# “Christ spoke prophetic words on the cross” by Joel Beeke

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2021/04/07/christ-spoke-prophetic-words-on-the-cross-by-joel-beeke/
- Published: 2021-04-07T12:00:11-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“The death of Christ is the greatest demonstration of God’s love for man (**John
3:16; Rom. 5:6-8**). What love is this, when God did not spare His own Son but gave
Him up to save His enemies (**Rom. 8:32**)!

It appeared to be a a tragic display of foolishness (**1 Cor. 1:18**), the waste
of the best of lives, but in fact it revealed God’s wisdom and power to save sinners
through the most amazing means (**1 Cor. 1:23-25**).

Furthermore, Christ spoke prophetic words in His passion, including His seven words,
or sayings, from the cross, which revealed the following:

 * _God’s grace to forgive sinners through Christ_: “Father, forgive them; for they
   know not what they do” (**Luke 23:34**).
 * _God’s salvation through Christ for the repentant_: “Verily I say unto thee, 
   Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (**Luke 23:43**).
 * _God’s creation of a new spiritual family in Christ_: “He saith unto his mother,
   Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And 
   from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (**John 19:26-27**).
 * _God’s abandonment of Christ to suffer divine judgment as He bore our sins_: “
   My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (**Mark 15:34**).
 * _God’s fulfillment of His promises and prophecies in Christ_: “Jesus knowing 
   that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled,
   saith, I thirst” (**John 19:28**).
 * _God’s complete accomplishment of salvation by Christ_: “It is finished” (**John
   19:30**).
 * _God’s acceptance of Christ’s spirit because He completed His work, in anticipation
   of His resurrection_: “Father, into thy hands commend my spirit” (**Luke 23:46**).

Christ’s greatest revelation of God took place when His deity was most hidden in
suffering and shame. This hidden revelation can be accessed only by faith, a a faith
that humbles our pride “that no flesh should glory in his presence,” but “he that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (**1 Cor. 1:29, 31**).

Christ is the Prophet of the cross, and we can receive His revelation by the way
of the cross.”

–Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, [_Reformed Systematic Theology, Volume 2: Man and Christ_](https://amzn.to/39CQpKH)(
Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020), 2: 959.

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