Christ’s Prayer on the Cross 

Prior to reading Christ’s prayer from the cross, which is hidden in the Bible,  you need to know some verses that will help you understand the whole passage and the prayer.

Let’s start in John 19:20. This verse sets the location of where Jesus was crucified. Yes, we all know it is Golgotha but was it far or close to the city?

Verse 20 “Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.” In Mark 15:29-30,(40) Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, (v30) come down from the cross and save yourself!”

Many scholars agree that Jesus could see the Temple from Golgotha, which was on a ridge outside the gate. For now, just lock that piece of information away.

We also know that Jesus wore a crown of thorns. John 19:2 “And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.” The crown of thorns was placed and was “wrapped” around his head.

We also know that at the cross “there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour” (Matthew 27:45). In that thickness of the cloud God’s presence was hidden, but God was always with Him. In fact, if the darkness was not there at the cross those people attending and soldiers who physically put him on the cross would die from His glory.

My last point prior to revealing Christ’s prayer is that Jesus sacrificed himself “to do the will of God”. John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son”. Jesus died for our sins but He also died to show God’s love and grace to the world.

Now it’s time to read the chapter that contains the prayer of Christ on the cross. I have written it out (italicised) so you can follow and added comment in brackets.

“I called out of my distress to Yahwah (the God of Israel),

And He answered me.

I cried for help from the depth of Sheol ( a place of the dead where there is no light just darkness);

You (God) heard my voice.

“For You had cast me into the deep, (John 3:16 and this deep is where darkness resides – where God is not present. For where God is there is light)

Into the heart of the seas, (seas represent multitudes of people and here we see that Jesus dwelt with us, amongst us – See John 1:14 – “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. Interestingly the word heart is used to give emphasis of the importance of the heart)

And the current engulfed me.

All Your breakers and billows passed over me. (Psalm 42:7 – at the cross darkness covered the area – it was like thundering breakers crashing and crushing Jesus. Then the verse says “Then God promises to love me all day…..My life is God’s prayer)

“So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight. (Jesus felt he was expelled from God’s sight because of the sin he carried for humanity)

Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ (But Jesus knew he would look again on His Father. His faith was in God’s Word was strong. Note that Jesus could also see the temple from the cross)

“Water encompassed me to the point of death. (the evil darkness of sin encompassed Jesus)

The great deep engulfed me,  (where sin started and resides was the place in the great deep – total darkness)

Weeds were wrapped around my head. (Symbolising the crown of thorns and the fact that sin was trying to capture Jesus forever)

“I descended to the roots of the mountains. (Sin is so heavy Jesus HE was now at the roots of sin – the root of evil where Satan chose that course and to stay)

The earth with its bars was around me forever, (the bars indicate the power of sin where it can separate one from God forever. It is like a prison)

But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. (Jesus born in a manger in the pit of humanity and God directed His path. Jesus always acknowledged God for all things, as He did God’s will)

“While I was fainting away, (Jesus dying on the cross. Jesus died prematurely as most people on a cross died after a days not hours. But this fainting was due to the weight of sin upon Him and the thinking that He is being separated from God because of the sins He bore for us)

I remembered the Lord (Yahweh) (despite His condition the last thoughts are about remembering God, remembering His Word and promises)

And my prayer came to You,

Into Your holy temple. (This referring to the Day of Atonement where the prayer from the High Priest was offered, mixed with incense, for the forgiveness of Israel. It is a reference that Jesus mission was to be the only sacrifice that saves)

“Those who regard vain idols

Forsake their faithfulness, ( note the word forsake – but Jesus never lost faith in God)

But I will sacrifice to You (Jesus was all about sacrificing Himself for God and man. It was a bout vindicating God that He is a God of love and it was about releasing man from sin through Jesus)

With the voice of thanksgiving. (Despite the weight of sin and darkness around Him He gave thanks)

That which I have vowed I will pay. (Jesus vowed to God that He would pay the price as soon as sin entered the universe. The plan of salvation was set)

Salvation is from the Lord (Yahwah).” (Jesus died knowing salvation is in God’s hand)

Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. (God instructed the tomb be open and Jesus rose on the third day.

Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”.

Yes, this is Jonah’s prayer to God. However, the bible is written to reveal God and His salvation for man. This prayer reveals what Jesus experienced on the cross. It primarily describes the pain that Jesus went through because of that separation because of the sins He bore for man. However one should also see that God never left Jesus. He was there with Jesus because of His infinite love for Jesus and man.

This prayer also reveals that God the Father is not that common depiction of a Judge with infinite wrath. He is love. He is mercy. He gave His only Son for us.