"It Is Finished"

by C.B., JUNR. | Category: General | Oct 1932

The utterances of the Crucified Saviour were eight. It is not without significance that four of them are recorded in the space of five verses in the nineteenth chapter of John's Evangel (John 19. 26-30). Many students of Biblical history think that the Gospel according to John was the last book of the Bible to be written-when the beloved disciple was very old. But time had not dulled the memory of this faithful old fisherman Evangelist, and John's Gospel reveals the closest intimacy with its Divine Subject-the Incarnate Lord. John saw Him crucified; he was with the crowd who saw the darkened heavens frowning on the dying Immanuel. Not only so, but John was with the little group of women who had come boldly forward to the foot of the Cross notwithstanding the murderous rabble, devoted still to their beloved Master. There they stood during the agonising hours, beholding; and years later the Spirit of God caused John to place on record four of his Master's sayings.

They are as follow

"Woman, behold, thy son!"

"Behold, thy mother!"

"I thirst."

"It is finished." We suggest that

(a)the four utterances are not unconnected, and taken together they provide signal evidence that the death of God's Son was "no mere expedient, but God's counsels to fulfil"

(b)the last utterance summarizes and to some extent amplifies the three preceding-though not, of course, limited to these.

In the first place we ought to notice that the first of the four sayings is succeeded by the declaration that Jesus knew that all things were now finished. What things were now finished? And why should it be necessary for the Lord to speak the words, "Woman, behold, thy son!" "Behold, thy mother! "before they could be finished? Obviously they are the words of One 'who knew what it was to love. They were uttered at a time of great physical and spiritual anguish, yet the first thoughts of the Lord were for His mother in the flesh. Beautiful words! They show a perfection of human love. But there is an even deeper implication in them than this. We are informed that "after this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might he accomplished, saith, I thirst." The words spoken to His mother and to the disciple marked the conclusion of the perfect life from the human side of His passion. The human loveliness of the words is still easily perceived, but we suggest that there is a further purpose in recording them, namely, that God the Father has been careful to the last particular that no reproach could with impunity be levelled at his Son. Had the Spirit of God never caused these words to be written it might have been possible for the critic to point out that lack of filial devotion on the part of the Lord made an ugly blemish on an otherwise perfect life. These two expressions of love, however, forbid this and is in perfect keeping with a life completely in accord with the Divine will. Like as we, but without sin. From Bethlehem to Nazareth God saw no blemish in the One in whom He was well pleased. From His baptism to His betrayal the Pharisees were unable to bring any just charge against Him. Before the bar of Pilate His innocence was evident to the satisfaction of a mercenary judge without having to say a word in His own defence. On Calvary He set a seal to His stainless life by performing the final act of filial devotion to His bereaved mother, committing her to the care of that disciple whom He loved.

"After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith, I thirst." We are told explicitly that the Lord uttered these words that the scripture might be accomplished. The perfect life was already an accomplished fact. But in order that the word of God, spoken by His servant David might be fulfilled, the Lord said

I thirst." Thus the last signpost was raised by which all Jew and Gentile alike, might assure themselves that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God," and believing might have life in His Name. Nevertheless the Lord's thirst was real. The ninth hour was now approaching. In deep distress he had groaned out, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" (Psalm 22. 1; Matthew 27. 46; Mark 15. 34); and God remained silent! God saw not the form of His Son suspended on the tree apart from the sin of man, but One on whom the weight of the whole world's sin had been imposed. God had judged the world and "concluded all under sin" (Galatians 3. 22). Punishment was now being meted out-not to the guilty sons of men-but to Him who had willingly come forward to be an offering for sin. "Him who knew no sin" God "made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5. 21). The smoke of this last accepted sin offering reached up, as it were, to the nostrils of the Omnipotent Judge and He was satisfied. What it meant to His Son we cannot hope to understand. But the depth of His soul agony can be dimly sensed from the words "I thirst." John does not record the orphan cry, by which, undoubtedly, they were preceded. In His lifetime the Lord had spoken words of warning to the Pharisees which are recorded in Luke 16. 19-31. The rich man died and was separated from Lazarus and Abraham by a great gulf which no man could cross. "Dives " was in torment in "this flame" and suffered acute thirst. What a thirst was the thirst of "Dives" ! But who can conceive the intensity of the sufferings which drew the words "I thirst" from the Saviour, except Himself? Vinegar was brought and when He had received it "He said it is finished, and bowed His head and gave up His spirit." "IT IS FINISHED." There is a wealth of meaning in these words. He knew what they meant. That Blessed One was in full possession of His faculties till the last. Thus He was able to cry with a loud voice-His mind fully alert to the implication of the words He uttered, and then the breath of life left Him, "that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is the Devil" (Hebrews 2. 14). Thus was eternal life brought within the reach of all.

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." "Christ died for the ungodly."

"IT IS FINISHED."

The life was completed.

The Scriptures were fulfilled.

The work of atonement was done.

The Lord had now fulfilled His mission to earth in every particular. He was buried, and was raised on the third day for

our justification (Romans 4. 25)-else must He have died for His own sins, not ours-and received back into heaven, where He awaits the day when the last member shall be added to the Church which is His Body, to return to the air for His own.

These few remarks are penned in the hope that we who are His may realise the fullness of our salvation. "No mere expedient" this, but the outcome of God's eternal purposes. John 19. 26-30, shows us how everything required of the Saviour-manward and Godward-was fully accomplished before He shouted in triumph "It is finished." The saint of God does well to live near the Cross. Here he must start life for God. Here he must ever linger, as service is only valuable in so far as it is an attempt to reciprocate the love He showed to us on Calvary. "It became Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2. 10).

The writer has attempted to dwell on something of what it meant to the Lord Jesus Christ to pass through this perfecting-i.e., completing-process. As we see Him there we breathe,

"How fathomless the love He then displayed, When for our sins He full atonement made."

In the light of this let us go forth with an overwhelming gratitude firing our hearts, to win souls for Christ by the matchless story of the Cross. Let us echo by our deeds the words of Paul, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."

C.B., JUNR. | Oct 1932
General