“When he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.” Matthew 27:50 KJV
“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.” Matthew 27:50 NASB
The loud voice would have been unique for a man suspended on a cross, who normally would be dying from asphyxiation. But the Lord Jesus was never dying. It was not a process for Him. It was a decisive act of His will. Here, in Matthew, we are told that he “yielded up” His Spirit. The word which Matthew employs suggests a dignified sending away; it shows the total control the Lord Jesus had over His life. Men might do their worst seeking to take His life; but no man could take that life. When the moment came however, He willing “sent it away.” The victim of Calvary was actually the victor; the captive – the conqueror.
Questions to Consider:
- Look at the different words which Mark, Luke, and John all employ when the Lord Jesus “yielded up the ghost.” Notice how consistent it is with the theme of each Gospel.
- The sending away of His spirit also shows the moment and reality of His death. He did not lapse into unconsciousness; He did not swoon; He was not in shock. He died! Work completed. He would have had to know exactly when to dismiss His spirit, when the work was completed. Is this one reason among many why He did not drink the wine and gall?
- In what way was the committing of His spirit to God and the subsequent events concerning His body, an act of faith on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ?
