John 19:28-30 Thirsty For Christ’s Righteousness

John 19:28-30

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Just before Jesus died and gave up His spirit, He asked for a drink, it had been a very long day, hanging on the cross in the midday sun. The gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John says nothing of Jesus having anything to eat or drink since the time He was arrested, put on trial, flogged, and crucified,  you can imagine He was very hungry and thirsty. The Son of God cries out, “ I am thirsty, “He was quiet most of the majority of the time, but when the mouth and tongue are very dry, the desire to quench thirst can be very strong. Even when the Roman soldier saw Jesus as a criminal, they show Him mercy to give Him a drink, but the wine they had was sour, ( old bitter wine) and it was tainted with gall.

Matthew 27:33  And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. 

The gall was a crude anesthetic or pain reliever for a criminal nail pierce hands and feet. Jesus would rather refuse the drink than relieve His dry mouth. He wanted to maintain awareness, He didn’t want any kind of numbness or any kind of intoxication. The battle between Satan and Jesus high at this time, Jesus wanted to full awareness. The devil is non-stop at his warfare and Jesus wanted to accomplish the will Father God sent Him for.

1 Peter 5:8  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The devil wants to take our focus off Jesus and especially how very strong and courageous, maintain spiritual awareness. In times of anxiety, trouble, and suffer, many may to a way to escape, like drinking wine, beer, champagne or any kind of pain reliever or narcotic. Many might say, God,  plants like marijuana or coca leaves, so it should be natural’. It’s should okay to escape the problems by these nature plants, but all the devil needs to is to do see if that you and I have a little weakness, he starts putting temptation in our face.  Jesus should be our God and escape from the troubles of this world in good times and even in times of tribulations. If and when trouble comes, if a person turns to a bottle of wine or needs to get high or stone is Jesus truly our Prince of Peace our hiding place. If Jesus told us we must take up our cross, how will we do it, high on the narcotic of this world, or high on Spirit of God?  With the cross in front of you and me, where does our help come from, the devil’s bitter wine or the everlasting water of Jesus Christ? God bless you, Jesus loves you, and do I. Samuel J Head.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind, and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. 16 Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ?