It Is Finished
After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, “I am thirsty.” . . . When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died. JOHN 19:28, 30 (NCV)
During his earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly said that he came to do the work God gave him to do. And the Bible says this about when he was dying on the cross: “After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, ‘I am thirsty.’ . . . When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and died” (John 19:28, 30, NCV).
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it was a shout of victory. The phrase is a single word in the original Greek: tetelestai. It was a common word in ancient Greek society, with many meanings, and Jesus embodied each of them:
It was used by servants and employees who returned to their master with news they had finished the task. Jesus had finished the task God had given him.
It was a legal word judges used to announce that a prisoner had completely served his prison time. Jesus made sure that justice had been served for our sin.
It was a word used in accounting to indicate a debt had been paid in full. Jesus completely paid our sin debt.
Artists used the word when painting a picture to denote their final stroke. Jesus’ sacrifice finished God’s great masterpiece, making it possible for us to be redeemed from our sin.
Priests used the word when they offered a sacrifice to God to declare, “The sacrifice has been made.” Jesus’ death on the cross was the sacrifice for our sin.
That one single word—tetelestai—separates Christianity from every other religion. All other religions are about what you need to do to be right with God. Christianity is about what God has already done on your behalf.
Jesus said, “It is finished.” You don’t need to do anything to have access to God. He’s done everything!
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