John documented these words as a direct bystander of Jesus’s crucifixion. He tells us his testimony is true and wrote it down so that “you also may believe.” (John 19:35) Jesus’ words on the cross were tender words of care, fulfilled prophecy, and quoted Scripture. But when His work was done, Jesus declared these words of victory- “it is finished.” John 19:30.
Every Jew in attendance that day would have been very familiar with these three words.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all testify that the chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders were present- mocking and sneering at Jesus. And “a large number of people followed Him, including women.” (Luke 23:27)
It is Finished in Greek
The Greek “tetelestai” means to fulfill, accomplish, or to perform the last act, which completes a process.
Tetelestai Paid in Full
It was commonly used in debt collecting as well. They marked the receipt for a paid off loan with the word “tetelestai”- paid in full. The debt was gone- paid for permanently.
It is Finished in Hebrew
The most fascinating meaning (to me) goes back to the old Hebrew (“telos”) use of the word. The priests used it at the end of Jewish sacrificial offerings to announce the sacrifice was complete and sin was forgiven.
The most holy of these sacrificial days was the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. God instituted it in the period after the Exodus when the Israelites camped at the base of Mount Sinai for 2 years.
“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” Leviticus 16:34. The people confessed their sins as a nation, and the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place (where God dwelled) to “cover” or atone for their sins.
The High Priest would come out of the Most Holy Place and proclaim, “Tetelestai!”
They used the same word for the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb. It was finished! The sacrifice had taken away their sins. Until the next sacrifice. Or the next year.
What were the Jews thinking when Jesus triumphantly proclaimed these words? Did they connect it to the Old Testament sacrifices?
What Did Jesus Mean When He said, It is Finished
What was the “it”?
After the Last Supper and before His arrest, Jesus prayed to His Father. We find this prayer in John 17- also known as the last prayer of Jesus, a beautiful look into His heart.
As He prays, He dedicates Himself to complete the work for which His Father had sent Him: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” V4.
•“It” was the work required to carry out the redemptive plan of God.
Jesus tells us why He came to earth-
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10.
He came on a mission. Jesus came to seek out and save sinners so He could bring them into eternal life with Him. It is our only hope and solution to our sin problem.
Jesus our High Priest
•“It” was to function as our High Priest.
The High Priests in the Old Testament served as a mediator between God and the Israelites. They were the only ones who could come into God’s presence and make the temporary blood sacrifices needed to forgive sin.
Jesus is our mediator and High Priest. He was the ultimate sacrifice- the perfect lamb of God. He gave up His own life to pay the penalty for our sin. Once and for all time.
“But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” Hebrews 10:12 NLT.
The High Priests went behind the temple curtain into the Most Holy Place only once a year to atone for the people’s sin.
At the moment of Jesus’ death, this massive curtain ripped in two. His sacrificial death removed the barrier between God and us.
Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and our interceding High Priest. We are now able to come before our King at any time.
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16.
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Jesus Paid in Full
•“It” was to pay a debt He did not owe.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
God took the sinless person of Christ and poured all our sins onto Him on the cross. Then, in exchange, He fills us with all of Jesus’ perfect virtues and goodness. When God sees us, He sees His perfect Son. We have nothing to add; Jesus has done it all.
Jesus Defeated Death
•“It” was defeating sin, death, and Satan.
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11:25.
Jesus is our source of eternal life. When we believe this, we acknowledge Jesus died in our place to save us from our sins. We will live forever with Him in paradise.
Satan and his demons must have been giddy when the Romans crucified Jesus. Finally! They had defeated Jesus! Or so they thought…
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14.
Satan may still tempt us, but he has no power over us!
It is Finished Meaning
What does this mean for us today?
Jesus emerges victorious in carrying out the redemptive plan of God. And if God didn’t spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us, what else will our good Father give?
Jesus was crucified, died, and resurrected. He sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us! His love, grace, and mercy for us are new every morning.
Even though the trials and heartaches of this world continue, there is nothing that can separate us from the love Jesus has for us. Nothing! This extravagant and never-ending love gives us security and peace in all situations.
It also brings this comforting promise-
“In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37.
What was Finished on the Cross
Jesus has conquered death and claimed the highest victory ever won. And He did it for us. We now share in His overwhelming victory to become more than conquerors, no matter what this world throws at us.
God helps us fight our battles, rescues us, and is our shelter and shield. Satan cannot snatch us out of His hands. Our inheritance is secure.
It is Done, It is Finished
We see God working on His plan at the very beginning of the Bible. “The heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.” On the seventh day, “God had finished the work he had been doing.” Genesis 2:1,2.
God had finished His work of creation.
Then Jesus finished the work of redemption of sin.
But there is more to the plan and we see it in the book of Revelation. Chapter 21 tells us of the new heaven and the new earth that is to come. John sees the city of the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.
Revelation 21:6
“He said to me: ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.'”
It is done! God’s plan will be complete. There won’t be anymore sin, tears or sorrow. The everlasting kingdom of Jesus will be complete!
Reflections:
The bystanders, rulers, and soldiers all dared Jesus to save Himself as He hung in agony on the cross. He had the power to do it, but knew He was our only hope for salvation.
He bears the sin of the world and the torture of being forsaken by His Father. Moments before His death, He cries out, “It is finished!” And then Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, dies. He takes this gruesome punishment to save us, so that we can be with Him forever.
•Take some time to reflect on making His sacrifice personal. How can we ever thank Him? How does your life reflect your response to being completely forgiven?
•Are there sins from your past that you have trouble accepting the “paid in full” receipt for? Think about the words “it is finished” and how He paid all your debt.
•He not only paid our debt, but bore our grief, carried our sorrows, and took the wounds for our healing. He paid an enormous price for our sins- past, present, and future. Does this make you look at your sin differently?
Blessings,
AnnMarie
All Scripture is from the NIV unless specified otherwise.
Photo Credits: Canva, Deposit Photos
Wow I had never heard about the term “it is finished” as one that the Jews would recognize from both dealing in the markets to the very words used on the Day of Atonement! This was so good, thanks, Ann!
I hadn’t either! I wonder what they thought Jesus meant when He said these words? Did they ring a bell? Thanks so much for reading and for your encouraging comments. God bless you Cindy!!