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Traditionally the seven sayings of Jesus are put in order:

  1. Luke 23:34 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
  2. Luke 23:43 Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
  3. John 19:26–27 Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother
  4. Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
  5. John 19:28 I thirst.
  6. John 19:30 It is finished. (From the Greek "Tetelestai" which is also translated "It is accomplished", or "It is complete".)
  7. Luke 23:46: Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.

Is this order arrived at some internal evidence or is traditionally believed. Also, why "It is finished" - John 19:30 is not considered as last words of Jesus rather "Father, into thy hands i commit my spirit" of Luke 23:46.

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    Some additional evidence of the order is through examining the instances of a cry being noted but no words being recorded by that particular evangelist whereas another evangelist documents the actual words of the cry.
    – Nigel J
    Apr 8, 2019 at 15:35
  • You will need to provide a source for this order so that it can be examined.
    – user25930
    Apr 8, 2019 at 22:50
  • Please refer to the order used by [blueletter bible] (blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_809.cfm) Apr 13, 2019 at 16:23

1 Answer 1

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I don’t know which religious denomination place the last words of Jesus in the order you present, but one Protestant source lists them but with the caveat that they are not in any particular order:

Matthew 27:46 “Why have you forsaken me?” was spoken at about the ninth hour.

Luke 23:34 “Father forgive them” was spoken during the period Jesus was being mocked.

Luke 23:43 “Today you will be with me in paradise” was spoken in the hour of Jesus’ death.

Luke 23:46 “Into your hands I commit my spirit” recorded in Luke’s gospel as Jesus’ last words.

As Nigel J rightly points out, the disciple whom Jesus loved – John – was actually present at the crucifixion and perhaps that is the reason for placing these last three words from Jesus at the end:

John 19:26-27 “Dear Woman, here is your son!” and “Here is your mother!”

John 19:28 “I am thirsty.”

John 19:30 “It is finished!”

Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/seven-sayings-Christ.html

It does not matter in which order those words were spoken, or whether Jesus’ last words were to commit his spirit into his Father’s hands or to cry out “It is finished!” The Apostle John was there and recorded events as he witnessed them but in no way does that detract from the accounts in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. We focus on the words said, and not on how tradition places them.

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  • Which protestant source do you quote?
    – user25930
    Apr 8, 2019 at 22:53
  • @ Mac's Musings Link to source added
    – Lesley
    Apr 9, 2019 at 7:04

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