It is Finished

April 7 It is Finished John 19:1-42

“It is finished – Now this word of Christ is most memorable, for it teaches us that the whole accomplishing of our salvation and all the parts of it are contained in His death… The meaning therefore is that everything contributing to men’s salvation is in Christ and is not to be sought elsewhere; or – what is the same thing – that the perfection of salvation is found in Him.” John Calvin “Commentary on John” Vol. 5:183

Soldiers took Jesus away to scourge Him. Normally, this preceded execution, but it is unclear whether, at this stage, Pilate had made up his mind how to deal with the Carpenter from Nazareth. Certainly, he ordered the scourging. Innocent or not, this man had disturbed Pilate’s peace. Strips of leather, embedded with stone and metal, flayed His back. Jesus had claimed to be a king, so the soldiers dressed Him as such and took great delight in striking Him. Did they think of their commanding officer as the blows fell? “Hail, King of the Jews!” they cried, adding mockery to cruelty. Pilate merely looked on. Eventually, bloodied and beaten, Jesus was brought before the Jews. “Behold the Man!” said Pilate.

The Roman official must have thought that he had done enough to merit leniency from the crowd. He had expected the torn body of Jesus to have evoked sympathy, but he was wrong, “Crucify him,” they cried. Once again, Pilate hesitated. He tried to pass responsibility to the local, Jewish courts, but was reminded that they had no power to execute prisoners. So Pilate questioned Jesus, looking for a way out. He did not find one. There was some sympathy, at least in his tone, but eventually Pilate realized that, in order to placate the Jews, he was going to have to agree to their demands. When they threatened to report him to Caesar for supporting a rival king, Pilate gave in – Jesus would have to die.

Soldiers took Him and made Jesus carry the cross, the means of His execution, to a hill called Golgatha, the place of the skull. There they crucified Him, driving rough nails through His feet and hands; they set Him between two criminals and waited for Jesus to die. Pilate had had a sign made and placed above His head. In three languages it proclaimed: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” It was Pilate’s pitiful protest against the sentence. The Jews objected strenuously to the notice, but Pilate refused to have it removed. “What I have written, I have written” he responded, petulantly. The sign stayed. Beneath it soldiers cast lots for His clothes. In abject humiliation the Word made flesh suffered unspeakable torment.

Four soldiers argued over Jesus’ meager belongings; nearby, four women huddled together in their grief. His mother was among them; loving her still, the dying Jesus commended her into John’s care. At the foot of the Cross their families became one, as do ours. Human distinctions cease to matter before such amazing love.

They gave Him wine vinegar with which to moisten His lips, lifted on the stalk of a hyssop plant. This was the plant that had been used to sprinkle the blood of the paschal lamb on the doorposts of the Israelites in Egypt. Now, the blood of the Lamb of God was being shed for the sins of the world. Then, having taken the foul liquid, Jesus said, “It is finished!” then He bowed His head, and died.

Jesus’ work was done. His hour had come, but it had also passed. He said that it was finished, not in resignation but in triumph. He had fought the good fight; He had stayed faithful to His Father’s will; He had given God the glory in all things. Now, all that awaited Him was the cool quietness of the tomb, and the promise of new life.

For further reading: Psalm 116