The 7 Words On The Cross & More Great Catholic Audiobooks
The seven sayings form part of a Christian meditation that is often used during Lent, Holy Week and Good Friday. The traditional order of the sayings is:
Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Luke 23:43: Verily, I say unto you today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
John 19:26–27: Woman, behold thy son. (Says to disciple) Behold thy mother.
Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
John 19:28: I thirst.
John 19:30: It is finished.
Luke 23:46: Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.
Traditionally, these seven sayings are called words of 1. Forgiveness, 2. Salvation, 3. Relationship, 4. Abandonment, 5. Distress, 6. Triumph and 7. Reunion.
As noted in the above list, not all seven sayings can be found in any one account of Jesus’ crucifixion. The ordering is a harmonisation of the texts from each of the four canonical gospels. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus is quoted in Aramaic, shouting the fourth phrase.. In Luke’s Gospel, the first, second, and seventh sayings occur. The third, fifth and sixth sayings can only be found in John’s Gospel. In other words:
In Matthew and Mark :
“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
In Luke:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”
“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (in response to one of the two thieves crucified next to him)
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (last words)
In John:
“Woman, behold your son: behold your mother” (directed at Mary, the mother of Jesus, either as a self-reference, or as a reference to the beloved disciple and an instruction to the disciple himself)
“I thirst” (just before a wetted sponge, mentioned by all the Canonical Gospels, is offered)
“It is finished” (last words)
Nelson MCBS 