Jesus was calling out with a loud voice

JESUS WAS CALLING OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 23:46 46Jesuscalledout with a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."When
he had said this, he breathed his last
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
How To Die And To Live
Luke 23:46
W. Clarkson
Our text treats of the dying of our Lord. We may distinguish betweendeath
and dying. All men die, but all men have not a dying experience. Those who
are killed instantaneouslyin war or by accident, those who are attackedby
fatal apoplexy, those who die in their sleep, have no such experience. It is
probable that we shall have to face the fact that we are passing awayfrom life,
that when a few more hours have come and gone we shall have enteredthe
unseen world. It is therefore of no small value to us that our great Exemplar
underwent not only death, but the consciousactof dying, and that in this
respectalso he "left us an example that we should follow his steps." We look
at -
I. THE DYING OF OUR LORD IN THE LIGHT OF THESE WORDS. The
words he uttered just as his end drew near indicate:

1. Deepserenity of spirit. They show nothing of agitationor anxiety; they
breathe a calm stillness of soul; they are fragrant of peace and tranquillity.
They begin with that word, "Father," whichall along had been a name of
strength and peace;he was evidently resting in the assurance ofparental love.
And the words that follow are in a strain of entire spiritual composure.
2. True and living faith. Jesus was resigning his spirit to God's gracious
charge, knowing that in his holy and mighty keeping it would be safe and
blessed. Here was fullest confidence in God and in immortality.
3. Holy resignation. As a Son of man, Jesus felt still subject to the Divine
Father of all; and as he came to do and bear his will, and had done and had
borne it perfectly in every hour and actof life, so now in this last volition he
yielded himself to God. Thus with a soul tranquil to its profoundest depths,
realizing the unseenand eternal world, resigning his spirit to the Divine
Father, he bowedhis head in death.
II. OUR OWN DEPARTURE. Having found in the death of Jesus Christ that
which is the ground of our pardon, our peace, our life before God; having
lived in the love and in the service of a once crucified and now ever-living
Savior; - there is no reasonto doubt that we shall die as he died, breathing the
spirit he breathed, if we do not use the very language that was upon his lips.
1. Our departure will be tranquil. We shall not be terrified, alarmed, agitated;
our spirit will look calmly forward to the moment of departure from this
world and of entrance into another. We shall face the very near future with a
smile.

2. Forwe shall be sustained by a living faith.
(1) We shall feel that we are only going into the nearer presence ofour own
Father - of him before whom we have been living and in whom we have been
rejoicing;only passing from one room to another in our Father's house.
(2) We shall have faith in Jesus Christ himself. That death upon the cross
constitutes him a Divine Savior, in whom we hide; and we shall die in the calm
assurance thatwe shall be "found in him," and acceptedthrough him. We
shall say, with deeper and fuller meaning than the psalmist could, "Into thine
hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemedme, O Lord God of truth (Psalm
31:5).
(3) We shall yield ourselves to God in the spirit of consecration, assuredthat
in that new and unknown realm which we are entering we may spend our
time and our powers, liberated and enlarged, in his holy and blessedservice:
and the spirit of consecration is the spirit of confidence and hope. And while
these words are particularly appropriate to dying lips, and very probably
suggestedthe last utterance of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:59), they
need not be held in reserve for that occasion;they admirably express our true
attitude in -
III. OUR DAILY LIFE. SO David evidently felt (Psalm 31:5), and so we may
feel. In faith and in self-surrenderwe should be continually commending our
spirit to Our heavenly Father's charge:
1. When the day is done and we enter the nightly darkness and
unconsciousness,during which we cantake no charge ofourselves.

2. As we go forth eachmorning to duties, trials, temptations, opportunities, to
which our own unaided strength is quite unequal.
3. If we feel that we are entering some dark cloud of adversity and trial in
which we shall have peculiar need of Divine support.
4. When we are calledto new spheres and weightierresponsibilities, wherein
other graces willbe required than any that have yet been demanded of us. At
all such times should we, in faith and consecration, committhe keeping of our
souls to our heavenly Father, to be shelteredin his faithfulness, to be enriched
by his love and his power. - C.
Biblical Illustrator
Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.
Luke 23:46

That dying believers are both warranted
J. Flavel.
I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN A BELIEVER'S COMMENDING OR
COMMITTING HIS SOUL INTO THE HAND OF GOD AT DEATH?
1. That the soul outlives the body.
2. That the soul's true rest is in God.
3. The great value believers have for their souls. He thinks but little of his
body comparatively.
4. These words imply the deep sense that dying believers have of the great
change that is coming upon them by death; when all visible and sensible
things are shrinking awayfrom them and failing. They feel the world and the
best comforts in it failing; every creature and creature-comfortfailing: For at
death we are said to fail (Luke 16:9). Hereupon the soul clasps the closer
about its God, cleaves more close than ever to Him: "Father, into Thy hands I
commend My spirit."
5. It implies the atonement of God, and His full reconciliationto believers, by
the blood of the greatSacrifice;else they durst never commit their souls into
His hands: "Forit is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
(Hebrews 12:29).
6. It implies both the efficacyand excellencyof faith, in supporting and
relieving the soul at a time when nothing else is able to do it.

II. WHAT WARRANT OR ENCOURAGEMENTHAVE GRACIOUS
SOULS TO COMMIT THEMSELVES, AT DEATH, INTO THE HANDS OF
GOD? I answer, much every way; all things encourage and warrant its so
doing: for —
1. This God, to whom the believer commits himself at death, is its Creator;the
Father of its being: He createdand inspired it, and so it hath relation of a
creature to a Creator;yea, of a creature now in distress, to a faithful Creator
(1 Peter4:19).
2. As the gracious soulis His creature, so it is His redeemed creature; one that
He hath bought, and that with a great price, even with the precious blood of
Jesus Christ (1 Peter1:18). This greatly encourages the departing soul to
commit itself into the hands of God; so you find (Psalm 31:5).
3. The gracious soulmay confidently and securelycommit itself into the hands
of God when it parts with its body at death; not only because it is His
creature, His redeemed creature, but because it is His renewedcreature also.
All natural excellencyand beauty goes awayat death (Job 4. ult.), but grace
ascends with the soul; it is a sanctified, when a separate soul;and can God
shut the door of glory upon such a soul, that by grace is made meet for the
inheritance? Oh, it cannotbe!
4. As the gracious soulis a renewedsoul, so it is also a sealedsoul;God hath
sealedit in this world for that glory, into which it is now to enter at death.
Surely, if God have sealed, He will not refuse you; if He have given His
earnest, He will not shut you out; God's earnestis not given in jest.

5. Moreover, everygracious soulmay confidently castitself into the arms of
its God, when it goes hence, with "Father, into Thy hands I commit my
spirit." Forasmuchas every gracious soulis a soul in covenantwith God, and
God stands obliged, by His covenantand promise to such, not to castthem
out, when they come unto Him. As soonas ever thou became His, by
regeneration, that promise became thine (Hebrews 13:5).
6. But this is not all; the gracious soulsustains many intimate and dear
relations to that God into whose hands it commends itself at death. It is His
spouse, and the considerationofsuch a day of espousals may well encourageit
to castitself into the bosom of Christ, its head and husband. It is a member of
His body, flesh and bones (Ephesians 5:30). It is His child, and He its
everlasting Father(Isaiah 9:6). It is His friend. "Henceforth," saithChrist, "I
call you not servants, but friends" (John 15:15). What confidence may these,
and all other the dear relations Christ owns to the renewedsoul, beget, in such
an hour as this is!
7. The unchangeableness ofGod's love to His people gives confidence they
shall in no wise be castout. They know Christ is the same to them at last as He
was at first the same in the pangs of death as He was in the comforts of life.
Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the end
(John 13:1). He doth not love as the world loves, only in prosperity; but they
are as dear to Him when their beauty and strength are gone, as when they
were in the greatestflourishing. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die,
we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's (Romans
14:8).Deduction
1. Are dying believers, only, warranted and encouragedthus to commend
their souls into the hands of God? What a sadstrait, then, must all dying
unbelievers be in about their souls? Such souls will fall into the hands of God,

but that's their misery, not their privilege. They are not put by faith into the
bands of mercy, but fall by sin into the hands of justice.
2. Will God graciouslyaccept, and faithfully keepwhat the saints commit to
Him at death? How carefulthen should they be to keepwhat God commits to
them, to be kept for Him while they live.
3. If believers may safelycommit their souls into the hands of God, how
confidently may they commit all lesserinterests, and lowerconcernments into
the same hand.
4. Is this the privilege of believers, that they can commit their souls to God in
a dying hour? Then how precious, how useful grace is faith to the people of
God, both living and dying?
5. Do the souls of dying believers commend themselves into the hands of God?
Then let not the surviving relations of such sorrow as men that have no hope
(J. Flavel.)
The lastwords of Christ
T. M. Herbert, M. A.
Jesus Christ did not die for Himself, any more than He lived for Himself; and
He not only "died, the Justfor the unjust, to bring us to God," but the
manner of His dying was a lessonand a pattern for us. That is the Christian
way of dying — the way for all to die; and who would wish, or could imagine,
any fitter or happier way? Who would not, in this sense, say, "Letme die the

death of my Saviour, and let my last end be like His!" And how it disarms our
helplessnessofits terrors! "I am powerless,"it seems to say, "and therefore I
commend to Thine omnipotence this frail and sensitive soul, which came at
first from Thy creating hand. I do so reverently, but I do so confidently, for I
do so as a child who calls Thee, 'My Father.'" I have said it expresses
dependence — and so it does;but in Christ's case,and even in our own, the
confidence expressedis more prominent still. In His case there seems a
suggestionofthe words, "No man taketh My life from Me, but I lay it down of
Myself";"I, as My own act, commend it, Father, to Thee." We do not possess
that power; our souls are "required" of us. But, more than that, we are
accustomedto think of dying as the most terrible crisis of our history; the
hour of supreme peril to our souls; the appalling event which decides our fate
for ever. It is a greatmistake. Our dying does not decide our future fate: it is
our living which does that; the course we have taken, the choices we have
made when opportunities were in our hands, and we used them, or threw
them away! And therefore, I say, the peril of living is greaterfar than any
peril there can be in dying. I commend My spirit into Thy hands to be
delivered. Considerany human spirit now; consideryour own. Before it are
greatpossibilities of goodand of evil. It must be so. If we can be God's true
children, and live with, and become like our Father, it is terrible to fail of this;
and it is more dreadful still — it is an indescribable degradation — not even
to care about it. Since, then, we are in this case;capable of being God's
children, but hindered and prevented from being so by our evil, there is
supreme need for us eachto cry, "Father, hear met deliver me! Into Thy
hands I commend my spirit — my sin-stainedspirit. I am Thine. Save me!" I
commend my spirit into Thy hands, to be made pure. The deliverance and
reformation which the Scriptures saythat we require, they describe by the
strong expressions "a new birth," "a new creation." Theysay that is needed
in order that we may stand "without blame" before God. Does not our sad
experience saythe same? Godprescribes it. God promises to perform it, and
on us.
(T. M. Herbert, M. A.)

Soul-resignationinto the hands of God
W. Bridge, M. A.
Yea, and it is a very profitable thing for us to do it hereby we make a virtue of
necessity;and where canwe lodge our souls in saferhands? If a man cannot
keepa thing himself, but must betrust and deposit it in other hands, will he
not do it in the safesthands that he canfind? Now three things there are that
are required to a safe hand: power, wisdom, and love. If I deposit a thing in a
man's hand to keep, he must be able to keepit for me againstviolence, else his
hand is no safe hand; though he be able and have powerto keepit for me, yet
if he be prodigal and lavish, and not wise, I shall not count his hand a safe
hand to keepmy depositum: but though he be never so wise, yet if he be not
my friend, I shall not betrust him with any great matter: but if a man be able,
wise and friendly, then his hand is a safe hand to keepmy depositum. And
againif we do not commend, commit, and resign ourselves and souls into His
hands, we must be responsible for them ourselves. "Whatbenefit shall we get
thereby? Much every way. This resignationof our souls and selves unto God
is an inlet to many mercies, graces, andcomforts. As for mercies and
blessings;what greaterblessing canthere be in in this world than to enjoy
one's-self;under God to enjoy one's-self, and to be free from all things? As it
is an inlet unto many blessings, so it is an inlet unto many graces andduties.
What grace or duty will ye instance in? Will ye instance in prayer? It opens
the sluices ofprayer; and, as one speakswell, though you pray never so long
or loud, yet if you do not resign up your soul and will unto God, your prayer is
but nonsense, anda contradiction in re. As it is an inlet unto many graces, so
it is an inlet also unto many comforts;yea, indeed, unto all our comforts:for
what comfort can a man have in himself or condition, till he hath truly
resignedand given up himself and soul and will unto God? but being done, ye
may freely go about your business. If a man have a suit in law, and have left
his cause in the hand of an able, careful friend and lawyer, he is quiet; much
more may we be quiet, when we have left and lodgedour case and wayand
soul with God. Well, but then how is this work to be done that we may truly
resignand give up ourselves, our souls, and our wills unto God? It is not to be
done slightly and overly, but seriously and solemnly. It is an ordinary thing
with men to say, "The will of the Lord be done." As this work is not to be

done slightly and overly, so neither is it to be done forcedly and lastly, but
freely and firstly. As it is not to be done lastly and forcedly, so it is not to be
done partially, and by halves, but fully and totally. "I am Thine," saith David
to God, "Oh, save me" (Psalm 119:94). As this resignationmust not be done
partially, and by halves, so it must not be done conditionally, but absolutely.
As this resignationis not to be done conditionally, so it is not to be done
passively, and in a way of submission only, but actively. It is one thing for a
man to submit unto God's will, and another thing to resignup himself and will
to the will of God. As this resignationis not to be done passively, so it is not to
be done deceitfully and feignedly, but in all plainness and sincerity. Well, but
when is this work to be done? It is to be done daily. There are some special
times and seasons whichdo callfor this work. I will name five. When a man
doth convert and turn unto God. When a man is calledforth unto any great
work, or service, or employment, especiallyif it be beyond his own strength
and power. When a man is in any great danger, distress, and affliction, then
he is to resignand give up himself and will unto God. And if you would be
able to do this work of soul-resignationin the day of your death rightly, then
use yourself to do it every day. That is easilydone which is often done.
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
The soul given to God
W. Bridge, M. A.
Be sure that you do not give awayyour soul from God to anything else whilst
you live. If you have given awayyour soul unto other things whilst you live, it
will be a vain thing for you to sayChrist's words when you come to die. When
men come to their death, ye know they do ordinarily make their wills; and in
the first place they say, I give my soul unto God; then if they have lands, or
houses, or money, they give them to their wives, children, relations and
friends, according to their pleasure. But suppose, now, that a man shall give
land or house to such or such a child or friend, which he hath sold or given
awaybefore, shall his will stand in force? Will not all men say, This he could
not give away, for he had sold that or given that before? So in regard of one's

soul; though upon my death I say, As for my soul, I give that to God; yet if I
have sold awaymy soulbefore, for unjust gain, or have given awaymy soul
before unto filthy pleasures, how canI resign and give that to God when I die;
will not the Lord say, Nay, this is none of yours to give, this you had sold or
given awaybefore? Oh, then, be sure of this, that whilst you live, you do not
sell or give awayyour soul from God, for then death-bed resignationwill be
but as the act and deed of a man that makes his will when he is not compos
mentis.
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(46) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said. . . .—Better. And
Jesus criedwith a loud voice, and said . . . The English text emphasises too
strongly the distinctness of the act, possibly with the implied suggestionthat
the cry might have consistedofthe words which St. Luke does not report. On
the other hand, the other Gospels make the “greatcry” immediately precede
death.
He gave up the ghost.—Better, He expired, or breathed out His spirit, the verb
containing the root from which the Greek for “spirit” is derived. The Greek of
St. John, which appears in English as though it were the same as St. Luke’s,
corresponds more closelyto the final utterance, “He delivered up His spirit.”
BensonCommentary

Luke 23:46-49. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit — The Father
receives the spirit of Jesus;Jesus himself the spirits of the faithful. See on
Matthew 27:50. When the centurion — The Romanofficer, who stoodover
againsthim and guarded the execution; saw whatwas done — In so
miraculous a manner, in those amazing prodigies that attended Christ’s
death; he glorified God — By a free confessionofhis persuasionof the
innocence of Jesus;saying, Certainly this was a righteous man —
Notwithstanding all the vile reproaches whichhave been castupon him. And
all the people that came together — On this remarkable occasion, among
whom, doubtless, were some of those who, but a little before, had been
insulting him in his dying agonies;beholding, the things that were done, smote
their breasts — For sorrow and remorse;in terrible expectationthat some sad
calamity would speedily befall them and their country, for the indignities and
cruelties they had offeredto a person, for whom God had expressedso high a
regard even in his greatestdistress. See these verseselucidatedat large on
Matthew 27:54-56. And all his acquaintance — Who these were, Matthew and
Mark inform us, in the verses just referred to.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
23:44-49 We have here the death of Christ magnified by the wonders that
attended it, and his death explained by the words with which he breathed out
his soul. He was willing to offer himself. Let us seek to glorify God by true
repentance and conversion;by protesting againstthose who crucify the
Saviour; by a sober, righteous, and godly life; and by employing our talents in
the service ofHim who died for us and rose again.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
See the notes at Matthew 27:45-50.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
43. Jesus said, &c.—The dying Redeemerspeaks as if He Himself viewed it in
this light. It was a "song in the night." It ministered cheerto His spirit in the
midnight gloom that now enwrapt it.

Verily I say unto thee—"Since thouspeakestas to the king, with kingly
authority speak I to thee."
To-day—"Thouart prepared for a long delay before I come into My
kingdom, but not a day's delay shall there be for thee; thou shalt not be
parted from Me even for a moment, but togetherwe shall go, and with Me,
ere this day expire, shalt thou be in Paradise" (future bliss, 2Co 12:4; Re 2:7).
Learn (1) How "One is taken and another left"; (2) How easilydivine teaching
can raise the rudest and worstabove the best instructed and most devoted
servants of Christ; (3) How presumption and despairon a death hour are
equally discountenancedhere, the one in the impenitent thief, the other in his
penitent fellow.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Luke 23:34"
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,.... A secondtime; for at the first
loud cry, he uttered these words, "Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani";and at the
secondwhat follows;see Matthew 27:46. See Gill on Matthew 27:47. See Gill
on Matthew 27:48. See Gill on Matthew 27:49. See Gill on Matthew 27:50.
he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; not the Holy Spirit, nor
his divine nature, but his human soul: for that he had a reasonable soul, as
well as a true body, is certain; from his having an human understanding, will,
and affections, ascribedto him; and indeed, without this he would not have
been a perfect man, nor like unto us; and could not have been tempted, bore
sorrows and griefs, and endured the wrath of God; nor could he have been a
Saviour of souls:now just as he was expiring, as he made his soulan offering
for sin, and which he offered unto God, he committed it to his divine care and
protection; and to enjoy his presence, during its separationfrom his body,
using the words of the Psalmistin Psalm 31:5 and this shows, that his spirit, or

soul, belongedto God, the Father of spirits, and now returned to him that
gave it; that it was immortal, and died not with the body, and was capable of
existing in a separate state from it, and went immediately to heaven; all which
is true of the souls of all believers in Christ; and what the dying head did,
dying members may, and should, even commit their souls into the same
hands: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost;breathed out his soul
dismissedhis spirit, laid down his life, freely and voluntarily, and which no
man, or devil, otherwise couldhave taken awayfrom him.
Geneva Study Bible
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.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 23:46. φωνῇ μεγάλῃ:this expressionis used in Mt. and Mk. in
connectionwith the “My God, My God,” which Lk. omits. In its place comes
the “Father, into Thy hands”. Here as in the agony in the gardenLk.’s
accountfails to sound the depths of Christ’s humiliation. It must not be
inferred that he did not know of the “Eli, Eli”. Either he personally, or his
source, orhis first readers, could not bear the thought of it.—παρατίθεμαι τ.
π. μ.: an echo of Psalm 31:6, and to be understood in a similar sense, as an
expressionof trust in God in extremis. Various shades of meaning have been
put on the words, among which is that Jesus died by a free act of will, handing
over His soulto God as a deposit to be kept safe (Grotius, Bengel, Hahn, etc.).
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said] Rather, And, crying
with a loud voice, Jesus said. St Luke here omits the Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani, and the effectof that cry on the multitude (Matthew 27:46-50);
the “I thirst,” which was the sole word of physical suffering wrung from Him

in all His agonies;and the one word (Tete-lestai)in which He expressedthe
sense that His work was finished.
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit] A reference to Psalm 31:5; comp.
Acts 7:59; 1 Peter2:23. These words have been among the dying utterances of
St Polycarp, St Augustine, St Bernard, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, Luther,
Melancthonand Columbus.
he gave up the ghost] None of the Evangelists use the word “He died”
(ethanen), but exepneusen(literally, ‘He breathed forth,’ here and Mark
15:37), and ‘He sentforth’ or ‘gave up His spirit’ (aphekcn, paredokento
pneuma, Matthew 27:50;John 19:30); probably because they wish to indicate
the truth statedin John 10:18, that He gave up His life “because He willed,
when He willed, how He willed.” Aug. Comp. Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 2:20.
Bengel's Gnomen
Luke 23:46. Πάτερ, Father) The Fatherreceivedthe Spirit of Jesus;Jesus
“receives the spirits” of believers:Acts 7:59 [Stephen’s last prayer, “Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit”].—παραθήσομαι)I will commend, in the very
act.[264][As a deposit committed to Him at death. It was at this point of time,
the most precious truly of all, that the atonement was made.—V. g.]
[264]So Rec. Textand LΔ. But παρατίθεμαι in ABCPQ Orig. 3,726e;
‘commendo,’ in abcd Vulg. Hil. 1074, Syr. and Memph. Versions. So Engl.
Vers.—E. and T.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 46. - And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said. This is better
rendered, and Jesus criedwith a loud voice and said. The cry with the loud
voice is the solemndismissal of his spirit when he commended it to his Father.
The objectof the receiving the refreshment of the vinegar - the sour wine

(John 19:30) - was that his natural forces, weakenedby the long suffering,
should be restoredsufficiently for him to render audible the last two sayings -
the "It is finished!" of St. John, and the commending his soul to his Father, of
St. Luke. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. St. John (John 19:30)
has relatednow already Jesus had uttered the triumphal cry, Τετέλεσται!"It
is finished!" This was his farewellto earth. St. Luke records the words which
seemalmost immediately to have followedthe "It is finished!" This
commending his spirit to his Fatherhas been accuratelytermed his entrance
greeting to heaven. This placing his spirit as a trust in the Father's hands is, as
Stier phrases it, an expressionof the profoundest and most blessedrepose
after toil. "It is finished!" has already told us that the struggling and combat
were sealedand closedfor ever. Doctrinally it is a saying of vastimportance;
for it emphatically asserts thatthe soul will exist apart from the body in the
hands of God. This at leastis its proper home. The saying has been echoedon
many a saintly death-bed. Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, in his greatagony
shows us the form of this blessedprayer we should properly use for ourselves
at that supreme hour, when he askedthe Lord Jesus to receive his spirit, and
then fell asleep. Thus coming to the Son, we come through him to the Father.
Huss, on his way to the stake, whenhis enemies were triumphantly giving over
his soulto devils, saidwith no less theologicalaccuracythan with sure, calm
faith, "But I commit my spirit into thy hand, O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast
redeemedit." And having said thus, he gave up the ghost. This setting his
spirit free was his own voluntary act. He already told his disciples of his own
independent power to lay down and take up his life (John 10:17, 18). The
greatteachers ofthe early Church evidently lay stress on; his (see Tertullian,
'Apol.,' ch. 21). Augustine's words are striking: "Quis ita dormit quando
voluerit, sicut Jesus mortuus estquando voluit? Quis ita vestem ponit quando
voluerit, sieur se came exuit quando writ? Quis ita cum voluerit abit,
quomodo the cure voluit obiit?" and he ends with this practicalconclusion:
"Quanta spe-randa vel timenda potestas estjudicantis, si apparuit tanta
morientis?" "Under these circumstances,"writes Dr. Westeott, "it may not be
fitting to speculate onthe physical cause ofthe Lord's death, but it h,s been
argued that the symptoms agree with a rupture of the heart, such as might i.e.
produced by intense mental agony."

Vincent's Word Studies
I commend (παρατίθεμαι)
See on Luke 9:16.
Gave up the ghost (ἐξέπνευσεν)
Lit., breathed out (his life). Wyc., sent out the spirit. See on Matthew 27:50.
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Into thy hands I commend my spirit - Or, I will commit my spirit - I deposit
my soulin thy hands. Another proof of the immateriality of the soul, and of its
separate existence whenthe body is dead.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/luke-
23.html. 1832.

Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
The Biblical Illustrator
Luke 23:46
Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit
That dying believers are both warranted, and encouraged, by Christ’s
example, believingly to commend their souls into the hands of God
I.
WHAT IS IMPLIED IN A BELIEVER’S COMMENDINGOR
COMMITTING HIS SOUL INTO THE HAND OF GOD AT DEATH?
1. That the soul outlives the body.
2. That the soul’s true rest is in God.
3. The great value believers have for their souls. He thinks but little of his
body comparatively.
4. These words imply the deep sense that dying believers have of the great
change that is coming upon them by death; when all visible and sensible

things are shrinking awayfrom them and failing. They feel the world and the
best comforts in it failing; every creature and creature-comfortfailing: For at
death we are said to fail (Luke 16:9). Hereupon the soul clasps the closer
about its God, cleaves more close than ever to Him: “Father, into Thy hands I
commend My spirit.”
5. It implies the atonement of God, and His full reconciliationto believers, by
the blood of the greatSacrifice;else they durst never commit their souls into
His hands: “Forit is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Hebrews
12:29).
6. It implies both the efficacyand excellencyof faith, in supporting and
relieving the soul at a time when nothing else is able to do it.
II. WHAT WARRANT OR ENCOURAGEMENTHAVE GRACIOUS
SOULS TO COMMIT THEMSELVES, AT DEATH, INTO THE HANDS OF
GOD? I answer, much every way; all things encourage and warrant its so
doing: for--
1. This God, to whom the believer commits himself at death, is its Creator;the
Father of its being: He createdand inspired it, and so it hath relation of a
creature to a Creator;yea, of a creature now in distress, to a faithful Creator
(1 Peter4:19).
2. As the gracious soulis His creature, so it is His redeemed creature;one that
He hath bought, and that with a great price, even with the precious blood of
Jesus Christ (1 Peter1:18). This greatly encourages the departing soul to
commit itself into the hands of God; so you find Psalms 31:5).

3. The gracious soulmay confidently and securelycommit itself into the hands
of God when it parts with its body at death; not only because it is His
creature, His redeemed creature, but because it is His renewedcreature also.
All natural excellencyand beauty goes awayat death (Job 4:1-21. ult.), but
grace ascends with the soul; it is a sanctified, when a separate soul;and can
God shut the door of glory upon such a soul, that by grace is made meet for
the inheritance? Oh, it cannot be!
4. As the gracious soulis a renewedsoul, so it is also a sealedsoul;God hath
sealedit in this world for that glory, into which it is now to enter at death.
Surely, if God have sealed, He will not refuse you; if He have given His
earnest, He will not shut you out; God’s earnestis not given in jest.
5. Moreover, everygracious soulmay confidently castitself into the arms of
its God, when it goes hence, with “Father, into Thy hands I commit my
spirit.” Forasmuchas every gracious soulis a soul in covenantwith God, and
God stands obliged, by His covenantand promise to such, not to castthem
out, when they come unto Him. As soonas ever thou became His, by
regeneration, that promise became thine (Hebrews 13:5).
6. But this is not all; the gracious soulsustains many intimate and dear
relations to that God into whose hands it commends itself at death. It is His
spouse, and the considerationofsuch a day of espousals may well encourageit
to castitself into the bosom of Christ, its head and husband. It is a member of
His body, flesh and bones (Ephesians 5:30). It is His child, and He its
everlasting Father(Isaiah 9:6). It is His friend.“Henceforth,” saith Christ, “I
call you not servants, but friends” (John 15:15). What confidence may these,
and all other the dear relations Christ owns to the renewedsoul, beget, in such
an hour as this is!

7. The unchangeableness ofGod’s love to His people gives confidence they
shall in no wise be castout. They know Christ is the same to them at last as He
was at first the same in the pangs of death as He was in the comforts of life.
Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the John
13:1). He doth not love as the world loves, only in prosperity; but they are as
dear to Him when their beauty and strength are gone, as when they were in
the greatestflourishing. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to
the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s (Romans 14:8).
Deduction
1. Are dying believers, only, warranted and encouragedthus to commend
their souls into the hands of God? What a sadstrait, then, must all dying
unbelievers be in about their souls? Such souls will fall into the hands of God,
but that’s their misery, not their privilege. They are not put by faith into the
bands of mercy, but fall by sin into the hands of justice.
2. Will God graciouslyaccept, and faithfully keepwhat the saints commit to
Him at death? How carefulthen should they be to keepwhat God commits to
them, to be kept for Him while they live.
3. If believers may safelycommit their souls into the hands of God, how
confidently may they commit all lesserinterests, and lowerconcernments into
the same hand.
4. Is this the privilege of believers, that they can commit their souls to God in
a dying hour? Then how precious, how useful grace is faith to the people of
God, both living and dying?

5. Do the souls of dying believers commend themselves into the hands of God?
Then let not the surviving relations of such sorrow as men that have no hope
(J. Flavel.)
The lastwords of Christ
Jesus Christ did not die for Himself, any more than He lived for Himself; and
He not only “died, the Justfor the unjust, to bring us to God,” but the manner
of His dying was a lessonand a pattern for us. That is the Christian wayof
dying--the wayfor all to die; and who would wish, or could imagine, any fitter
or happier way? Who would not, in this sense, say, “Letme die the death of
my Saviour, and let my last end be like His!” And how it disarms our
helplessnessofits terrors! “I am powerless,”it seems to say, “and therefore I
commend to Thine omnipotence this frail and sensitive soul, which came at
first from Thy creating hand. I do so reverently, but I do so confidently, for I
do so as a child who calls Thee, ‘My Father.’” I have said it expresses
dependence--and so it does;but in Christ’s case, andeven in our own, the
confidence expressedis more prominent still. In His case there seems a
suggestionofthe words, “No man taketh My life from Me, but I lay it down of
Myself”;“I, as My own act, commend it, Father, to Thee.” We do not possess
that power; our souls are “required” of us. But, more than that, we are
accustomedto think of dying as the most terrible crisis of our history; the
hour of supreme peril to our souls; the appalling event which decides our fate
for ever. It is a greatmistake. Our dying does not decide our future fate: it is
our living which does that; the course we have taken, the choices we have
made when opportunities were in our hands, and we used them, or threw
them away! And therefore, I say, the peril of living is greaterfar than any
peril there can be in dying. I commend My spirit into Thy hands to be
delivered. Considerany human spirit now; consideryour own. Before it are
greatpossibilities of goodand of evil. It must be so. If we can be God’s true
children, and live with, and become like our Father, it is terrible to fail of this;

and it is more dreadful still--it is an indescribable degradation--noteven to
care about it. Since, then, we are in this case;capable of being God’s children,
but hindered and prevented from being so by our evil, there is supreme need
for us eachto cry, “Father, hear met deliver me! Into Thy hands I commend
my spirit--my sin-stained spirit. I am Thine. Save me!” I commend my spirit
into Thy hands, to be made pure. The deliverance and reformation which the
Scriptures saythat we require, they describe by the strong expressions “a new
birth,” “a new creation.” Theysay that is needed in order that we may stand
“without blame” before God. Does not our sad experience saythe same? God
prescribes it. God promises to perform it, and on us. (T. M. Herbert, M. A.)
Soul-resignationinto the hands of God
Yea, and it is a very profitable thing for us to do it hereby we make a virtue of
necessity;and where canwe lodge our souls in saferhands? If a man cannot
keepa thing himself, but must betrust and deposit it in other hands, will he
not do it in the safesthands that he canfind? Now three things there are that
are required to a safe hand: power, wisdom, and love. If I deposit a thing in a
man’s hand to keep, he must be able to keepit for me againstviolence, else his
hand is no safe hand; though he be able and have powerto keepit for me, yet
if he be prodigal and lavish, and not wise, I shall not count his hand a safe
hand to keepmy depositum: but though he be never so wise, yet if he be not
my friend, I shall not betrust him with any great matter: but if a man be able,
wise and friendly, then his hand is a safe hand to keepmy depositum. And
againif we do not commend, commit, and resign ourselves and souls into His
hands, we must be responsible for them ourselves. “Whatbenefit shall we get
thereby? Much every way. This resignationof our souls and selves unto God
is an inlet to many mercies, graces, andcomforts. As for mercies and
blessings;what greaterblessing canthere be in in this world than to enjoy
one’s-self;under God to enjoy one’s-self, and to be free from all things? As it
is an inlet unto many blessings, so it is an inlet unto many graces andduties.
What grace or duty will ye instance in? Will ye instance in prayer? It opens

the sluices ofprayer; and, as one speakswell, though you pray never so long
or loud, yet if you do not resign up your soul and will unto God, your prayer is
but nonsense, anda contradiction in re. As it is an inlet unto many graces, so
it is an inlet also unto many comforts;yea, indeed, unto all our comforts:for
what comfort can a man have in himself or condition, till he hath truly
resignedand given up himself and soul and will unto God? but being done, ye
may freely go about your business. If a man have a suit in law, and have left
his cause in the hand of an able, careful friend and lawyer, he is quiet; much
more may we be quiet, when we have left and lodgedour case and wayand
soul with God. Well, but then how is this work to be done that we may truly
resignand give up ourselves, our souls, and our wills unto God? It is not to be
done slightly and overly, but seriously and solemnly. It is an ordinary thing
with men to say, “The will of the Lord be done.” As this work is not to be done
slightly and overly, so neither is it to be done forcedly and lastly, but freely
and firstly. As it is not to be done lastly and forcedly, so it is not to be done
partially, and by halves, but fully and totally. “I am Thine,” saith David to
God, “Oh, save me” (Psalms 119:94). As this resignationmust not be done
partially, and by halves, so it must not be done conditionally, but absolutely.
As this resignationis not to be done conditionally, so it is not to be done
passively, and in a way of submission only, but actively. It is one thing for a
man to submit unto God’s will, and another thing to resignup himself and
will to the will of God. As this resignationis not to be done passively, so it is
not to be done deceitfully and feignedly, but in all plainness and sincerity.
Well, but when is this work to be done? It is to be done daily. There are some
specialtimes and seasons whichdo call for this work. I will name five. When a
man doth convert and turn unto God. When a man is calledforth unto any
greatwork, or service, or employment, especiallyif it be beyond his own
strength and power. When a man is in any great danger, distress, and
affliction, then he is to resignand give up himself and will unto God. And if
you would be able to do this work of soul-resignationin the day of your death
rightly, then use yourself to do it every day. That is easily done which is often
done. (W. Bridge, M. A.)
The soul given to God

Be sure that you do not give awayyour soul from God to anything else whilst
you live. If you have given awayyour soul unto other things whilst you live, it
will be a vain thing for you to sayChrist’s words when you come to die. When
men come to their death, ye know they do ordinarily make their wills; and in
the first place they say, I give my soul unto God; then if they have lands, or
houses, or money, they give them to their wives, children, relations and
friends, according to their pleasure. But suppose, now, that a man shall give
land or house to such or such a child or friend, which he hath sold or given
awaybefore, shall his will stand in force? Will not all men say, This he could
not give away, for he had sold that or given that before? So in regard of one’s
soul; though upon my death I say, As for my soul, I give that to God; yet if I
have sold awaymy soulbefore, for unjust gain, or have given awaymy soul
before unto filthy pleasures, how canI resign and give that to God when I die;
will not the Lord say, Nay, this is none of yours to give, this you had sold or
given awaybefore? Oh, then, be sure of this, that whilst you live, you do not
sell or give awayyour soul from God, for then death-bed resignationwill be
but as the act and deed of a man that makes his will when he is not compos
mentis. (W. Bridge, M. A.)
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Luke 23:46". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/luke-23.html. 1905-1909.
New York.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost.
This was the final of the SevenWords from the cross. Seeunder Luke 23:43.
The three utterances given by Luke are omitted in the other Gospels, justas
Luke omitted the utterances they included. All sevenof these utterances of
Jesus are authentic, historicalwords truly spokenby the world's Saviour
while upon the cross. Sucha conceitas that of Gilmour, who saidthat "Luke
substitutes an apt quotation from Psalms 31:5 for the one (by Mark) from
Psalms 22:1,"[26]is a travesty on Biblical exegesis. Luke gave a saying that
Mark did not record;and Mark gave one that Luke did not record, both
being absolutely genuine.
He gave up the ghost ... The loud voice just mentioned was significant. "The
loud voice shows that Jesus did not die of exhaustion."[27]If death had come
from exhaustion, his vocalchords would not have functioned at all. Jesus'
death was conscious andvoluntary, fulfilling his prophecy recorded in John
10:17,18.
[26] S. MacLeanGilmour, op. cit., p. 412.
[27] Anthony Lee Ash, op. cit., p. 144.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.

Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/luke-23.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,.... A secondtime; for at the first
loud cry, he uttered these words, "Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani";and at the
secondwhat follows;see Matthew 27:46. See Gill on Matthew 27:47. See Gill
on Matthew 27:48. See Gill on Matthew 27:49. See Gill on Matthew 27:50.
he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; not the Holy Spirit, nor
his divine nature, but his human soul: for that he had a reasonable soul, as
well as a true body, is certain; from his having an human understanding, will,
and affections, ascribedto him; and indeed, without this he would not have
been a perfect man, nor like unto us; and could not have been tempted, bore
sorrows and griefs, and endured the wrath of God; nor could he have been a
Saviour of souls:now just as he was expiring, as he made his soulan offering
for sin, and which he offered unto God, he committed it to his divine care and
protection; and to enjoy his presence, during its separationfrom his body,
using the words of the Psalmistin Psalm 31:5 and this shows, that his spirit, or
soul, belongedto God, the Father of spirits, and now returned to him that
gave it; that it was immortal, and died not with the body, and was capable of
existing in a separate state from it, and went immediately to heaven; all which
is true of the souls of all believers in Christ; and what the dying head did,
dying members may, and should, even commit their souls into the same
hands: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost;breathed out his soul

dismissedhis spirit, laid down his life, freely and voluntarily, and which no
man, or devil, otherwise couldhave taken awayfrom him.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "The New John Gill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
23.html. 1999.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Father (Πατερ — Pater). Jesus dies with the words of Psalm31:5 on his lips.
Gave up the ghost (εχεπνευσεν — exepneusen). First aoristactive indicative of
εκπνεω — ekpneō to breathe out, to expire, old word, but in the N.T. only
here and Mark 15:37, Mark 15:39. There is no specialreasonfor retaining
“ghost” in the English as both Matthew 27:50 (yielded up his spirit, απηκεν το
πνευμα — aphēkento pneuma) and John 19:30 (gave up his spirit, παρεδωκεν
το πνευμα — paredōkento pneuma) use πνευμα — pneuma which is the root
of εκπνεω — ekpneō the verb in Mark and Luke.
Copyright Statement

The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-23.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
I commend ( παρατίθεμαι )
See on Luke 9:16.
Gave up the ghost( ἐξέπνευσεν )
Lit., breathed out (his life )Wyc., sentout the spirit. See on Matthew 27:50.
sa40
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.

Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 23:46". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/luke-23.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Father, into thy hands — The Father receives the Spirit of Jesus:Jesus
himself the spirits of the faithful.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/luke-23.html. 1765.

The Fourfold Gospel
And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit1: and having said this, he gave up the ghost2.
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. See Psalms 31:5.
He gave up the ghost. See Psalms 31:5.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 23:46".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-23.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Scofield's ReferenceNotes
gave up
(See Scofield"Matthew 27:50").
Copyright Statement

These files are consideredpublic domain and are a derivative of an electronic
edition that is available in the Online Bible Software Library.
Bibliography
Scofield, C. I. "ScofieldReferenceNoteson Luke 23:46". "ScofieldReference
Notes (1917 Edition)".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/luke-23.html. 1917.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE LAST WORD FROM THE CROSS
‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.’
Luke 23:46
Do those we have lost still live? The last word of Jesus gives us the answer, an
answerwhich we cannotmistake. Yes; the soul lives. ‘Father, into Thy hands I
commend My spirit.’
I think our Saviour helps us very simply by dwelling on two fundamental
truths of religion which we are very apt in the strain and stress of life to forget
or overlook.

I. First of all there is the true Fatherhoodof God.—If God seems otherto us
than the Father, if He seems a hard taskmasterortyrant, if He seems to us a
relentless force that carries us we know not where, we have yet to learn the
chief lessonwhich Jesus came to teach; and if that greattruth is to sustain us
at death, as it has sustained so many, we must learn to graspit and make it
our own now.
II. And the other greattruth that Jesus wouldhave us remember to hold fast
throughout life is the reality of spiritual things.—You have only got to look
within you, and there you find the presence ofyour Lord Jesus Christ. If you
have only got a longing to serve God better, that longing is His gift, whereas if
you know that you have the Spirit of your Fatherwithin you, you need no
other evidence that He is at work in the world, and that God Himself is your
God, your Father, your ‘guide even unto death.’
III. Every Christian man and womanlives in two worlds.—There is this world
that surrounds us and hems us in so closelythat it seems, as it were, to shut
out the sight and the thought of God. And yet there is another world. The
Christian is in London, just as of old he was in Galilee, in Philippi, in Rome, in
Ephesus;but he is also in Christ. There is his true home. And here is our
comfort, our last word of comfort, as we think of the dead. We and they are
alike in Christ—one in Christ as our home, as the atmosphere in which we
walk and move, and they also are in Christ.
Illustration
‘If you once begin honestly and whole-heartedly to believe in the Fatherhood
of God, you are on the way to become one of those who adore the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost, and who find their freedom and their joy and their
blessednessin the ancient faith of the sons of God from the beginning. Hold

fast to the Fatherhoodof God. There you shall find a secretthat shall
transfigure life. You will look upon all your work as given you by a Father’s
hand; you will look upon your suffering as measured by a Father’s love; you
will feelthat sense of sonshipgrowing up within you which will imperatively
lead you to acknowledge the Divine Sonship of the blessedSaviour Himself.’
(SECOND OUTLINE)
THE UPWARD LOOK
I. Up to the Father the Son’s heart went, at the opening of the Passion, as they
nailed Him to the tree. ‘Father, forgive!’
II. Up to the Father His eyes still turn as the agonyhastens to its end: the last
and the first words, ‘Father.’ From first to last the Fatheris felt
overshadowing, embracing the entire scene.
III. Up to Him our hearts turn, in Him our last thoughts close. Into His hands,
as our dear Lord does, may we too venture to commend our spirits!
—Rev. Canon H. ScottHolland.
Illustration
‘We dare not imagine, of course, what pain and sorrow can be to God the
Father! But this one thing the Cross makes sure to us, that the pain and the

sorrow, bitter and searching, which the Son endured, are the true and perfect
expressionof that intense desire which works in the heart of the Father for
our forgiveness andfor our glorification. We may not sound or measure the
deep things of the Father’s spirit. But we do know that as we shudder at the
awful price paid for our winning by the BelovedSon—we do know a little of
what it costs the Father. Through the gaping wounds in feetand hands and
side we read out all that can be told us of the Father’s longing, of His
passionate tenderness,ofHis unshakenfaithfulness, of His inexhaustible pity.’
(THIRD OUTLINE)
THE DEATH OF CHRIST
I. Nothing now remains but to die.—To die—the last sadnecessityof human
kind—was needful to the Saviour: (a) That He might go through the
conditions of human life. (b) That He might become Lord of the spiritual as of
the physical and external worlds, making (as it would seem)the dwellers
‘behind the veil’ sharers of the benefit of His atonement by actual
communication with them (1 St. Peter Luke 3:19).
II. The death of Christ a pattern for us at the hour of death.—The words with
which He died ought to be our words when we die. Could we so use them? The
Church is a witness to us of our duty, in that a ‘Commendatory Prayer’ for
the parting soul is put into the lips of the priest who is attending the dying.
But how canthe soul that remains still in its sins appearbefore its righteous
Judge? Forit there is no resting in faith and love—no ‘committing itself as
unto a faithful Creator’(1 Peter4:19), but rather the ‘fearful looking for of
the judgment’ which the past life has deserved. But to Christ’s own people His
death and passionthe source of all peace and joy.

Thine the sharp thorns, and ours the goldencrown.
III. Let us therefore go on our way with thankfulness in our hearts too great
for words.—We have seenthe Saviour suffer; we have heard His words;we
have seenHim die. Let us enshrine this memory in our hearts, to be their
holiness and their safeguardin time of temptation. Let our life be modelled on
the spirit of Christ’s passion.
Illustration
‘Our souls are sinful, sin-stained at their best, serving God with a divided
allegiance, unworthy to offer themselves to Him, still more unworthy to be
“commended” to Him. But He makes us one with Himself. Becausewe are
made one with Him, therefore we, too, are “acceptedin the Beloved.” When
God acceptedthe human soul of Christ, He acceptedalso the brethren of
Christ. This commendation of His soul to God includes us too. We, listening to
these words, take courage that when our lasthour shall come we may do the
same, though our obedience has fallen so far short, so utterly short, of His. So,
as these closing words went through the spaces up to the throne of God I fancy
that I hear the greatresponse “Fromhenceforth blessedare the dead that die
in the Lord. Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.” They who
die in the Lord are acceptedin Him. His words are their words;in His steps
their feet tread; He receives their spirits; He presents them to the Father. The
words of the first martyr tell us this.’
(FOURTH OUTLINE)
THE LOOK FORWARD

All the last four words from the Cross are words which come from the human
soul of Christ, from His human soul in its suffering, in its endurance, in its
emergence from that endurance, and lastly in its blissful self-surrender into
the Father’s keeping.
I. This lastword is a word of peace.—Those ofus who have striven to enter
into the fellowship of the sufferings, to conceive something of the agonyof the
long slow hours of bodily anguish, and still more frightful spiritual trial—
those of us who have in any degree striven to realise this, will find no difficulty
in sympathising with the intense joy and peace of this final commendation. It
is the return to the Father of Him Who has done the work it was given Him to
do, and Who knows that He has done it.
II. As the ‘It is finished’ lookedback on trial conquered, so the ‘I commend
My spirit’ looks forwardto the recompense ofthe reward: the human soul of
Christ triumphant; perfectedthrough sufferings, now commended unto God.
III. It is the crownand triumph of the human soul to be able to commend
itself to God.
Illustration
‘Have we noted that no less than three of the sevensayings from the Cross,
three of the four that alone had reference to Himself, are quotations from the
Psalms? In those hours of darkness, was the Lord recalling through and
through those prophetic Psalms of the suffering servant, and applying them to
Himself? We know not; but we know that He was steepedin the Old
Testament, that His whole life was a fulfilment of its prophecy, that the words
with which He repelled temptation at the beginning were words from the Old

Testament. It is written, it is written, it is written. Is not this meant to enhance
our reverence for the sacredScriptures when we reflectthat not only did
Christ base His own moral teaching upon the Old Testament, but made it and
its language the staple of His own religious life? It has been finely said: “What
was indispensable for the Redeemercan hardly be other than indispensable
for the redeemed.” In these days of higher criticism, when the Old Testament
is likely to be disparaged, let us remember that. Let us Churchmen who say,
and truly say, that it is the province of the Church to teachthe Bible,
remember that it is better to say it after, and not before, we have steepedand
saturatedourselves with the teaching and words of the Bible.’
(FIFTH OUTLINE)
PEACE AND SECURITY
I. There is a false peace of death, the peace of mere exhaustion, or the peace of
the unawakenedconscience, whenthe spirit is asleepand there is no sense of
sin, none of the feeling that prompted the publican to cry, ‘God be merciful to
me a sinner!’ That is a false peace.
II. But there is a true peace, too, and it may be ours, the peace of a will that,
having been surrendered to God, has with it the sustaining will of our
Redeemer. Thatpeace will carry us through the valley of the shadow, and, as
we come out into God’s presence, we may come with Christ as our
Companion.
III. ‘Father.’ Hear the word once more, see the gladconfidence in it, the old
confidence restored, the full certainty now that the darkness is gone, the light
of the Father’s face revealed.

IV. ‘Into Thy hands.’ What security is there? God bears Jesus into Paradise.
The spirit returns to God Who gave it, and on the third day God raises Him
againto sit at His right hand for evermore. So for us also, if our wills are
God’s now, He will bear us into Paradise, and at the lastraise us againto
eternal life with Him in heaven.
—Rev. Lionel G. B. J. Ford.
(SIXTH OUTLINE)
OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH
This is the word of Expiration. I always like to remember that our Lord said
this ‘with a loud voice,’because He died when He willed. No man took away
His life—He laid it down. It is not, He was ‘put to death’ for me—a thousand
times No—He ‘died’ for me.
I. We have all to taste of death.—Howeveryoung you are, howeverstrong,
you have to go through it. The cowarddies a thousand deaths, the strong man
only one. Face it with a heart that can love and a mind that canthink.
Expiration, dissolution, death. It is so hard to become obedient to this. The
Lord, we are told, ‘learned obedience by the things that He suffered.’ Let all
that you suffer teachyou the same lesson. I am speaking to dying men and
women, and I am a dying man myself. It is a certain fact; and we can learn to
die bestat Calvary. That is why I say, Learn to die now, that, through the
grave and gate of death, with Him you may pass to your joyful resurrection.
Be true men and women now, and learn how to die, because you do not know
how you are going to die. It may be a sudden death, or a lingering death; it

may be without pain, but it may be ‘even the death of the Cross’;but
whateverdeath it is, ‘let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, Who
became obedient to death, even the death of the Cross.’
II. When you think about your death, sayour Lord’s own words, ‘Father, into
Thy hands I commend my spirit.’ And then we must add, ‘For Thou hast
redeemedme, O Lord, Thou God of truth.’ The spirit came from God: we
give our spirit back to God from Whom it came. ‘Into Thy hands’—the
Creator’s hands, and now the wounded hands—‘I commend my spirit, for
Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, Thou God of Truth.’
—Rev. A. H. Stanton.
(SEVENTHOUTLINE)
FATHER!
It was that word ‘Father’ which summed up the whole purpose of Christ’s
life.
I. The removal of sin.—And it suggests, firstof all, that here is the result of
the removal of sin. Through the darkness He was bearing the curse of sin as
He had borne it at no other time. Then, having made atonement, having borne
the curse, having takenit away, having made a living new way by which men
might approach and come back to God, it is not ‘My God,’ but it is ‘Father.’
So it is with us.

II. The purpose of life.—And yet, again, that word ‘Father’ seems to sum up
the whole purpose of our BlessedLord’s life. You remember how constantly
He was saying, ‘I go to My Father.’Now the time has come when He is going
to His Father. If you and I could have that same thought in our minds, do you
not think that as we look upon our lives it would unravel many of the
mysteries? We are facedwith so many problems, but our Lord saw no
mystery in them. He saw no mystery in suffering and pain as He sharedit. It
was quite plain. Why? Becauseofthis greatfact of Fatherhood.
III. The source of comfort.—Notonly that, but they also come to us in words
of comfort. The death of Jesus has been calleda magnificent and royal
procession, andyet how He shuddered and shrank from it! You and I need
not think that we are faithless because we have a fear of death. Mostof us
have that, and, believe me, the more we realise what life is, the more we realise
what life canbe, the more we realise that our bodies are the temples of the
living God, the more, perhaps, will that fear of death come to us.
—Rev. T. G. Longley.
Illustration
‘The sunshine of love came through the darkness. “Father,”it thrilled the
heart of Jesus, “I am coming back to Thee. Take care ofMe. I commit all to
Thee.” Perfecttrust. Perfectlove. Oh, let us come back to our FatherGod. He
will receive us. Daily, let this be our first step on rising. Each day committed
into the Father’s hand will be our rest and peace. Soonforus will dawn the
long day that knows not night.’
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Luke 23:46". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/luke-23.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
46 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.
Ver. 46. See Matthew 27:50.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-
23.html. 1865-1868.

Sermon Bible Commentary
Luke 23:46
These words have two aspects,and the first of these is towards our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself.
I. In the one week of the year in which we commemorate His Cross and
Passion, it ought to be the foremostthought of eachof us how we can honour
Him in the appreciationof what He did and suffered in working out our
salvation. When we hear Him sayat last, "It is finished," the warfare is
accomplished, the victory won, atonement made, heavenopened for all who
believe; when, finally, turning His latest thought of all to God, known, loved,
and trusted in, we hear Him cry, amidst all the horror and darkness and
anguish, "Father, into Thy hands 1 commend My spirit;" we shall feelthat
here, in the utterance of the mind that was in Christ, we have indeed the
rightful Owner of our lives and of our hearts; we shall cry out to Him, with
the energyof all that is in us, no longer faithless, but believing, "My Lord and
my God."
II. The words before us have an aspectalso towards ourselves. We know not
the time nor the manner, but the factof our own death is the one certainthing
for all of us. The wise man, the tolerably sensible man, feels that a necessityis
laid upon him of making provision for that end. There is only one thought,
one utterance, which can be a satisfactoryaid to ourselves, then, and it is here
to-night in our view. In this one thing, we must not only learn from, but
actually make our own, the Master's word. The very words of Christ Himself
have been the dying words of thousands of His saints. "Blessed are they,"
wrote the greatreformer, "who die not only for the Lord as martyrs, not only
in the Lord as all believers, but likewise with the Lord, as breathing forth

their lives in these words, 'Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.'" These were
his lastwords, and of many of his fellow-reformers and fellow-witnessesin all
lands. That they may be ours, in form and substance, they must be the
meditation of the life.
C. J. Vaughan, Words from the Cross, p. 85.
I. Observe that this verse represents to us one of the two main aspects ofthe
Passionofour Lord—one, and one only. There is in a city in France a
curiously wrought crucifix, which conveys to the spectatora totally different
impression according as he looks atit. On one side it expresses anguishand
grief; on the other, profound calm and submission. What is there represented
to the sight is representedto the mind in the different speechesfrom the
Cross. "MyGod, My God, why hast Thou forsakenMe?" is one;"Father, into
Thy hands I commend My spirit," is the other. Both belong to our Saviour's
humanity, both are neededto conveyto the world the full import of our
Saviour's mission.
II. "Father." Thatis the word which our Saviour adds to the prayer of the
Psalmist. In Him He confided, and we with Him may safely confide also. It is
this which gives to our resignationthe rational understanding and affectionate
characterwhich alone befit the religionof reasonable human beings. We are
subject, we submit ourselves—notto a blind fate which crushes us, not to an
angry demon which needs to be appeased, not to an abstractdoctrine which
we cannot understand; but to One who rules us, guides us, chastisesus for our
good.
III. Take the next phrase: "Into Thy hands." This is doubtless a figure of
speech, to speak of the hands of God; yet a figure now very expressive. The

everlasting arms are beneathand around us. These are the hands into which
we surrender ourselves:these are the hands at whose call we move.
IV. "I commend." That is, not only in a general sense, notonly as giving back
my trust, but, "I trust, I make over as a deposit, to Him the gift which He will
keepfor me." In that greatact of self-sacrifice,Christ our Lord of His own
free will laid down His life; He was not merely waiting for God's call, He went
forth to meet Him.
V. And what is it that we give? It is "my spirit;" not mere life only, not mere
soul only, but the bestpart of our life, the best part of our soul, our spirit. The
present life may be dark and stormy. There are many trials of the spirit of
man, yet there is one sure remedy, and that is to trust the Father of spirits
with the spirits that He has made.
A. P. Stanley, Penny Pulpit, new series, No. 449.
I. The confidence here expressedby Jesus in reference to the Father was not a
confidence at all grounded on His consciousnessofthe Father's love and
favour. There was no appealmade to that. It was grounded on the Infinite
perfections of the Father's righteousness andjustice, and on the merits of the
question. Christ claimed this of the Father. He rested upon the merit of His
own work. He had done the work, and now He claimed the firstfruits in the
way of recompense.
II. Was this confidence justified? What followedin the case ofChrist? We
know what became of His spirit, for He said Himself to the thief on the Cross,
"Todaythou shalt be with Me in Paradise." Itis clearthen, at all events,
Christ being true, that His spirit went to Paradise. His body restedin peace

until the third day. Then the Fathercommanded the angels to roll awaythe
stone from the door of the sepulchre;the angels rolled it awayand the
prisoner came forth. All powerwas given to Him. He was made Head overall
things to the Church.
III. Look next at the parallel with regardto our own experience. Christ's
confidence is to be ours. The perfectwork of Jesus Christ, on which He stood
before His Father, is the work on which we stand before our Father. If at this
moment we were dying, we have the same reasonfor saying, "Father, into
Thy hands I commend my spirit," as Jesus Christ Himself had. It is not
robbery of Christ to say that. Stand upon that truth in life and death, and you
will stand upon it in eternity.
C. Molyneux, Penny Pulpit, new series, Nos. 395-6.
References:Luke 23:46.—Preacher's Monthly, vol. v., p. 163;G. Macdonald,
Unspoken Sermons, p. 180;J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes, 3rd series, p. 36;Ibid.,
4th series, p. 40; T. M. Herbert, Sketches ofSermons, p. 207. Luke 23:46-
49.—D. Davies,Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxvii., p. 342. Luke 23:48.—
Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xv., No. 860. Luke 23:49.—Clergyman's Magazine,
vol. ii., p. 211;J. Vaughan, Sermons, 13th series, p. 117. Luke 23:50.—
Homiletic Quarterly, vol. v., p. 459. Luke 23:51.—E. White, Christian World
Pulpit, vol. xxvi., p. 11. Luke 23:55.—J. Keble, Sermons for Holy Week, pp.
205, 215. Luke 23:56.—G. Brooks,Five Hundred Outlines of Sermons, p. 258;
G. Dawson, The Authentic Gospels, p. 275;R. S. Candlish, Scripture
Characters and Miscellanies, p. 75. Luke 23—F. D. Maurice, The Gospelof
the Kingdom, p. 343. Luke 24:1-8.—Preacher's Monthly, vol. i., p. 302. Luke
24:2.—Homiletic Magazine, vol. xii., p. 208.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicoll, William R. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "SermonBible
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/sbc/luke-
23.html.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Luke 23:46. I commend my spirit:— Παραθησομαι,— Iplace, as a precious
deposit. See on Psalms 31:5 and for the next clause, the note on Matthew
27:50. Dr. Heylin has well and nervously described our Lord's passionin the
following manner: "The appointed soldiers dig the hole in which the cross is
to be erected,—the nails and the hammer are ready,—the cross is placed on
the ground, and Jesus laid down upon that bed of sorrows,—theynailhim to
it,—they erectit,—his nerves crack,—his blooddistils,—he hangs upon his
wounds, a spectacleto heaven and earth!" It is not unusual for those who
speak in public, to profess that their subjectsurpasses their utmost efforts;
and when they have exhaustedtheir abilities in saying all that they possibly
can, to break off in interjections, and abrupt exclamations of wonderand
astonishment. Whatever may have given occasionto these passionate figures
of speech, it is sure that they can never find their place so properly as here.
For what tongue of man or angelcan suffice to tell the depth and the height,—
the profundity of his sufferings, and the sublimity of perfection to which they

raisedhim?—We must here adore in silence whatwe cannot comprehend. See
his Lectures, vol. 1: p. 103 and Sir Richard Steele's ChristianHero.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Luke 23:46". Thomas Coke Commentary
on the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/luke-
23.html. 1801-1803.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
46.]The use of φωνῇ μεγάλῃ shews that this was the cry to which Matt. and
Mark allude. The words are from the LXX, varying howeverfrom the
common reading παραθήσομαι,and giving the verb in the present, which is
also the rendering of the Hebrew ( ‫ַא‬ ‫ְפ‬ ‫ק‬ִ ‫די‬ ).
These words have in them an important and deep meaning. They accompany
that, which in our Lord’s case was strictly speaking the actof death. It was
His own act—not‘feeling the approachof death,’ as some, not apprehending
the matter, have commented; but a determinate delivering up of His spirit to
the Father.— παρέδωκεντὸ πνεῦμα, John: see John 10:18— οὐδεὶς αἴρει
αὐτὴνἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴνἀπʼ ἐμαυτοῦ. None ofthe Evangelists
say ‘He died:’ although that expressionis everafter used of His death stated
as one greatfact:—but it is, ἀφῆκεντὸ πν., Matt.; ἐξέπνευσεν, Mark, Luke;
παρέδωκεντὸ πνεῦμα, John.

The πνεῦμα here is the Personality—the human soulinformed by the Spirit, in
union: not separated, so that His soul went to Hades, and His spirit to the
Father (Olshausen). Bothare delivered into the hand of the Father—by
Whom quickened(but ζωοποιηθεὶς πνεύματι of1 Peter 3:18 is to be rendered
‘quickened in the spirit’—by the Father is understood in ζωοποιηθείς)He
workedHis great victory over death and Hell.
See again1 Peter 3:18-19, and notes, and Romans 8:10-11.
The latter part of the verse in Psalms 31, ‘for Thou hast redeemedme, O
Lord, thou God of truth,’ is not applicable here. The whole Psalm is not
strictly prophetic, but is applied by the Lord to Himself.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/luke-23.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament

Luke 23:46. πάτερ, Father)The Father receivedthe Spirit of Jesus;Jesus
“receives the spirits” of believers:Acts 7:59 [Stephen’s last prayer, “Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit”].— παραθήσομαι)I will commend, in the very
act.(264)[As a deposit committed to Him at death. It was at this point of time,
the most precious truly of all, that the atonement was made.—V. g.]
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/luke-23.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
See Poole on"Luke 23:34"
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 23:46". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-23.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
46. καὶ φωνήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ. ‘And, crying with a loud voice’(not “whenhe
had cried,” A. V[411]). St Luke here omits the Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, and
the effectof that cry on the multitude (Matthew 27:46-50);the “I thirst,”
which was the sole word of physical suffering wrung from Him in all His
agonies;and the one word (τετέλεσται) in which He expressedthe sense that
His work was finished.
πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου. A reference to Psalms 31:5; comp. Acts 7:59; 1 Peter
2:23. These words have been among the dying utterances of St Polycarp, St
Augustine, St Bernard, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, Luther, Melancthon
and Columbus.
ἐξέπνευσεν. None of the Evangelists use the word “He died” (ἔθανεν), but
ἐξέπνευσεν (literally, ‘He breathed forth,’ here and Mark 15:37), and ‘He sent
forth’ or ‘gave up His spirit’ (ἀφῆκεν, παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα, Matthew 27:50;
John 19:30); probably because they wish to indicate the truth statedin John
10:18, that He gave up His life “becauseHe willed, when He willed, how He
willed.” Aug. Comp. Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 2:20.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
"Commentary on Luke 23:46". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/luke-
23.html. 1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And having said this, he yielded up the spirit.’
By these words Luke makes clearthat His words had not been just a pious
prayer, but a deliberate committing of His spirit to God. He really was in
control. His work being done He handed Himself over to the care of the
Father, and we are to see that all was finally well. The speedof His death
confirmed the severity of the flogging that He had received, a factfurther
evidenced by His being unable to bear His cross all the way. And yet all His
thought had been for others. The weeping women on the road to the cross, the
guilty men who stoodbefore Him lying under the wrath of God, the evildoer
dying beside Him. His scope had been wide. It was only at the end that He
alloweda thought for Himself.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "PeterPett's Commentaryon the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/luke-23.html.
2013.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Luke next recordedJesus" deathand, just before it, Jesus" finalprayer to His
Father.
Jesus" Words on the Cross
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
"Father, forgive them."
Luke 23:34
"Todayyou shall be with me in paradise."

Luke 23:43
"Woman, behold your Song of Solomon," and "Behold, your mother."
John 19:26-27
"My God, my God, why have you forsakenme?"
Matthew 27:46
Mark 15:34
"I thirst."
John 19:28
"It is finished."
John 19:30
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."

Matthew 27:50
Luke 23:46
In this prayer Jesus offeredHimself to God as a sacrifice forthe sins of the
world. Jesus voluntarily laid His life down; no one took it from Him ( John
10:15-18;cf. John 15:13). His words were similar to those that many Jews
used in prayer before they went to sleepat night (cf. Psalm31:5). [Note:
Liefeld, " Luke ," p1045.]They expressedJesus"trust in God as well as His
commitment to Him.
"How many thousands have pillowed their heads on them when going to rest!
They were the lastwords of a Polycarp, a Bernard [of Clairvaux], Huss,
Luther, and Melanchthon. And to us also they may be the fittest and the
softestlullaby." [Note: Edersheim, 2:609-10.]
The strength with which Jesus cried out showedHis physical strength but,
more important, the significance ofHis declaration. Jesus sovereignly
controlled His circumstances to the end of His life.
As God rested after six days of work on the creation( Genesis 2:1-3), so Jesus
restedafter six hours of work on the cross in which He made a new creation(
2 Corinthians 5:17). [Note:Wiersbe, 1:277.]
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 23:46". "ExpositoryNotes of
Dr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/luke-23.html. 2012.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luke 23:46. Crying with a loud voice. Matthew and Mark mention this
without giving the words.
Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. Our Lord dies with Scriptural
words on His lips (Psalms 31:5). The whole Psalmis not necessarilyMessianic,
for, by saying ‘Father,’ our lord gives the whole its higher meaning for this
hour. ‘Spirit’ here means the immaterial part of Him who was dying. It is idle
to say that the soul went to Hades and the spirit to His Father, for He had told
the robber that He, the Personalobjectof His faith, would be in Paradise that
day (Luke 23:43). In this prayer which came after the sixth word (‘It is
finished’), with its announcement of the completed work, our Lord freely
gives up His spirit to the Father. The dying would indeed come in the course
of nature, but this represents it as the supreme actof love and obedience.
Ullmann: ‘Whoever could think that Jesus, with these words, breathed out
His life forever into the empty air, such an one certainly knows nothing of the
true, living spirit, and, consequently, nothing of the living God, and of the
living power of the crucified One.’
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "Schaff's Popular
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/luke-23.html. 1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 23:46. φωνῇ μεγάλῃ:this expressionis used in Mt. and Mk. in
connectionwith the “My God, My God,” which Lk. omits. In its place comes
the “Father, into Thy hands”. Here as in the agony in the gardenLk.’s
accountfails to sound the depths of Christ’s humiliation. It must not be
inferred that he did not know of the “Eli, Eli”. Either he personally, or his
source, orhis first readers, could not bear the thought of it.— παρατίθεμαι τ.
π. μ.: an echo of Psalms 31:6, and to be understood in a similar sense, as an
expressionof trust in God in extremis. Various shades of meaning have been
put on the words, among which is that Jesus died by a free act of will, handing
over His soulto God as a deposit to be kept safe (Grotius, Bengel, Hahn, etc.).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/luke-23.html. 1897-1910.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
commend = commit, or entrust. Compare Psalms 31:5. Acts 7:59. 1 Peter2:23.
spirit. Greek. pneuma. App-101. Compare Luke 8:55.
gave up the ghost= expired, or breathed (His last).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/luke-23.html. 1909-1922.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(46) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said. . . .—Better. And
Jesus criedwith a loud voice, and said . . . The English text emphasises too
strongly the distinctness of the act, possibly with the implied suggestionthat
the cry might have consistedofthe words which St. Luke does not report. On
the other hand, the other Gospels make the “greatcry” immediately precede
death.
He gave up the ghost.—Better, He expired, or breathed out His spirit, the verb
containing the root from which the Greek for “spirit” is derived. The Greek of
St. John, which appears in English as though it were the same as St. Luke’s,
corresponds more closelyto the final utterance, “He delivered up His spirit.”
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Ellicott, Charles John. "Commentary on Luke 23:46". "Ellicott's
Commentary for English Readers".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ebc/luke-23.html. 1905.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
cried
Matthew 27:46-49;Mark 15:34-36

Father
Psalms 31:5; Acts 7:59; 1 Peter2:23
having
Matthew 27:50-56;Mark 15:37-41;John 19:30
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Luke 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO
YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His
last.
KJV Luke 23:46 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.
And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said Mt 27:46-49;Mark 15:34-36
Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT. Ps 31:5; Acts 7:59; 1
Peter2:23
Having said this, He breathed His last. Mt 27:50-56;Mark 15:37-41
Luke 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
THE SEVENTHWORD FROM THE CROSS

ParallelPassages:
Matthew 27:50-54 And Jesus criedout againwith a loud voice, and yielded
up His spirit. 51 (LUKE DESCRIBESTHE TEARING BEFORETHIS CRY
BY JESUS)And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to
bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were
opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleepwere raised;53
and coming out of the tombs after His resurrectionthey entered the holy city
and appearedto many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him
keeping guard over Jesus, whenthey saw the earthquake and the things that
were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of
God!”
Comment: Matthew's strange recordof the resurrectionof many bodies of the
saints is unique to his Gospel. Notice he says "many" not "all" so it was a
limited number of OT believers, some possibly in the graves for 100's of years!
Can you imagine the amazement in Jerusalem, especiallyin families that had
previously buried this loved one. And what would be the effecton those Jews
who witnessedthis miracle and were not yet saved? Only Heavenwill revealif
some were savedby the witness of these resurrectedbelievers!In any event,
their presence in the city testified to God's power to resurrectone from life to
death. One would have thought this would convert the entire city, but clearly
this did not occurdemonstrating once againthat stupendous miracles do not
guarantee salvationof those who witness the miracles! As to what happened to
these resurrectedsaints, notice that the Scripture is silent so it is useless to
speculate.
John MacArthur has an interesting comment on these resurrectedsaints
writing that "Those saints did not appear in Jerusalemuntil after the Lord's
own resurrection, because He was divinely appointed to be "the first fruits of
those who are asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20). And just as Christ Himself appeared

after His resurrectiononly to those who already believed in Him, it would also
seemthat the many to whom the resurrectedsaints appeared were all
believers. We are not told what they said to their brethren in the holy city, but
their appearance in bodily form not only testified to Christ's resurrectionbut
also to God's promise to raise all those who put their trust in Christ (1 Cor.
15:22, 51-53). (New TestamentCommentary – Matthew)
Spurgeoncomments on the earthquake - “Men’s hearts did not respond to the
agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded:the rocks
were rent. He did not die for rocks;yet rocks were more tender than the
hearts of men, for whom he shed his blood.”
Warren Wiersbe - The earthquake reminds us of what happened at Mount
Sinai when God gave the Law to Moses (Ex. 19:16-18). The earthquake at
Calvary signified that the demands of the Law had been met and the curse of
the Law foreverabolished (Heb. 12:18-24, Ro 10:4, Gal 3:10-14). The torn veil
indicates that He conqueredsin; the earthquake suggests thatHe conquered
the Law and fulfilled it; and the resurrections prove that He defeateddeath.
(Bible Exposition Commentary – Be Loyal - Matthew). In his comments in his
Mark commentary Wiersbe adds "ThroughHis sacrifice, Jesushad
purchased not only freedom from the Law, but also freedom from the entire
sacrificialsystem."
Mark 15:37-39 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 38 And
the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the
centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the wayHe breathed
His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Sonof God!”
As discussedabove (see notes)Jesus had just said "I am thirsty" (He did not
cry this out loudly, by the way) followedby the single Greek Tetelestaior "It
is finished." Luke 23:46 then records His very last words before He died.

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said - The synoptic accounts are
similar - Mt 27:50 has "Jesus criedout again with a loud voice." Mark 15:37
has "and Jesus uttered a loud cry."
It is easyto read over these words and miss what Luke is saying. Have you
ever been at the bedside of a dying person? One day I receivedan urgent call
that my mom had suffered an abdominal aneurysm beginning to leak and
since she did not want surgicalrepair probably had only hours to live. I was
300 miles awaybut God allowedme to make it to her side. She was conscious
but weak and clearlynear death's door. I leanedover to tell her that Jesus
was there with her and He would take care of her. The next words she could
only whisper but they were emphatic "What's taking Him so long?" She fell
asleepin Jesus severalhours later that night as I lay on the floor at the side of
her bed. Jesus had answeredher weak cry for Him to come quickly. Here in
Luke 23:46 Jesus is near death but the difference is that He cries out with a
loud voice. Recallthat the Greek words for "loud voice" are "megas" and
"phone" (gives us English megaphone)which indicate this was a very audible
cry. To even speak while being crucified was difficult but to cry out loudly
would be far more difficult. Was Jesus supernaturally enabled? Perhaps we
will discoverthe answerin heaven. In any event, it was not a cry of defeat, but
a triumphant cry of victory, victory over sin and Satan, and paradoxically
victory over death even though He would momentarily die!
MacArthur has an interesting thought on Jesus'ability to cry out with a loud
voice even after the scourging and beating and six hours on the cross - Jesus
did not gradually fade away His life ebbing little by little until gone. Even now
He made it evident that He was not at the point of utter exhaustionand that
He had the resources to stayalive if He so desired. (Matthew Commentary)
Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT. (See Table of Jesus
SevenSayings from the Cross) - Notice that after addressing Godas "My
God" Jesus againaddresses Godas His Father. The parallel passages in
Matthew 27:50 and Mark 15:37 do not recordJesus'actualwords but just

that "Jesus criedout again with a loud voice." So only Luke records Jesus
very last words. What better hands to be in then the One Who holds
everything in His hands!
Commit (3908)(paratithemifrom para = beside + tithemi = to place) means
literally to place beside. Jesus uses the middle voice here which is interesting
as in secularGreek paratithemi in the middle voice was a commercialterm
for giving something to someone in trust for safekeeping!God the Son
entrusted Himself to Godthe Father's hands! In
Don't miss the fact that Jesus is quoting Scripture with His dying breath! That
alone should tell us all something very important about Jesus'estimationof
the living word on His dying lips and our need to store it in our "prone to
wander" hearts so that we can live welland die well! Are you memorizing
Scripture? If not begin today and make this a regular discipline until you
breathe you final breath! The Scripture Jesus quotes is from David in Psalm
31:5 "Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomedme, O LORD,
God of truth." Of course Jesus leftoff the last phrase of Ps 31:5 because the
very purpose of His life was not to be ransomed but "to give His life a ransom
for many!" (Mt 20:28, Mk 10:45). And don't miss the "for" which in Greek is
the preposition "anti" which means "in place of" which clearlyspeaks ofHis
sacrifice as a substitution. In other words instead of being ransomed, His life
became the ransom for our life, His sacrifice being the substitution (see note)
for sinners. He paid a debt He did not owe, while I oweda debt I could not
pay! (Play the greatlittle song "He Paid a Debt He Did Not Owe!")
The Greek wordfor ransom (lu,tron, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45
and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a
slave. The idea of Jesus as the "ransom" is that he paid the price with his own
life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we
deservedfor sin.

Having said this He breathed His last - Mark 15:37 has the same phrase, while
Mt 27:50 says Jesus "yieldedup His spirit." The verb yielded is aphiemi (apo
= from + hiemi = to send) which literally means Jesus sentawayHis spirit
from Himself (His body). Like a King, He "dismissed" His spirit! Yielded is in
the active voice which speaks ofvolitional choice. In other words, Jesus
actively, by a conscious actofHis Own sovereignwill, surrendered His spirit.
The point is that Jesus'life was not taken from Him by these evil men. He did
exactly what He had predicted He would do in John 10:17-18 declaring "I lay
down My life so that I may take it again. No one has takenit awayfrom Me,
but I lay it down on My owninitiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I
have authority to take it up again." Jesus was in full control even to His very
last breath! Beloved, that truth ought to encourage us and remind us that He
is sovereignoverthe events in our life, yea, even sovereignoverour every
breath, including our last breath! (Da 5:23b+).
BreathedHis last (1606)(expneo fromex = out + pneo = breath) means to
breathe out one's life/soul, thus to expire or die. Only here and Mk 15:37, 39
(Not in Lxx).
THOUGHT - Here is another thought to ponder - How did death enter the
world? Sin of course. Was Jesusa sinner? Of course not! So what it the point?
I would submit that since Jesus had never sinned, He was not subject to death
as every other man or woman ever born for we were all born in sin and the
wages ofsin is death. Had Jesus not willingly surrendered Himself to death,
He would not have died. And recallthat He had been on the cross only 6 hours
and some men were knownto hang for severaldays before dying. His death
was clearlymuch soonerthan would be expectedand this reflects the fact that
He was in control of the timing! So why did He voluntarily die? He
consciouslychose to die that we might live. He died in our place. He died
because He loved the world. He died in order to pay the price of redemption, a
price which had to be paid with His precious blood (1 Peter1:18-19+). In

Jesus was calling out with a loud voice

Jesus was calling out with a loud voice

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