John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. What was finished? On the heaven side, no man can answer; on the earth side, we can perhaps reach some particulars. I. THE PERSONAL SUFFERING OF JESUS. He was now dying. We cannot pretend to define the anguish of Christ, we must be content with noting three degrees in the apparent growth of His experience. 1. Jesus had a measure of inexplicable dread as He neared His death. He kept talking about an "hour," and seemed filled with solicitude concerning it. This feeling reached its supreme height in Gethsemane. 2. Soon, however, He righted up into a fine sense of tranquility, and we hear Him saying that He was quite willing to drink the cup which His Father was giving Him; and from that time forward we hear no more of His shrinking away as if from pain. 3. And here, in this explosive utterance, He has touched the supreme degree of His satisfaction; and this cry is an outburst of self-congratulation that His terrible cup has been entirely drained. And so He sends out before an anxious universe this "loud voice" like a bulletin from a field of battle. He is all through the charge, right, safe, at rest. II. THE EARTHLY ERRAND OF JESUS CHRIST. 1. He had met man's desperate need as a transgressor. 2. He had satisfied the law's demand in God's government. 3. He had answered every scriptural type with an antitype. 4. He had fulfilled every ancient prophecy concerning Himself. 5. Thus, in one word, Christ exhaustively discharged that entire former dispensation in a new one. III. HIS OFFICIAL CONFLICT WITH SATAN. For this purpose He had been manifested (1 John 3:8). 1. He was the "last Adam" in order that He might take up the defeat in the Garden of Eden and reverse it into a victory (Romans 5:14). 2. This was the reason why He was made to endure the open attacks of the same adversary. He "was led up... into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil." Jesus must submit Himself to a like condition of exposure, yet He must conquer in the fight (Hebrews 2:18). 8. He had been anticipating this renewed trial for a long time. Hence He kept giving those mysterious hints of a "prince of this world." 4. At last, when He uttered this cry, He knew He had conquered His foe (Colossians 2:15). When a shout of victory like this came forth from the cross, who shall attempt to picture the unutterable dismay it must have sent into the shadows of Hades? IV. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE. One more word to His Father — just a decorous salutation at coming; then there remained only a human body on the tree. 1. For believers, then, here is ground for confidence unwavering (Hebrews 10:12-14). 2. Per backsliders there is also a lesson here (Hebrews 11:4-6). 3. For all others, here is invitation free and full. Is anything more needed? "All things are now ready." Why does any one wait? "It is finished" — what can be wished for more? (C. S. Robinson, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. |
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