Originally posted on April 10th 2020
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished”, and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jn. 19,28-30
Jesus having completed all the work he was sent into the world to do – that men and women might have eternal life:
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Jn.17,3
And having accomplished all things, in the pouring out of his life on the Cross he now utters the words “It is finished”, bowes his head and gives up his spirit.
Our redemption is completed. He has done it! Nothing we can do can add anything to it.
On Easter Day, the Father will raise Jesus from the dead, thus vindicating his Son, and sealing our redemption. God will highly exalt him, and give him the name above every name, Lord. Phil. 2,9-11
These words from Paul’s letter to the Romans sum up the situation for us now:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8,31-39
A note on the text of Jn. 19,30:
The Greek verb translated “it is finished” is in the perfect passive tense; the perfect in Greek denoting a completed action in past time, where the results are still felt!