Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46

The last words and final breath of any human being in the wake of death is a moment in time one should not underappreciate. The death of Jesus certainly falls into the category of a human being taking a final breath while uttering last words. If these statements are afair assessment, then it is rea...

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Main Author: P. Nagel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2024-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
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Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/8134
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author P. Nagel
author_facet P. Nagel
author_sort P. Nagel
collection DOAJ
description The last words and final breath of any human being in the wake of death is a moment in time one should not underappreciate. The death of Jesus certainly falls into the category of a human being taking a final breath while uttering last words. If these statements are afair assessment, then it is reasonable to reflect on the existential value and significance of Jesus’ last words and final breath. To state the obvious, his death, as a central figure within Christianity, holds potential theological value and significance for how millions interpret their final moments. His death also possesses existential value for obvious reasons. There is thus a substantial theological burden on what his death means, the impact it has on those “believing” in him, and the consequences for all those who consider their death as dying “in him”.  This study does not overburden Jesus’ last moments with theological concerns but aims to reflect on Luke 23:46 and parallels from an existential-anthropological point of view. It deliberately accentuates the mundane, “human” character of Jesus’ “last” moments on this earth. The purpose of this reflection is to come to a deeper appreciation of his death, with the hope that it might mean something to someone struggling to breathe while dying.
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spelling doaj-art-70edd34d33974db291a75700447bd7082025-02-11T09:27:30ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892024-12-0144210.38140/at.v44i2.8134Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46P. Nagel0Stellenbosch University The last words and final breath of any human being in the wake of death is a moment in time one should not underappreciate. The death of Jesus certainly falls into the category of a human being taking a final breath while uttering last words. If these statements are afair assessment, then it is reasonable to reflect on the existential value and significance of Jesus’ last words and final breath. To state the obvious, his death, as a central figure within Christianity, holds potential theological value and significance for how millions interpret their final moments. His death also possesses existential value for obvious reasons. There is thus a substantial theological burden on what his death means, the impact it has on those “believing” in him, and the consequences for all those who consider their death as dying “in him”.  This study does not overburden Jesus’ last moments with theological concerns but aims to reflect on Luke 23:46 and parallels from an existential-anthropological point of view. It deliberately accentuates the mundane, “human” character of Jesus’ “last” moments on this earth. The purpose of this reflection is to come to a deeper appreciation of his death, with the hope that it might mean something to someone struggling to breathe while dying. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/8134DeathBreathingSpiritExistential
spellingShingle P. Nagel
Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
Acta Theologica
Death
Breathing
Spirit
Existential
title Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
title_full Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
title_fullStr Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
title_full_unstemmed Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
title_short Jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath: reflecting on Luke 23:46
title_sort jesus uttering his last words and drawing on his final breath reflecting on luke 23 46
topic Death
Breathing
Spirit
Existential
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/8134
work_keys_str_mv AT pnagel jesusutteringhislastwordsanddrawingonhisfinalbreathreflectingonluke2346