JOHN 19:30 ALL DONE

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 

³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Finished, completed, fulfilled, perfected – Jesus had done his part in the incarnation and now all things would be in the hands of the Father. At the moment of his death, Jesus not only completed the stipulation of the curse, but finished the full race of obedience to God. He had successfully accomplished the work that the Father had given him to do, and was now able to rest.

“It is finished.” St. John gives us no indication of Jesus’ tone or the manner of his speech. Was it the dying gasp of a tortured and suffering soul who finally gave up the struggle to live? Was it the cry of victory? Or was it a statement of the fact that his job was completed? St. John leaves us either to figure that out ourselves, or indicates that it is indeed all three. As a human being, Jesus must have been more than relieved to get by all the pain, suffering and separation from God he had to experience for us. As anyone who crosses the finish line or completes an arduous task successfully, there must have been a note of the victorious. But, perhaps most importantly, he was declaring that curse of the fall was undone, salvation was made available to humankind, the full revelation of God was accomplished and the will of the Father as expressed in the Scripture had been fulfilled. Jesus was in control even in death. He determined when the task was completed and he gave his life up on his and God’s terms. Jesus was no victim, he was a voluntary sacrifice.

In the words written by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews:

^1b …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1b-2)

The Author of our faith also perfected our faith on the cross. Let us follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that we may also be completed as the image of God by him.

Dear Lord Jesus, as you hung on that cross and announced that you had finished the work for which the Father sent you into the world, may I, when I am about breath my last breath be able to say that I have finished the work I have been given to do. Thank you for making that possible. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide and empower me along the path of obedience. Amen.

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