John doesn’t mention several events that occurred that day, which are recorded in the Synoptics. The fourth Gospel was probably the last narrative written about Jesus, so John would have known what was recorded in the other Gospel narratives. Therefore, what we find in this Gospel reflect the thoughts and choices John made to compile his witness of Jesus’ life. John is very different from the Synoptics, in that many events here are not recorded there, and vice versa. For example, John doesn’t speak of the darkness that covered the land, but he is the only writer who records the presence of Jesus’ mother and what Jesus did to care for her in his absence. Moreover, he doesn’t record the earthquake that caused the veil of the Temple to be torn from top to bottom, but he does record the words he said, when he cried out aloud. He made choices both to leave out what was already recorded, unless what was said elsewhere was absolutely essential to what he wanted to say in his own account, and he made choices to add what he knew occurred that the Synoptics left out.
The day was nearly over, and the darkness mentioned in the Synoptics was now past, and John records that Jesus said: “I thirst” (John 19:28). While both Matthew and Mark mention that someone gave him vinegar to drink, John is the only one who recorded it was at Jesus request, because he was thirsty. The Psalmist says: “My strength is dried up like potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws…” (Psalm 22:15). Jesus had more to say from the cross, but he wouldn’t have been able to say it clearly without receiving something to wet his tongue.
John mentioned that Jesus knew: “All things were fulfilled…”, but what did he mean by that? Jesus hadn’t died yet, so that needed to be accomplished. Nor had he been placed in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9), so that hadn’t been fulfilled. What “all things” had already been accomplished? Actually, the Greek is slightly different from what we see recorded here in the translation. For example, although “things” is plural, the verb is singular. It should be “the whole is accomplished,” meaning there was left nothing undone that had to be addressed. However, “so that the scripture might be fully complete he said…” he said: “I thirst,” meaning there were a few incidentals to be done before the book could be closed for the “whole” that was already addressed. Therefore, the sponge containing the vinegar was put to his lips at the end of a stem of hyssop (John 19:29).
So, when he had received the vinegar, which wet his tongue, he was now able to cry out, and, being crucified on Mount Olives, facing the Temple, he was able to witness the time of the sacrifice of the Pascal lamb had come. As the priest slew the lamb on the Altar of Sacrifice in the Temple, a trumpet blast could be heard throughout the city. This alerted everyone that the deed was done. The memorial sacrifice was made, and Jesus, who was able to witness it all from the site of the crucifixion on Mount Olives, then cried out from the cross: “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Thus, fulfilling all that was demanded of him by the Father, he then completed his work by placing his head in a rested position, and letting his body go limp, he gave up the ghost, placing his Spirit into the hands of his Father (John 19:30; cp. Luke 23:46).
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