Bible Contradiction? What were the last words of Jesus?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: What were the last words of Jesus?

Here are the three answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

“About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.” (Matthew 20:18-19)

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

“And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)

It is finished.

“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

1. When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction.  A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time.  To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
2. None of the three verses recording Jesus’ final words contradict one another.  Jesus could have said all three phrases as part of the last few words He uttered before His death.  In order for there to be a logical contradiction one or more verses have to say “Jesus’ only last words were ___.”  But none of the three verses states that.  Only when a passage exclude any other last words recorded by the other Gospels in the Bible would we have a contradiction.  And again this simply is not the case.
3. To validate the skeptic’s claim that Jesus’ last words were “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” the Skeptic Annotated Bible referenced Matthew 27:46-50.  These words from Jesus are specifically found in verse 46.  But note what verse 50 states: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.”  While verse 50 does not record what it was specifically that Jesus cried out it could have been “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” that Luke 23:46 record or “It is finished!” that John 19:30 record.  It can even be both phrases that Jesus cried out.  The point here is that Matthew 27:50 itself indicates that after Jesus said “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew was aware that further last words were said.  So Matthew 27:46-50 doesn’t show a Bible contradiction but rather suggests strongly that Jesus spoke other words.
4. Remember just because different Gospels record different sayings of Jesus’ last few words while other Gospels are silent about it does not mean that there is a Bible contradiction.  We see even in secular history how some sources quote certain facts and other sources omit them but does mean the omission is a denial of those facts.  See for example our posts “Bible Contradiction and Thanksgiving Story” and “Bible Contradiction and Louisiana Purchase.“

We don’t have a Bible contradiction here.

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