Jesus' Final Words on the Cross Affirm the Humanity and Personhood of the Unborn
Source: Josh Wood. "How Jesus' Final Words Affirm The Humanity Of The Unborn." April 3, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that when Jesus quoted Psalm 22 while dying on the cross, he was making a deliberate statement about unborn children having full human dignity from conception. The psalm talks about God knowing someone 'from the womb,' and the Gospel stories show unborn babies recognizing each other, which the author says proves unborn children are fully human.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ's final words on the cross, quoting Psalm 22, affirm that unborn children possess full humanity and personhood from conception
Premises
- Jesus deliberately quoted Psalm 22 from the cross, which states 'you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts... from my mother's womb you have been my God'
- In first-century Jewish practice, quoting the opening line of a psalm invoked the entire text, so Jesus was intentionally referencing the complete psalm
- Psalm 22 locates God's relationship with the speaker as beginning 'from the womb,' before birth, breath, or any conscious act
- Luke's Gospel uses the same Greek word 'brephos' for both the unborn John the Baptist and the newborn Jesus, making no distinction in personhood based on location or development stage
- The Gospel account shows John the Baptist recognizing Jesus while both were still in the womb, demonstrating personhood before birth
- Psalm 22 both begins and ends with references to the unborn, creating a deliberate theological framework that Jesus chose as his final public statement
Assumptions
- Jesus' words and actions on the cross were deliberate theological statements rather than random expressions of pain
- First-century Jewish practices of psalm quotation accurately reflect how Jesus' words would have been understood
- Biblical texts provide authoritative guidance on questions of personhood and human dignity
- The timing and content of Jesus' final words carry special theological significance
- Modern debates about abortion and fetal personhood can be informed by ancient biblical texts