Death is always a tough subject. It comes when we least expect it. John MacArthur from “Grace to you” writes an article entitled, “Jesus’ Power over the Details of His Death.” Here is part of the sermon.
That’s how death is; it is the interrupter. But not with Jesus. Verse 30 of John 19 says, “When He said, ‘It is finished,’ He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” Realizing that His work on the cross was finished, realizing that He had suffered all that the wrath of God was to bring upon Him, that He had paid in full for all the sins of all who would believe, and no more payment was needed, Jesus willed Himself dead. Jesus, the very life itself, and the giver of all life, took death as His welcome friend and controlled His own dying.
In the tenth chapter of John, if you go back and pick it up at verse 15, Jesus said, “I lay down My life for the sheep.” He said it again in verse 17, “I lay down My life that I may take it again.” I lay it down; I take it. Verse 18, “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have power to lay it down, and I have power” – exousia – “to take it up again.” And such language was overwhelming to the crowd. Verse 19, “There arose a division among the Jews because of these words. And many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?’” No one has the power to lay down his life, to command death to take him. No one has the power to command life to pick him up again.
The following verses are from John 19.
A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:29-30, ESV.