Today, I want to take a break from the series of blog posts we’ve been in. With this weekend being Easter weekend, and tomorrow being Good Friday, I want to examine the Cross, specifically, one of the phrases Jesus said while on the cross.
The Cross is a peculiar thing to us. We see crosses on church buildings, giant crosses like billboards as we drive down the interstate, or we have made it into a piece of jewelry or something to hang on our walls in our homes, but we do not like to face the horror of the cross.
We must remember that the cross was absolutely brutal. It was shame, suffering, and agony—it was a terrible, torturous death! The Lord Jesus was “obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”
The sixth word spoken by Jesus from the cross was, “It is finished.”
At age 33, most people are saying, “It is just beginning,” but the Lord Jesus came to the end of his short life on earth and said, “It is finished.”
He did not say, “I am finished.” He said, “It is finished.” It was not a cry of defeat but a shout of victory!
One word in Greek—“Tetelesti.” It is finished, it stands finished, and it will be finished forever.”
It is a familiar word spoken by a faithful Savior about a finished work!
A Familiar Word
It is not as familiar to us today, but it was in our Lord’s day—it was used by many across all different segments of society. Here are just a few examples: Servants – used by servants to tell their master that their work was accomplished. When Jesus hung on the cross He said “It is finished,” that He had accomplished all the work the Father had for Him to do. Priests – the equivalent of the Hebrew word spoken by the high priest when he presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish. When Jesus died on the cross and said “It is finished,” He was saying the Father’s sacrifice is perfect; the perfect spotless lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Artists – the work was complete or perfect, that nothing else could be added to it. Jesus did all that the Father required of Him, His work has been completed, and nothing else can be added to it. Merchants and Bankers – written on business documents or receipts to show that a bill or debt had been paid in full. When Jesus died on the cross, He paid our sin debt for us. It was paid in full, the full measure of our sin has been blotted out by the blood of Jesus.A Faithful Savior
This familiar word was spoken by our faithful savior. Jesus was faithful!- At age 12, “I must be about my Father’s business.”
- John 2 (Wedding in Cana), “Mine hour has not come.”
- John 4, “My meat is to do the will of the Father.”
- Luke 9 (Transfiguration), “His death which should be accomplished at Jerusalem.”
- Luke 12, “I have a baptism…”
- John 17, “I have glorified Thee on earth, I have finished…”
