"I am thirsty..."

Famous words muttered by Jesus on the cross as documented in the gospel of John.  A few years ago, as I was studying John, it occurred to me in the irony behind these words. the living water himself, has run dried and is now "thirsty." 

In John 4, when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman, he tells her about the living water;  that whoever drinks from it shall not thirst.  In John 6, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life...he who comes to me shall not thirst." 


I believe, that John was specifically inspired by the Holy Spirit to capture those words.  Those words clearly represented the true "passion of Jesus Christ."  All too often,we focus on the bodily pain and humiliation Jesus experienced on his way of the cross.  That in it of itself fulfills a portion of scripture where a lamb without blemish is sacrificed as a sin offering.  But what the words "I am thirsty" represents.... is the fact that Christ bore all of our sins.... including the first sin where Eve bit into the fruit... till the last sin in Revelation before the New Jerusalem descends from heaven.  Every single sin was laid on top of Jesus.... and the sin was so heavy, so burdening, so REAL.... that He truly gave up and lost this relationship with God.  He lost... his godly character.  He lost... the privilege of being the Son of God.

That is the true passion of Jesus Christ.  Because of these words, "I am thirsty..." we can now truly see and believe that Jesus completed this work here on earth as described in Philippians 2 -

rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!