Seven Words of Hope

Crucifixion book a little read but a lot to think about

Seven Words of Hope: Spoken from the Cross (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2014)
Frank Gonzalez

Reflecting on the statements Jesus made while on the cross has long been a theme for Christian devotions and Seven Words of Hope takes up this important, time-honoured task.

Although brief, the book points to the magnitude of the sacrifice of Jesus and its cosmic and personal significance, with moments of deep insight that continually invite much deeper reflection than the few pages of each chapter allow.

Author Frank Gonzalez is the minister of a large Seventh-day Adventist church in Florida, USA. His guidance through the hours of Christ’s crucifixion shares a little from his ministry experiences and the life-changing power of Jesus, as well as occasional surprising turns in what he does with these precious words of Jesus. The content is honestly and alternately despairing and hope-filled, tragic and triumphant.

Seven Words of Hope also features the responses of the people around the cross, emphasising the human and divine dynamics surrounding the death of Jesus. We meet Jesus’ mother Mary, the repentant thief, the compassionate and transformed Roman soldiers, and the overwhelming gratitude of Mary Magdalene.

From “Father, forgive them . . .” to “It is finished,” Gonzalez paints each of Christ’s agonised but profound statements as “mini-sermons” that help us understand the heart of God, the significance of Jesus’ death and the suffering Jesus endured for the sin of the world—and for each of us.

As such, Seven Words of Hope is a worthwhile reminder of what Jesus ultimately did for us, and perhaps an introduction to a different way of engaging with what is the central story in the history of the world and in our lives. At 96 pages, the book doesn’t take much reading but its themes should demand much thinking.