What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished”?

[Chad]

Of the last sayings of Christ on the cross, none is more important or more poignant than, “It is finished.” Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term that means “paid in full.” When Jesus uttered those words, He was declaring the debt owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever. Not that Jesus wiped away any debt that He owed to the Father; rather, Jesus eliminated the debt owed by mankind—the debt of sin.

Just prior to His arrest by the Romans, Jesus prayed His last public prayer, asking the Father to glorify Him, just as Jesus had glorified the Father on earth, having “finished the work you have given me to do” (John 17:4). The work Jesus was sent to do was to “seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10), to provide atonement for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him (Romans 3:23-25), and to reconcile sinful men to a holy God. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). None other but God in the flesh could accomplish such a task.

Also completed was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies, symbols, and foreshadowings of the coming Messiah. From Genesis to Malachi, there are over 300 specific prophecies detailing the coming of the Anointed One, all fulfilled by Jesus. From the “seed” who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, to the prediction of the “messenger” of the Lord (John the Baptist) who would “prepare the way” for the Messiah, all prophecies of Jesus’ life, ministry, and death were fulfilled and finished at the cross.

Although the redemption of mankind is the most important finished task, many other things were finished at the cross. The sufferings Jesus endured while on the earth, and especially in His last hours, were at last over. God’s will for Jesus was accomplished in His perfect obedience to the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). Most importantly, the power of sin and Satan was finished. No longer would mankind have to suffer the “flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). By raising the “shield of faith” in the One who completed the work of redemption and salvation, we can, by faith, live as new creations in Christ. Jesus’ finished work on the cross was the beginning of new life for all who were once “dead in trespasses and sins” but who are now made “alive with Christ” (Ephesians 2:1, 5).

article source: What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished”? | GotQuestions.org

 

[B-A-C]

Heb 4:3; For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
“As I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest,”
although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4; For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
Heb 4:5; and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.”
Heb 4:6; Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,

 

[Born Again 2004]

His work was complete now He sat down on the right hand of the Holy Fathet for all eternity!

 

[Brightfame52]

When Jesus said it is finished, He meant that He has accomplished everything needed to save Gods People the Elect from their sins. He satisfied the Law both in its precepts and in its justice for all the elect, and securing them eternal redemption Heb 9:12

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

[JerryfromMass]

Of the last sayings of Christ on the cross, none is more important or more poignant than, “It is finished.” Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term that means “paid in full.” When Jesus uttered those words, He was declaring the debt owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever. Not that Jesus wiped away any debt that He owed to the Father; rather, Jesus eliminated the debt owed by mankind—the debt of sin.

Just prior to His arrest by the Romans, Jesus prayed His last public prayer, asking the Father to glorify Him, just as Jesus had glorified the Father on earth, having “finished the work you have given me to do” (John 17:4). The work Jesus was sent to do was to “seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10), to provide atonement for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him (Romans 3:23-25), and to reconcile sinful men to a holy God. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). None other but God in the flesh could accomplish such a task.

Also completed was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies, symbols, and foreshadowings of the coming Messiah. From Genesis to Malachi, there are over 300 specific prophecies detailing the coming of the Anointed One, all fulfilled by Jesus. From the “seed” who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, to the prediction of the “messenger” of the Lord (John the Baptist) who would “prepare the way” for the Messiah, all prophecies of Jesus’ life, ministry, and death were fulfilled and finished at the cross.

Although the redemption of mankind is the most important finished task, many other things were finished at the cross. The sufferings Jesus endured while on the earth, and especially in His last hours, were at last over. God’s will for Jesus was accomplished in His perfect obedience to the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). Most importantly, the power of sin and Satan was finished. No longer would mankind have to suffer the “flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). By raising the “shield of faith” in the One who completed the work of redemption and salvation, we can, by faith, live as new creations in Christ. Jesus’ finished work on the cross was the beginning of new life for all who were once “dead in trespasses and sins” but who are now made “alive with Christ” (Ephesians 2:1, 5).

article source: What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished”? | GotQuestions.org

Amen. Jesus came as God in the flesh, first to provoke HIS chosen people to be that which HE chose them to be: a light to the nations for salvation to all that would come to faith. And when the Israelites rejected Jesus, HE turned the mission of bring light to the world to HIS witnesses - his disciples. Now that Jesus, as God in the flesh, had reconciled himself to humanity and humanity to himself, it was finished: HE completed the way to salvation for all who would believe. He then gave the command to HIS disciples to evangelize the nations with all that HE had taught and commanded them.

 

[Brightfame52]

Amen. Jesus came as God in the flesh, first to provoke HIS chosen people to be that which HE chose them to be: a light to the nations for salvation to all that would come to faith. And when the Israelites rejected Jesus, HE turned the mission of bring light to the world to HIS witnesses - his disciples. Now that Jesus, as God in the flesh, had reconciled himself to humanity and humanity to himself, it was finished: HE completed the way to salvation for all who would believe. He then gave the command to HIS disciples to evangelize the nations with all that HE had taught and commanded them.

Those who have been reconciled to God by Christs death are saved from their sins, sins will not be charged to them 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Thats a fact before they believe !

 

[twcstp111]

It is finished, I suppose, would be the moment that the cup once full was now empty, and the door open.

 

[complete]

' Jesus saith unto them,
My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,
and to finish His work.'
(John 4:34)

'I have glorified Thee on the earth:
I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self
with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.'
(John 17:4-5)

 

[JerryfromMass]

' Jesus saith unto them,
My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,
and to finish His work.'
(John 4:34)

'I have glorified Thee on the earth:
I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self
with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.'
(John 17:4-5)

I love the story of the Samaritan women told of a few verses before in John 4, and the story of Mary (the Marys) at the empty tomb. In ancient Judea, women were considered the least, yet God used them for the greatest: the first evangelist and the first witnesses of the risen Messiah.

 

[PearlB]

When Jesus said 'It is finished' he meant the debt has been paid, the work he came to do was complete. There is no plan 'B'. He had accomplished the work of saving all those who choose to believe.

 

[Born Again 2004]

When Jesus said 'It is finished' he meant the debt has been paid, the work he came to do was complete. There is no plan 'B'. He had accomplished the work of saving all those who choose to believe.

Agreed!

 

[JerryfromMass]

When Jesus said 'It is finished' he meant the debt has been paid, the work he came to do was complete. There is no plan 'B'. He had accomplished the work of saving all those who choose to believe.

Amen.

 

[PloughBoy]

His work was complete now He sat down on the right hand of the Holy Fathet for all eternity!

He went to set down until:
These two portions of The Bible are not contradictory.
Matthew 26:64
"You have said it yourself," Jesus answered. "But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." [2 EVENTS]
(King James Bible MATT 22:44)KJB
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, til "I" make thine enemies thy footstool?

Then after the 1,000 year reign Jesus will turn everything, everything back to the Father. All Power.

New International Version
Then the end will come, when he [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

Nominal Christians, do not know that "Heaven" is Temporary and not Eternal. It's time is limited. And the New Jerusalem is not in Heaven but in Eternity for Eternity is not in Time for Time is a creation and Eternity is a place "of GOD". Where we shall be.

 

[JerryfromMass]

"TETELESTAI!" God in the flesh finally completed the work HE initially purposed Abraham to begin and Israel to become, that is: a blessing to the nations, to the entire world, to all ethnicities, a light to draw all peoples, nations, and tongues so that all the world would know there is a God of Salvation in Israel and HIS name is יהוה. Hallelujah. Amen.

 

[complete]

"TETELESTAI!" God in the flesh finally completed the work HE initially purposed Abraham to begin and Israel to become, that is: a blessing to the nations, to the entire world, to all ethnicities, a light to draw all peoples, nations, and tongues so that all the world would know there is a God of Salvation in Israel and HIS name is יהוה. Hallelujah. Amen.

Hello @JerryfromMass,

Would you interpret the words 'Tetelesta' and 'nin', for me please?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[JerryfromMass]

Hello @JerryfromMass,

Would you interpret the words 'Tetelesta' and 'nin', for me please?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Tetelesta is an interesting word. It is a Greek word John uses to indicate to the reader that Jesus said " It is finished" or "the debt is paid" or "the job is done", something along those lines. In Jesus's day, many Hebrews and Judeans could read and understand koine Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, and perhaps even vulgate Latin. Either way, in that day the Christ follower reader would have readily been able to understand what the word "tetelestai" meant in the context of Jesus's last words on the cross, since the Hebrew equivalent of that Greek phrase was probably heard by every Jew on Yom Kippur when the high priest had finished the atoning sacrifice for all of Israel by declaring "Ho Mashaliam," or "it is complete.." Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of added commentary on what exactly this or that meant from the original authors.

What was finished? The blessing of salvation to all in the world who would come to faith. God became human and reconciled HIMSELF to humanity and reconciled humanity to HIMSELF, HE enlisted his disciples to be witnesses to HIM and to all that HE taught and commanded so that all in the world might come to repentance and faith for salvation. Jesus fulfilled all that HE had told Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that is: to be a light to all nations and ethnicities that they might come to faith and receive the gift of salvation through faith. Since Israel failed to accomplish that which YHVH had purposed her to do, YHVH used HIS trusted disciples to be HIS witnesses and to be that light to all the world that Israel was supposed to be, but was not.

יהוה is the tetragrammaton (YHVH) in Hebrew. Jesus is YHVH incarnate.

Blessings in Christ Jesus.

 

[complete]

Tetelesta is an interesting word. It is a Greek word John uses to indicate to the reader that Jesus said " It is finished" or "the debt is paid" or "the job is done", something along those lines. In Jesus's day, many Hebrews and Judeans could read and understand koine Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, and perhaps even vulgate Latin. Either way, in that day the Christ follower reader would have readily been able to understand what the word "tetelestai" meant in the context of Jesus's last words on the cross, since the Hebrew equivalent of that Greek phrase was probably heard by every Jew on Yom Kippur when the high priest had finished the atoning sacrifice for all of Israel by declaring "Ho Mashaliam," or "it is complete.." Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of added commentary on what exactly this or that meant from the original authors.

What was finished? The blessing of salvation to all in the world who would come to faith. God became human and reconciled HIMSELF to humanity and reconciled humanity to HIMSELF, HE enlisted his disciples to be witnesses to HIM and to all that HE taught and commanded so that all in the world might come to repentance and faith for salvation. Jesus fulfilled all that HE had told Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that is: to be a light to all nations and ethnicities that they might come to faith and receive the gift of salvation through faith. Since Israel failed to accomplish that which YHVH had purposed her to do, YHVH used HIS trusted disciples to be HIS witnesses and to be that light to all the world that Israel was supposed to be, but was not.

יהוה is the tetragrammaton (YHVH) in Hebrew. Jesus is YHVH incarnate.

Blessings in Christ Jesus.

Hello @JerryfromMass,

Thank you for this explanation.

I agree with the summation you have given in your final paragraph concerning the finished work of Christ.

Yes, Israel's purpose has yet to be accomplished, being now in abeyance. During this present interval the Church which is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) is being called out. Salvation having been 'sent to the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28). Paul, by Divine revelation, made known in his later epistles the truth relating to this company, (in Eph, Phil, Col, 1 & 2 Tim. Tit. and Philemon), which is unique in everyway from what came before, not being the subject of Old Testament prophecy, or New Testament teaching until it's revelation at the end of the Acts period. Having been hid in God (Ephesians 3:9 & Colossians 1:26) from the beginning of the world.

This tends to get overlooked.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[JerryfromMass]

Hello @JerryfromMass,

Thank you for this explanation.

I agree with the summation you have given in your final paragraph concerning the finished work of Christ.

Yes, Israel's purpose has yet to be accomplished, being now in abeyance. During this present interval the Church which is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) is being called out. Salvation having been 'sent to the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28). Paul, by Divine revelation, made known in his later epistles the truth relating to this company, (in Eph, Phil, Col, 1 & 2 Tim. Tit. and Philemon), which is unique in everyway from what came before, not being the subject of Old Testament prophecy, or New Testament teaching until it's revelation at the end of the Acts period. Having been hid in God (Ephesians 3:9 & Colossians 1:26) from the beginning of the world.

This tends to get overlooked.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Hello Chris,

Hello @JerryfromMass,

Thank you for this explanation.

I agree with the summation you have given in your final paragraph concerning the finished work of Christ.

Yes, Israel's purpose has yet to be accomplished, being now in abeyance. During this present interval the Church which is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) is being called out. Salvation having been 'sent to the Gentiles' (Acts 28:28). Paul, by Divine revelation, made known in his later epistles the truth relating to this company, (in Eph, Phil, Col, 1 & 2 Tim. Tit. and Philemon), which is unique in everyway from what came before, not being the subject of Old Testament prophecy, or New Testament teaching until it's revelation at the end of the Acts period. Having been hid in God (Ephesians 3:9 & Colossians 1:26) from the beginning of the world.

This tends to get overlooked.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Hi Chris,

The mystery of salvation for the Gentiles was hidden in the oracles of God entrusted to Israel. Even though Israel did not deliver that which God entrusted her, God is not yet done with Israel and has been simultaneously working to save the Jew while calling out the other ethnicities through HIS witnesses, to wit: HIS apostles and their writings.

Blessings.

 

[complete]

Hello Chris,


Hi Chris,

The mystery of salvation for the Gentiles was hidden in the oracles of God entrusted to Israel. Even though Israel did not deliver that which God entrusted her, God is not yet done with Israel and has been simultaneously working to save the Jew while calling out the other ethnicities through HIS witnesses, to wit: HIS apostles and their writings.

Blessings.

Hello @Jerryfrom Mass,

I agree that God's will for Israel will yet be accomplished, they will ultimately fulfil their Priestly role according to God's plan and purpose. Praise God! Yet, salvation for the Gentiles itself was not hidden in God since the beginning of the world, but was the subject of the Old Testament Prophets, as you pointed out, and therefore 'searchable'. Whereas the truth contained in the later epistles of Paul concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ, was not searchable, for it had been hid in God until it's revelation to Paul, and made known in those later epistles, written from his imprisonment in Rome.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[JerryfromMass]

Hello @Jerryfrom Mass,

I agree that God's will for Israel will yet be accomplished, they will ultimately fulfil their Priestly role according to God's plan and purpose. Praise God! Yet, salvation for the Gentiles itself was not hidden in God since the beginning of the world, but was the subject of the Old Testament Prophets, as you pointed out, and therefore 'searchable'. Whereas the truth contained in the later epistles of Paul concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ, was not searchable, for it had been hid in God until it's revelation to Paul, and made known in those later epistles, written from his imprisonment in Rome.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Hi Chris,

I understand your thoughts; they are thoughts shared by many. I look at the language used in the writings, and it's clear to me and many others that the church should not be called "church" but should be called the "gathering of believers" or the "gathering of called out ones." The KJ translators weren't stumped when they translated ekklesia, they were simply calling it what the king preferred, i.e., church. The same can be said of the KJ translators using the word Easter in Acts 12:4 instead of passover; they weren't stumped, they were just not comfortable calling passover the "passover" because it would sound too Jewish.

You're correct to say that God is not yet finished with Israel. I don't believe they will be a priestly class, since Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest - we need no other. Those that repent and come to faith in Jesus, are born again, will be saved, the same way that non-Jews are saved.

Blessings.