How to ascertain that Luke 23:46 is the last words of Jesus on Cross and not John 19:30?

Question

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.

Answer 1

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.