GOOD FRIDAY

(Reposted devotional from Eyes on Jesus: Through John's Gospel)

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JOHN 19:28-37

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

(verse 30)

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“Time’s up!” The cry of despair from the heart of a student desperately struggling to complete the last questions on the year-end final, but discovering the opportunity has expired.

“I’m done!” A statement of resignation from one who has discovered the task at which they’ve laboured is simply too weighty to complete.

“It’s over!” The sigh of exhaustion of the runner who had hoped to complete the marathon but falls short, overcome by fatigue.

Cries of the end. Cries that signal conclusion. Game over.

But none of these is the cry from the cross. Jesus’ voice, echoing down through history, has nothing of defeat or resignation or exhaustion. His cry is full of finality, but has nothing of despair. It’s a cry of triumph – of victory.

Indeed the cry is full of enough vitality and power, even after hours on the cross, that the Roman centurion, who had experienced many such gruesome deaths, stood back in marvel and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mark 13:59).

The statement, which takes three word for the English translation, is one single word in the Greek written by John – “tetelestai.” The root word is “telos”, a noun which means “the end” or “the goal” or “the ultimate aim” or “the conclusion.” “Tetelestai” is a verbal form of the word, meaning “to finish” or “to accomplish” or “to complete.”

Earlier in his ministry, on his way up to Jerusalem, Jesus had told his disciples, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled” (Luke 18:31). “Fulfilled” is a translation of this same word. Jesus was looking ahead to the time when he would bring to completion all that had been prophesied about him, all that the Father intended for him to do. He’d come to seek and to save the lost. He’d come as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. He’d come to be a substitute for us, laying down his life, to save.

On the cross, with triumph, he cried out that all of it was done. “It is finished!”

One further thing stands out about this word. It’s written in the ‘perfect tense’. It’s a tense that looks backward to an action that has been completed in the past. It’s done, completed, accomplished, finished.

But more than that, the perfect tense indicates that the results of that past action continue to reverberate with full effect right into the present moment and on into the future. The reverberation doesn’t stop. It’s like a pebble dropped into a pond that sets ripples roiling outwards in ever-expanding concentric circles. The effect is ongoing.

That’s what Jesus’ cry implies. That’s why there’s triumph in his voice. It is – and forever stands – finished!

Salvation is won. The perfect sacrifice has been made. Everything is completed. Nothing else need be added. Ever.

It is forever finished! Tetelestai!

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Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you set your sights on completing the Father’s work. You accomplished it fully on the cross. Praise your name.

Thank you that what is finished is truly finished. The price has been paid. The way is open. Salvation is won.

All that is left to me is to believe, and receive, and own you as my Sovereign Lord. Gratefully, I do.

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Reflect:

What things are you tempted to try to complete yourself? What would it mean for you to truly allow the reverberating ripples of “It is finished!” to roll over you today?