Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched? How did we arrive at our doctrines?
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Today we shall consider what Jesus meant when He said, "it is finished" as He hung on the cross. That is found here:
Jn. 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
We should ask, what did He finish? Well, His sacrificial death propitiated for our sin. That was finished. Jesus pronounces completion of His task and then dies.
The first thing we want to note is that Jesus purposefully gave up His life. "gave up his spirit" means "to hand over, to give or deliver over." His death was by His purpose; His life was not taken from Him.
Second, the word "finished." For so many Greek words the English translations do not do them justice. Such is the case here. The Greek meaning is properly, to complete (consummate), i.e. finish (qualitatively) the necessary process – with the results "rolling-over" to the next level (phase) of consummation. This means that Jesus did not pronounce an end to everything. He did not say He had done all that He was going to do. What Jesus was saying was that He had accomplished what the Father wanted at that moment in time.
This brings us to the crux of our thesis. We believe that Jesus' death on the cross washed our sins away, but that was not the end of His work. Had He stayed in the grave, our sins would still be forgiven, but it was further necessary that He rise from the grave victorious over death. The first provided for our sin, the second provided for our new life quickened by the Holy Spirit. Without this we would be forgiven but dead. It is the power of the resurrection that makes us new creations.
Jesus' death was necessary to propitiate for the sin that separated us from the Father. He is the mediator, the one who connects us to God:
1Ti. 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.
But the resurrection is necessary for us to receive life:
Ro. 6:5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Simply dying is ineffectual, empty, profitless:
1Co. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Notice Paul says that without the resurrection we are still in our sins. That is, still dead, nothing but a fleshly man. But The resurrection takes us up out of the grave in Christ into new life into citizenship into the book of Life.
The resurrection is the new birth, from where we get our hope:
1Pe. 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...
So Jesus finished the first part at the cross. then came the "rolling-over" to the next level (phase) of consummation, the resurrection. He then ascended:
He. 1:3 After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The King seated. He cleansed us from the guilt of sin, then rose from the grave and ascended to sit at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. The implication is that He has completed His task and now is at regal rest. But in the fullness of time He will again arise:
Re. 1:7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
So He has one more task to perform. He will execute judgment.
Re. 19:11-13, 20:15 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God... 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
After this we find Him back to being seated on the throne, having accomplished all things. Again He is in the position of regal ease:
Re. 21:5-6 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Rather than "it is finished," He pronounces "it is done." Remember, finished means properly, to complete (consummate), i.e. finish (qualitatively) the necessary process – with the results "rolling-over" to the next level (phase) of consummation.
Done is properly, to emerge, become, transitioning from one point (realm, condition) to another. What has emerged to become is the necessary process of redemption, new life, judgment, and now, consummation. He has "brought forth" a people, a Kingdom, a restoration and reconciliation greater than anything ever seen.
And, He is seated. Done.
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