Seven Words On the Cross by Jesus Christ

1. The first word: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," is the supreme example of forgiveness as Jesus interceded for those who scoffed at Him.

2. The second word: "Verily I say unto Thee. Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise," was addressed to one of the two malefactors who were crucified on either side of Him. One repented and asked for forgiveness and Jesus assured him that he was forgiven.

3. The third word: "Woman behold your son!" addressed to the weeping mother Mary, demonstrated the filial care and responsibility by entrusting her to the care of His beloved disciple John.

4. The fourth word: "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani - My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?" is the anguished cry of Jesus who by taking the sins of the whole world became repugnant to God, the essence of holiness. It was an ironic reward for His redemptive sacrificial suffering for all humankind.

5. The fifth word: "I thirst," proves the Man on the Cross was truly human in all respects, parched with thirst, after having been nailed to the cross for three hours in the terrible heat of the sun from noon to three O'clock in the afternoon.

6. The sixth word: "It is finished", is a familiar word taken from the world of commerce. It would be a triumphant shout of a contemporary Jew, who having been paid all his debts in full, would proclaim that he was free from all debts. The relief was great because a defaulting debtor and his family could have been thrown into prison until the last penny with interest had been paid. Jesus had paid the debt for all of humankind's sins. Only later would people understand what it truly meant.

7. The seventh and the last word: "Father into thy hands, I commend my spirit", was Jesus's surrendering His earthly life into the safekeeping of God.

The Seven Words in the Cross are applicable to all those -- of whatever faith they subscribe to -- as the believer's relationship with God who creates, punishes and forgives.