowed His suffering and pain and death.
Now Jesus refused the wine that had been mixed with a sedative that would dull the pain.
Now this doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want Christians using something medically to dull physical pain.
This doesn’t mean you’re not like Jesus if you ask for extra Novocain when you go to the dentist. When I go to the dentist, I’m like Elisha – I want a double portion – I don’t wanna feel a thing. I wanna wake up – get my lollipop and leave.
Pain isn’t necessarily godly. Jesus isn’t just trying to tough it out.
The truth is, He refused that first drink because He wasn’t about to allow the narcotic to dull His senses or cause Him to be stupefied or “out of it”.
He has significant work to accomplish – significant things to declare.
But now here – Jesus effectively admits, in all humility to His enemies, that He would appreciate a drink. And they give him a sponge to suck on – filled with sour wine.
This was cheap wine – the common beverage of the day – sometimes translated “vinegar”. It was here for the soldiers and now for the Lord. (SOURCE: Swindoll, p. 183)
It’s not gonna satisfy His thirst, but it will clear his dry throat and his parched lips – and that’s what He wanted, because He’s about to shout two incredible statements – He has two more eternally significant things to say. More on that in our future study.
Now you might have caught something John added here, placed in parenthesis. The Spirit of God wants us to know this little phrase wasn’t a throw-away line, by the Lord.
This is a glimpse into His humanity.
This is a glimpse into His humility.
Now third:
This is a glimpse at His fulfillment of history.
If you look back at verse 28, John writes,
Jesus … said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” John 19:28
Jesus isn’t reading a script, as if to think, “Okay, it’s time now for me to say this, or quote that.” What this means is that Jesus simply fulfilled the record of prophetic history with every word and deed. He validated scripture at every turn.
- He was betrayed by a friend – Psalm 41:9
- He was falsely accused – Psalm 35:11
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He would be silent before His judges – Isaiah 53:7
- His tongue will cling to His jaws
- His hands and feet will be pierced
- His garments will be divided among them
- They will cast lots for His clothing – Psalm 22:13-18
- Even the piercing cry of Jesus – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me? is the opening line of Psalm 22:1
And now even this drink – Psalm 69:21 says, In His thirst He will be given sour wine to drink – Psalm 69:21.
History is His-story – He wrote it – He entered it – He redeems it – He will unfold it forever one day for His redeemed.
One more thought from this little phrase.
This is a glimpse at His invitation to lost humanity.
Arthur Pink provoked my thinking when He wrote that Jesus effectively uttered from the cross the cry of every lost person. They are thirsty for what the world can never satisfy. He writes, Jesus is describing the world – they will always be thirsty for more. (SOURCE: Pink, p. 97)
Let me ask you something – what are you thirsty for today? What do you think will satisfy you today?
This past week I received an email from Dima and his wife Maria who are serving in Ukraine. On one hand he described the physical threats they’ve experienced from the war – at one point forcing them to put their baby in an empty bathtub overnight for safety measures. On the other hand, he described the church they are planting and the spiritual fruit that is really increasing. He said that they’ve found a local gymnasium to rent for church services, and they’ve been allowed to paint the interior. He said they recently painted over a huge mural of Muhammed Ali, the famous heavyweight boxing champion of the world.
It reminded me – and I wrote to him about it – this interview I read many years ago where a Sports Illustrated article featured him as a retired, aging, athlete. He took the reporter out to a barn on his property which held all his trophies, mementos and huge posters and photographs of him in his “glory days” – they were framed and hanging on the walls. The pigeons had left droppings on the posters, and he scowled up at them. The reporter said that Ali sauntered over to the barn door, stood there quietly thinking for a while and then muttered to the reporter, “I once had the world . . . and it was nothing.” I once had the world . . . and it was nothing.
What is it that you want outta life today?
Has your thirst for things that haven’t satisfied you, made you realize you need the Savior? Have you had enough of the polluted water of sin that only made you sick of heart and mind and soul?
Sin never quenches thirst; it only makes the desire stronger, and the satisfaction weaker. (SOURCE: Wiersbe, p. 56)
- Isaiah prophesied that God’s people will draw water with joy from the well of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)
- The Messiah prophesied through Isaiah of the new covenant and the blessing of the coming kingdom, with these words: “I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.” (Isiah 44:3)
- Jeremiah 17:13 says that the Lord Himself is the fountain of living water.
Jesus invites you today just as He did back then:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me, and drink.” John 7:37
Here’s His invitation as the Book of Revelation is coming to a close:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. Revelation 21:6
And again in the final chapter of Revelation – the Bible closes with an invitation to you today:
“Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” Revelation 22:17
No payment – no price tag attached for you and me.
Like those Christmas gifts you’re gonna give other people this week – you took off the price tags. You did, didn’t you? How many are thinking, “Oh no!”
You don’t want them to know how much you paid for it – maybe it was 80% off. Maybe you found it in the attic and you’re just now regifting it, and the price tag is still on there from 1986! Oh no . . .
Gifts are gifts because they cost you something, but to the recipient, they are free.
So, drink of everlasting water – the Lord Jesus – He is the gift – He is the fountain – He is the water of everlasting life – for you.
Have you ever thought about the fact that nobody ever gets thirsty in heaven?
The Bible describes heaven this way: “They shall … not thirst anymore … For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water . . .” (Revelation 7:16-17)
There are four billion people on the planet today who would find that description of heaven the most compelling of all – no more thirst . . . springs of living water.
Jesus comes to an end of His public ministry thirsty, so that in heaven one day, spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, you will be forever satisfied – you will never be thirsty again.
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