John 19:30 - The Sixth of the Seven Words of Christ from the Cross.

John 19:30; The Sixth of the Seven Words of Christ from the 
Cross. 

The Shout Of Victory

John 19:30 (KJV)  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, 
he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the 
ghost. 

This is the sixth of seven utterances of Jesus as He hung upon 
the cross, sometimes called the Seven Words. No gospel writer 
mentions more than three, nor less than one, of these utterances. 
Arranged in point of time the seven "utterances" are as follows: 
1. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" 
(Luk.23:34). 
2. "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in 
paradise" (Luk.23:43). 
3. "Woman, behold thy son! ... Behold thy mother!" (John 19:26).
4. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46; 
Mark 15:34). 
5. "I thirst" (John 19:28).
6. "It is finished" (John 19:30).
7. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46). 
[SDA Commentary] 

The Gospels report seven utterances by Jesus as He hung on the 
cross. Three of these can be assigned to the first three hours, between 
9 a.m. and 12 noon. Four can be assigned to the next three hours, 
12-3 p.m., during which the scene was shrouded in darkness. 
It is traditional during Good Friday services to meditate on 
these seven utterances. Surely there is much here for us to ponder. 
[Victor Bible Background Commentary] 

"It is finished" was the shout of victory. [Scofield SB]

This final, glorious proclamation is pregnant with meaning. 
According to the Greek, the expression can also mean, "It is 
accomplished," "It is fulfilled," or even, "It is paid in full." His death 
accomplished redemption--paid in full; and his death fulfilled all the OT 
prophecies. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary] 

The sixth word or saying that Jesus spoke from the cross was the 
single Greek work 

 which means It is finished. Papyri receipts for taxes have been 

 recovered with the word 

 written across them, meaning "paid in full." This word on Jesus' 

 lips was significant. When He said, "It is finished" (not "I am 
finished"), He meant His redemptive work was completed. He had been made sin 
for people (2 Cor. 5:21) and had suffered the penalty of God's 
justice which sin deserved. [Bible Knowledge Commentary] 

What did Jesus finish? The underlying word means "paid in full." 
Jesus on the cross finished the work he was sent to do (4:21-24; 17:4) 
and fully paid for our sin (1 Peter 3:18). In the greatest act of 
love in history, and in fulfillment of a complicated, centuries-old 
system of sacrifices he became the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God (see 
1:29; Hebrews 8:1-10:18). The miracle of the Resurrection (20:1-9) 
confirmed that Jesus is the Savior who can bring forgiveness, new life, 
and recovery to all of us. [Life Recovery SB] 

"It is finished!" is one word in the Greek text--tetelestai. The 
word was a common one and was used by merchants to mean "The price is 
all paid!" Shepherds and priests used it when they found a perfect 
sheep, ready for sacrifice; and Christ died as the perfect lamb of God. 
Servants, when their work was completed, would use this word when 
reporting to their masters. Christ, the obedient Servant, had finished the 
work the Father gave Him to do. Christ willingly and deliberately 
gave up His life; He laid down His life for His friends. [Wiersbe 
Expository Outlines] 

"It is finished" (Jn 19:30). It is finished is in English three 
words; but in Greek it is one--Tetelestai (5055-GSN)--as it would also 
be in Aramaic. And tetelestai (5055-GSN) is the victor's shout; it 
is the cry of the man who has completed his task; it is the cry of 
the man who has won through the struggle; it is the cry of the man 
who has come out of the dark into the glory of the light, and who 
has grasped the crown. So, then, Jesus died a victor with a shout of 
triumph on his lips.  
Here is the precious thing. Jesus passed through the uttermost 
abyss, and then the light broke. If we too cling to God, even when 
there seems to be no God, desperately and invincibly clutching the 
remnants of our faith, quite certainly the dawn will break and we will 
win through. The victor is the man who refuses to believe that God 
has forgotten him, even when every fibre of his being feels that he 
is forsaken. The victor is the man who will never let go his faith, 
even when he feels that its last grounds are gone. The victor is the 
man who has been beaten to the depths and still holds on to God, for 
that is what Jesus did. [Barclay Commentary re Mat.27:45-50] 

Until this time, a complicated system of sacrifices had atoned 
for sins. Sin separates people from God, and only through the 
sacrifice of an animal, a substitute, could people be forgiven and become 
clean before God. But people sin continually, so frequent sacrifices 
were required. Jesus, however, became the final and ultimate 
sacrifice for sin. The word finished is the same as "paid in full." Jesus 
came to finish God's work of salvation (4:34; 17:4), to pay the full 
penalty for our sins. With his death, the complex sacrificial system 
ended because Jesus took all sin upon himself. Now we can freely 
approach God because of what Jesus did for us. Those who believe in 
Jesus' death and resurrection can live eternally with God and escape 
the penalty that comes from sin. [Life Application SB] 

When Christ spoke these words, He addressed His Father. Christ 
was not alone in making this great sacrifice. It was the fulfillment 
of the covenant made between the Father and the Son before the 
foundation of the earth was laid. With clasped hands they entered into the 
solemn pledge that Christ would become the substitute and surety for 
the human race if they were overcome by Satan's sophistry. The 
compact was now being fully consummated. The climax was reached. Christ 
had the consciousness that He had fulfilled to the letter the pledge 
He had made. In death He was more than conqueror. The redemption 
price has been paid. 5BC1149-50   

When Christ cried out, "It is finished," all heaven triumphed. 
The controversy between Christ and Satan in regard to the execution 
of the plan of salvation was ended. The spirit of Satan and his 
works had taken deep root in the affections of the children of men. 
For Satan to have come into power would have been death to the 
world. The implacable hatred he felt toward the Son of God was revealed 
in his manner of treating Him while He was in the world. Christ's 
betrayal, trial, and crucifixion were all planned by the fallen foe. His 
hatred, carried out in the death of the Son of God, placed Satan where 
his true diabolical character was revealed to all created 
intelligences that had not fallen through sin. The holy angels were 
horror-stricken that one who had been of their number could fall 
so far as to be 
 capable of such cruelty. Every sentiment of sympathy or pity which they 
had ever felt for Satan in his exile, was quenched in their hearts. 
That his envy should be exercised in such a revenge upon an innocent 
person was enough to strip him of his assumed robe of celestial light, 
and to reveal the hideous deformity beneath; but to manifest such 
malignity toward the divine Son of God, who had, with unprecedented 
self-denial, and love for the creatures formed in His image, come from heaven 
and assumed their fallen nature, was such a heinous crime against 
Heaven that it caused the angels to shudder with horror, and severed 
forever the last tie of sympathy existing between Satan and the heavenly 
world. 5BC1149-50   

God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as 
one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. 
Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only 
under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. 
His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the 
presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is 
moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. DA758