The Sayings of Jesus on the cross (also called the Seven Last Words from the Cross) are seven expressions traditionally attributed to Jesus during his crucifixion, gathered from the four Canonical Gospels. Three of the sayings appear exclusively in the Gospel of Luke and three appear exclusively in the Gospel of John. The other saying appears both in the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew. In Mark and Matthew, Jesus cries out to God. In Luke, he forgives his killers, reassures the good thief, and commends his spirit to the Father. In John, he speaks to his mother, says he thirsts, and declares the end of his earthly life.
Since the 16th century these sayings have been widely used in the preachings on Good Friday and entire books have been written on the theological analysis, and the devotional elements of the seven sayings. The Seven Last Words from the Cross are an integral part of the liturgy in the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, and other Christian traditions.
Physicians and scientists who have studied the medical aspects of the crucifixion concluded that the sayings had to be short because crucifixion causes asphyxia. This makes inhaling air to speak difficult and painful, especially as death approaches.
The seven sayings tradition is an example of the Christian approach to the construction of a Gospel harmony, in which material from different Gospels is combined, producing an account that goes beyond each Gospel. Theologian James Dunn considers the sayings part of the elaborations of the diverse retellings of Jesus' final hours.
Read more about Sayings Of Jesus On The Cross: Seven Sayings, Theological Interpretations, Other Interpretations and Translations, Historicity of The Sayings
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