A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
-John 19:29-30 (NIV)
Many people read Jesus’ final words on the cross, “It is finished,” as a straightforward reference to his death. To a modern-day reader, that’s an easy mistake to make.
However, I think it’s a tragedy that the most important words in the history of mankind are so terribly misunderstood.
What Jesus said was way more than three little words. He actually used a Greek phrase from their day and culture that was packed with meaning: tetelestai. This verbiage was used on receipts and invoices once a debt had been repaid. It literally meant, “Paid in full.” The expression was also terminology used in the Roman prison system. When a criminal was found guilty, their sentence was written down and nailed to their cell door. When they were released, “tetelestai” was written on the paper. That way, if someone was suspicious of seeing the criminal freely walking the streets, they could easily present the paper and say, “See, it’s paid for… I’m free!”
So when Jesus shouts this Greek accounting and prison term from the cross, the crowd that was gathered around would have instantly got it. The Roman soldiers performing the execution especially would have got it. And we too should get it.
Jesus is not defeated, nor is he relieved that the punishment is over.
Jesus’ last words are a victory cry setting the record straight once and for all… The removal of the penalty for your wrongs is complete. The debt has been paid in full. The sentence has been served.
Your sins are gone. You are free.
It is finished, indeed.
