THE FIFTH WORD:

“That the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty'” (John 19:28).

Commentary on the Fifth Word (John 19:28):

As noted above, this Gospel is concerned about the fulfillment of scripture, and more so
as the story unfolds. The scripture in question here is most likely Psalm 69:21, which
says: “They gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.”

This is not to suggest that Jesus is not truly thirsty. It has been many hours since his
arrest. He has been flogged and beaten, and has walked to the crucifixion site.
Withholding water is a part of the crucifixion process. It is not difficult to imagine how
terrible his thirst would be. But he surely understands that, when saying that he is
thirsty, his words fulfill scripture.

Meditation on the Fifth Word:

Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” Of course he was thirsty. Thirst was part of the genius of
crucifixion. The Romans tormented their prisoners, in part, by denying them water. Then
they forced the prisoners to carry their heavy crosses quite a distance. Then they hung
the prisoners on their crosses to suffer through hot days and cold nights—with no
clothing, food, or water. Roman soldiers stood guard to insure that family members
couldn’t come forward to help the prisoners.

Also, they had flogged Jesus, laying open the flesh of his back. And they had thrust a
spear through his side. Jesus had sustained a great deal of blood loss. Of course he
was thirsty.

But we need to hear Jesus’ cry, “I am thirsty,” on a different level, because he was
quoting from Psalm 69. In that psalm, the Psalmist said, “My throat is dry. My eyes fail,
looking for my God” (Psalm 69:3).

The Psalmist also said, “They also gave me gall for my food. In my thirst, they gave me
vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21-22).

But that wasn’t the end of that psalm. The Psalmist, who had, indeed, despaired, went
on to say, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with
thanksgiving…. For (God) hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his…people” (69:30,
33).

So we need to hear Jesus’ cry, “I am thirsty,” in part, as the fulfillment of the Old
Testament. And we need not to hear it as words of despair.
When Jesus says, “I am thirsty,” it reminds me of what he said about thirst at the very
beginning of his ministry. In his Sermon on the Mount, he had said, “Blessed are those
who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

The words “hunger and thirst” mean less to affluent First World Christians today than to
the people of Jesus’ time. When we are hungry, we eat. When we are thirsty, we drink.

It was different in Jesus’ day—and it is different in many parts of the world even today.
People WERE often hungry—ARE often hungry—sometimes starving. Hunger and thirst
are compelling! A hungry person can think of little but food! A thirsty person can think of
little but water! To hunger and thirst is to be totally focused.

But Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled—
FILLED! They will not find life still empty! They will not be at loose ends! They will not
ache for more! “They shall be FILLED!” What a promise!