Luke 23:46 says, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all speak of this incident, but only Luke tells us exactly what the Lord said.  Prior to this remark, the Lord Jesus had said ‘with a loud voice, “It is finished.” (John 19:30).  It was as the only begotten Son of God that the Lord Jesus could determine that He had suffered enough and that the sin debt we owed had been paid.  In fact, the phrase, “It is finished” is actually one word in the Greek language.  That word is ‘teleo’ and is translated as ‘accomplished’ in Luke 12:50, and is translated as ‘pay’ in Matthew 17:24.

So, after declaring that our sin debt had been fully paid, the Lord Jesus proclaimed, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”  Amazing words for us to consider.  The Lord Jesus committed His own spirit into His Father’s hands.  Let’s consider the Lord’s words in John 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”  The Lord Jesus had the power to cause His spirit to leave His body.  He had the power, or ‘authority’ to do such a thing.  This is something that is impossible for man to do.  Oh, but Christ is much more that a man.  He is God and man at the same time.  We read in 1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

After commending His spirit to His Father’s hands, we read further in Luke 23:45, “having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”  John 19:30 tells us that Christ, “bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”  How amazing was this act that the Lord Jesus bowed His head and “gave up the ghost.”  He literally laid His head upon His chest and His spirit left His body.  Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”  The sufferings, His blood being shed, and His death is what has gained for us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life!  And then…”(Christ) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:25).  After three days, Christ was raised from the dead, showing our justification before God.

The resurrection is so essential to our salvation, that all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) record this event.

* Matthew 28:6, “He is not here: for HE IS RISEN, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

* Mark 16:6, “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: HE IS RISEN; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.”

* Luke 24:6, “He is not here, BUT IS RISEN: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.”

* John 20:9, “HE MUST RISE AGAIN from the dead.”

How amazing it is that the Lord could love us so much that He would give His life an “offering and a sacrifice” (Ephesians 5:2) for us and then rise again in three days! Romans 10:9-10 instructs us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (364.6)