What did Jesus mean when He said, “It is finished”? (John 19:30)

“It is finished” or “Tetelestai” in Greek, is the last word that was spoken by Jesus before He died, as He hung on the cross.
John 19:30 reads: When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Why did Jesus utter these 3 words and what exactly did He mean when He said “It is finished”?

First we must understand the mission of Jesus prior to His death on the cross.

1. Christ lived the obedient life we should have lived
On our behalf, or as our Substitute, Jesus lived the sinless and perfectly obedient life that we are supposed to live on this earth.
We are all sinners and law breakers before a just and holy God (Romans 3:23). Since the disobedience of Adam in the garden of Eden, every human being has inherited a sin nature. Therefore we cannot naturally and perfectly please God or obey all His laws.
So when Jesus came to earth as the Son of God, He lived the perfect life that we should have lived on our behalf. He fulfilled and obeyed the entire law of God.
Even Christ’s voluntary death and sacrifice on the cross was an act of obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:8)

In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Romans 10:4 NLT says: For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God.

2. Christ lived the sinless life we should have lived
Like every human being, Jesus Christ was tempted. However, He alone overcame every temptation and lived a sinless life (Matthew 4:1-11).
As the Son of God and in His human form, Jesus had a sinless nature. Therefore Jesus was our perfect Substitute who lived a perfectly and pleasing sinless life on our behalf.

Hebrews 4:15 says: For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

1 Peter 2:22 says: He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth.

3. Christ proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God
Jesus taught people what He was sent to preach about Himself and about the kingdom of God. It was important that people understand and know His true identity; that He was God in the flesh sent to free the world from the consequences of sin (John 3:16).

Matthew 4:23 says: And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

In Luke 4:43 Jesus says: “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Why Did Jesus say “It is Finished”?

When Jesus said “it is finished” (John 19:30), He meant that His divine objective to save humanity from sin and its consequences was completed on the cross.

1. Jesus completed His mission – Through His sinless and obedient life and crucifixion on the cross, Jesus accomplished everything He was sent by the Father to do.

2. Jesus paid for our sins in full – Through the shedding of His blood on the cross, the debt we owe God for sin was paid on our behalf by Christ in full. Therefore Christ’s sacrifice has provided complete forgiveness and payment for all sins – past, present and future sins – for anyone who accepts Him as their Lord and Savior. So through Christ we have eternal redemption and freedom from sin’s penalty.

3. God’s wrath against sin has been appeased – The wrath of God against sin and injustice is fully satisfied through Jesus Christ who took upon Himself the punishment for our sins. Christ’s obedient and sinless life became the perfect Substitute for humanity as Jesus received the wrath that was meant for us.

4. Jesus established Himself as the exclusive Mediator between God and man – Christ’s sacrifice for humanity removed the barrier between God and humanity. Every individual has direct and personal access to God through Jesus Christ who exclusively serves as our Mediator and High Priest. Therefore reconciliation and restoration between God and man is only possible through Jesus Christ.

5. New covenant replaces the Old covenant – There is no longer any need to conduct any ceremonial or sacrificial rituals and offerings, because Jesus Christ and the blood He shed became the perfect and ultimate sacrifice and offering to appease God. We are no longer under the law but we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ who fulfilled the entire law on our behalf.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

1 John 2:2 says: He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 3:25 NLT says: For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past

Hebrews 2:17 NLT reads: Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.

Conclusion

Jesus accomplished His mission to bring us into a right relationship with God. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we can freely receive salvation as a free gift from God. We do not need to earn our salvation. We simply need to place our faith in Jesus Christ and trust in Him as our Lord and Saviour.