“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.” (Matthew 27:50)
After hours of intense suffering, Jesus died. Not because He had no choice, but willingly. Jesus yielded up his spirit. Like He had said before, He laid down his life of his own accord (John 10:18).
Matthew just tells us that Jesus cried out with a loud voice before breathing his last. The Gospels of Luke and John tell us what Jesus cried out: “It is finished” (John 19:30) and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46).
That’s a cry of victory and of trust in God the Father. His task had been accomplished, Jesus had fulfilled God’s will to the end.
At first sight, Jesus’ death might seem the ultimate triumph of Satan. But it was not. On the contrary. By dying, Jesus crushed Satan’s head (Genesis 3:15). Jesus had come on earth to do exactly this: “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).
Satan has been disarmed and Jesus has triumphed. Praise Him for his victory on the cross!