Psalm 22 is a predictive psalm and foretells the sufferings of the Messiah when he died on the cross: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15).

Psalm 69 also describes the terrible sufferings of the Lord: “Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none. They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:20-21). Gall is very bitter.  

The Gospels link the suffering expressed here as a foreshadowing of Christ’s suffering on the cross. (Matthew 27:34,48; Mark 15:23,36; Luke 23:36; John 19:29.) 

At his crucifixion, he was twice offered something to drink, at the beginning and at the end. The first was vinegar, a cheap wine mixed with myrrh as a pain-killing narcotic. This was intended to be a pacifier to help with the pain, but when he tasted it, he refused it. He had said earlier that he would not drink the fruit of the vine until he drank it fresh in the Father’s Kingdom. He was dying in our place and suffering for our sins, and he needed to be fully conscious until his death. The second time was when, after six hours and near death, he was dehydrated and terribly thirsty. Instead of offering him the water he needed, they offered him wine-vinegar. He died shortly afterwards.  

This had been the last opportunity for someone to show him compassion. The least one can do for a dying man is to give them water, but they all failed him, yet Jesus had said that anyone giving someone a cup of water would receive a reward.  

Jesus endured great hostility from sinners against himself. (Hebrews 12:2-3). I have often wondered why it was that he had to endure such terrible torture for so long when he could have been killed quickly, as were the sacrificial lambs in the temple that died humanely and quickly. It seems that these sinners enjoyed seeing him suffer and deliberately dragged it out, making it as painful as possible. Crucifixion is one of the worst ways to die, but scripture says that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.  (Colossians 1:19-22, 2 Corinthians 5:19).  

I believe it was because, as our substitute, he had to experience the very worst that sinners could do to him and, through it all, forgive. God was in Christ, reconciling the sins of the whole world. Jesus suffered for every sin ever committed. Through it all, he forgave; that’s why he is now the Saviour for all who receive him as Lord.  

He said to the woman at the well that those who drink from him will never thirst again. (Revelation 7:16, John 4:10-14).

The Lord Jesus is the Fountain of eternal life and the provider of “living water” to all who come to him. His life is eternal and will never run out, yet he suffered the cruellest thirst of all.   

The one thing we all need, more than any other after breath, is water. One can go without food for long periods, but one cannot go without water for very long. Jesus is the spring of eternal life, and he invites all who are thirsty to come to him. He cried out with a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37-38).  

There is a river that flows from God’s great throne, and it will never dry up. (Revelation 22:1). Oh, that we might thirst after the Lord in this dry and thirsty land in which we now dwell.  

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’. Whoever is thirsty let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17).  

Join us as we continue on our journey through – The Seven Sayings of Jesus from the Cross:

Episode Six – “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Episode Seven – “It is finished!”