When Jesus spoke the words “it is finished” on the cross he was making reference to our secured salvation. Or was He? Perhaps it has never dawned on those who say that when Jesus spoke those words He had not even died at that point. Therefore the penalty for sin had not even been paid yet when He said, “It is finished!” Therefore, He could not possibly have been referring to our salvation. And Paul plainly declares that Jesus was raised from the dead for our justification, and Jesus was a full three days away from being resurrected when He said, “It is finished!” So He could not have been referring to the penalty for sin having been paid at that point or our having been justified by the shedding of His blood when He uttered those words. (See Romans 4:25). Then what did He mean?
The three most misunderstood words in John’s gospel account, perhaps even in the entire New Testament, are the words, “It is finished.” (See John 19:30). I can’t begin to count the number of times I have heard someone say that when Jesus Christ spoke those words from the cross He was making reference to our salvation, that it was then finished and completed. Nothing more could be done to bring a lost world to God. That was it. Christ Himself had said, “It is finished”! But, those who say that, forget one primary and important rule of Bible study and scripture exegesis, or interpretation – they forget to look at the context! Yes, even the most revered preacher and theologian can sometimes fail to consider the context. We are all fallible and subject to err and err greatly sometimes’
One needs to consider the Greek word that the King James translators translated by the English word “finished,” as most in-depth Bible students are well aware that the translators did not always choose the best word when translating the Hebrew and Greek languages. (That’s why there are more than a dozen different translations, or versions, of the Bible). The Greek word teleo (pronounced tel-EH’-o) means “to complete, to execute, to conclude, discharge, or perform.” Was there something that was discharged, concluded or performed just before Jesus uttered those words thereby causing Him to say, “It is finished”? There most certainly was! Jesus Christ had fulfilled a scripture prophecy just moments before saying, “It is finished.” And it was the last prophetic scripture that had to be discharged or performed before Jesus Christ could die!
Let’s go back to the 28th verse of John 19 and begin reading there: “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED, said, “I thirst.” Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. WHEN JESUS THEREFORE HAD RECEIVED THE VINEGAR, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost (Greek pneuma, pronounced NYOO’-mah, meaning “breath, spirit, life”). He had just discharged or performed the last prophetic scripture penned by the Hebrew prophets concerning the Messiah’s sufferings by saying, “I thirst” and drinking of the vinegar lifted to his lips by a Roman soldier. Which scripture? Psalm 69:21, which says, “They gave me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
Enroute to Jerusalem and the cross, scripture says “He took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them, ‘Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, AND ALL THINGS THAT ARE WRITTEN BY THE PROPHETS CONCERNING THE SON OF MAN SHALL BE ACCOMPLISHED (teleo, the same Greek word translated as “finished” in John 19:30).” See Luke 18:31. Before breathing His last on the cross, Jesus knew that the prophecy of Psalm 69 still needed to be fulfilled, performed, accomplished – finished. That’s WHY He said, “I thirst.” And that is WHY, after receiving the vinegar, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Those who say He was referring to our salvation when He uttered those words might mean well – but they are in error on that point.
THAT is rightly dividing the Word of God. Something even the most highly respected preachers sometimes fail to do so. And that is how gross error is perpetuated in the various Christian assemblies.
Think on these things and may our Lord’s Spirit guide you as you do so.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley