Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19: “It Is Finished” (June 19-25)

Ecce Homo (detail) by Antonio Ciseri

During the final hours of Jesus’s life, He displayed remarkable self-discipline. He had taught His disciples to be meek, to “resist not evil,” and to bless people who curse them (Matthew 5:5, 39, 44, 3 Nephi 12:5, 39, 44, Luke 6:28). As He was unfairly tried and painfully executed, He put those admonitions into practice over and over.

The Trials

After being arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus appeared before four judges, two Jewish and two Roman. In each case, He demonstrated remarkable restraint even as He was badly mistreated:

1. Annas – Jesus first appeared before Annas, the former high priest and father-in-law of the current high priest. Annas asked a number of questions about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered with questions: “Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me.” And when a soldier struck Him for speaking disrespectfully, He responded, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?” (John 18:19-23).
2. Caiaphas – Next, He was taken to the home of the high priest, Caiaphas. Multiple witnesses appeared, but they all contradicted each other. The high priest asked Him twice to respond to the witnesses. The first time, Jesus said nothing. The second time, He testified that they would see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of God. That was enough to convince them that He was guilty of blasphemy. (See Matthew 26:57-66, Mark 14:53-64, Luke 22:66-71.)
3. Pilate – The Jewish leaders brought Jesus to the judgment hall, where the Roman leader, Pontius Pilate, could question Him. Pilate asked if He was the King of the Jews. Jesus clarified that His kingdom was not of this world but that He had come to bear witness of the truth. After that, He was silent. (See John 18:28-37, Matthew 27:11-14, Mark 15:1-5, Luke 23:1-4.)
4. Herod – Herod Antipas had responsibility for Galilee, where Jesus was from. Because he was in Jerusalem for Passover, Pilate sent Jesus to him. Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus “answered him nothing” (Luke 23:8-9).

Throughout all of these experiences, which lasted throughout the night, Jesus demonstrated extraordinary poise. He answered unreasonable questions with wisdom. In some cases, He said nothing at all, fulfilling a prophecy of Isaiah. (See Isaiah 53:7, Mosiah 14:7.) Here is a blog post about Jesus’ example of dignity and self-assurance under duress:

• “He Opened Not His Mouth”

Words from the Cross

Between the four gospels, we read of seven statements Jesus made while dying on the cross, over a period of about six hours. Here are some lessons we can learn from each of those statements, with relevant blog posts for some of them:

1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) – Jesus prayed for those who despitefully used Him, asking God to forgive the soldiers even as they were in the act of crucifying Him. He set the perfect example of forgiveness: As Often as My People Repent Will I Forgive – Mosiah 26:30-31.
2. “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) – Jesus reassured one of the thieves who was crucified with Him that God provides places of peace and security, and that he could be welcomed into those places: In Paradise.
3. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34) – This cry of agony was actually a scriptural quotation. (See Psalm 22:1.) In that moment, the words of David perfectly expressed the agony and the loneliness He felt. Ironically, Jesus’ loneliest moment serves as a reminder to us that He will never abandon us: Forsaken.
4. “Woman, behold thy son!… Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26-27) – Even as He suffered excruciating pain, His thoughts turned to His mother. He honored her and provided for her future well-being: Women in the Gospels.
5. “I thirst.” (John 19:28) – Jesus described His suffering as a “bitter cup.” Now, as that suffering came to an end, He was given vinegar to drink: The Bitter Cup.
6. “It is finished.” (John 19:30) – His final words on the cross were an affirmation that He had completed all things that He had been sent to do. He was now teleioumai (τελειοῦμαι): perfected or complete. See this blog post: Why Did Jesus Tell Us to Be Perfect?
7. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) – The word “commend” can mean to praise or to endorse, but in this context, it means to entrust. Like the Jaredites as they entered barges bound for an unknown destination across a tumultuous sea, Jesus intentionally commended Himself unto His Father (Ether 6:4): “Commending Themselves Unto the Lord Their God” – Ether 6:4

Symbolism of the Cross

Execution on a cross was an intentionally painful death, with the victim suffering for hours or even days. It was also intentionally visible, to shame the victim and deter other would-be criminals. Ironically, the conspicuousness of Jesus’ death enables Him to invite us all to come to Him and be saved. After His resurrection, He highlighted this irony: “As I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father” (3 Nephi 27:14). Here’s a blog post about this symbolism: Lifted Up

Additionally, long before He was crucified, Jesus invited His disciples to take up their crosses and follow Him. (See Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24.) In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Jacob urges us to “believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world” (Jacob 1:8). A cross thus provides a meaningful metaphor of the suffering we willingly bear as we follow the Savior: His Cross.

Finally, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained another lesson we can learn from the imagery of the Savior on the cross:

It is one of the most powerful paradoxes of the Crucifixion that the arms of the Savior were stretched wide open and then nailed there, unwittingly but accurately portraying that every man, woman, and child in the entire human family is not only welcome but invited into His redeeming, exalting embrace.

“Lifted Up upon the Cross,” General Conference, October 2022

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