“I thirst.” (John 19:28) A single word in the Greek text of John’s Gospel. Very often this word from the cross is taken to be a proof that Jesus is human. His being thirsty is considered a sign of his humanity. However, after having gone through the first eighteen chapters of John’s Gospel, which begins with the central claim that “the Word became flesh” no one should have any doubt that Jesus is fully human. And therefore such a sign would have been superfluous.

On the other hand, because John adds the comment that Jesus said these words “so that Scripture would be fulfilled” many Christians look for a scripture passage that refers to this event in Jesus’ life. And they likely go to Psalm 69.21 which reads, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” I do not care much for such ‘proof texting’. Indeed, the rest of Psalm 69 is so general that pointing to v. 21 as the scripture that is being fulfilled seems to be special pleading.

However, it seems better to think that what John means here is that Jesus was bringing scripture to its climactic goal. I think Jesus is pointing out to the first question God asks in the bible. We find it in Genesis 3.9, where, after Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit and had hidden themselves, God asks, “Where are you?” Human sin had driven a wedge between themselves and God. Humans now felt inadequate and exposed in God’s presence. And while God knew what had happened, his question, the first first question, reveals God’s desire, God’s thirst.

After pronouncing judgment on the people of Israel and the temple in what is normally called ‘the cry of dereliction’ Jesus now reveals that God’s thirst for his human creatures has remained unquenched through all the centuries that had passed since humans first turned their backs on him.

In other words, rather than revealing Jesus’ humanity, the words “I thirst” reveal Jesus’ divinity! Through them Jesus tells us that the goal of scripture – revealing the origins and depths of the human problem and the solution – was at hand and that God’s thirst for his human creatures was about to be quenched.

John also perhaps intends us to see the irony in Jesus’ words. In chapter 4, while speaking to the Samaritan woman, and then again in chapter 7, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus had announced that he had access to unquenchable streams of living water. To the Samaritan woman he had declared, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4.14) And at the Feast of Tabernacles he proclaimed, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7.38) What had happened to those promises? Were they empty?

In chapters 4 and 7 the living water refers to the Holy Spirit. This is made clear in chapter 7. Jesus reveals the thirst of God for his human creatures, but, ironically, this thirst will be quenched beyond his death when, after he is raised, he gives the Holy Spirit, the living water, to his disciples. God’s thirst that Jesus reveals, in other words, will be quenched when the Holy Spirit reveals to the disciples how thirsty they themselves need to be for him!

Prayer:

Gracious, loving Father. We come before you with immense gratitude that, through your Son, you have revealed to us how deeply you long for us to be restored to you. And we thank you that, through the obedience of Jesus, we have indeed been restored and reconciled to you. Give us your Spirit daily so that we can have our need for you met. And may your Spirit increase our thirst for you so that we can become sources of living water for those around us. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.