“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost,” John 19:30.

We move on now to consider this wonderful triumphant cry of the Lord Jesus. The three words — ‘It is finished’ form the very core of the gospel message, the good news that Christ has accomplished salvation for His elect. He COMPLETED the work He came from heaven to do, the SATISFYING OF THE DEMANDS OF THE LAW for His people and PAYING THE PRICE OF THEIR REDEMPTION!

The three words in our English Bible are a translation of only one word in the Greek original — tel-eh’-o. Look at how this word is translated in other places. Matt 11:1, ‘made an end’. Matt 17:24, ‘pay’. Luke 2:39, ‘performed’. Luke 18:31, ‘shall be accomplished’.

Please notice the faithfulness of the Saviour. He finished what was given Him to do. He is an example for us to follow. This is what paul did. “‭I have fought‭‭ a good‭ fight‭, I have finished‭‭ ‭my‭ course‭, I have kept‭‭ the faith‭,‭”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬  2 Timothy 4:7.

WHAT WAS ‘FINISHED’? - 1

1. Christ’s purpose in coming into this world. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke 19:10. This was the ‘business’ He referred to when He was 12 years old. “I must be about my Father’s business,” Luke 2:49. “. . . the works which the Father hath given me to finish,” John 5:36. “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do,” John 17:4.
2. Christ’s offering of Himself as a sacrifice for sin. Seconds after these words, the Saviour ‘gave up the ghost’ and died as “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.”
3. The work was finished for all eternity. It was completely finished. It need never be repeated! “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” Hebrews 10:10. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God,” Hebrews 10:12. He is placed as a token of honour at the right hand of God, where he sits enjoying rest, ease, and pleasure, and that for ever.