I left the apartment feeling elated and quite satisfied. The work was finished. Prior to this last day, I had spent a few weeks working to get this apartment ready for an occupant. There was a lot of cleanup, sheetrock (drywall) patching, wallpaper removal, and painting for which I charged my friend a modest hourly rate. On this last day I installed the kitchen light fixture, caulked and cleaned the countertops, and successfully installed a garbage disposal. The light fixture and countertops were easy. The garbage disposal was plumbing, and I hate plumbing. But, all these things were finished.
It was a good feeling knowing these things were done, that the major work was completed. I was able to go home satisfied that I had saved my friend some money and frustration. He did not have to hire a plumber (at a much higher cost) to install the garbage disposal, and my drain pipes and hookups did not leak. There were a few more details and some furniture moving to be done, but the major work of getting the apartment ready for an occupant was completed. I was done.
I thought about the feeling, the satisfaction and yes, even some degree of “giddiness.” Then my thoughts recalled someone else who completed his work; and a great work it was. He must have experienced some of the same emotions, only to a much greater degree. Three of the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that Jesus cried with a loud voice just before He died on the cross, but they did not indicate what He cried. The fourth gospel writer, John, quotes His last words before He died. Here is the complete description as given by John (John 19:28 – 30):
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, ‘I thirst.’ Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar he said, ‘It is finished!’: and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.”
Matthew and Mark said he cried with a loud voice:
“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.” Matt 27:50
“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” Mark 15:37.
Luke describes the events as follows:
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, ‘Father into thy hands I commend my spirit:’ and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46.
Jesus knew the work was completed. He knew His work was finished. He knew that He had accomplished all the work He was sent and commissioned to do. We know of His death by crucifixion. We know of His birth and life. We know of some of His miracles. We know of His resurrection. What about this work, this task that He accomplished? Was it just an exemplary life, or was there something more, something greater that He completed? When He declared with a loud voice, “It is finished!”, just exactly what was He referencing?
God made promises recorded by the Old Testament writers. These promises were somewhat progressive in nature, not that God changed the promises, but that they were progressively given more clarity. Ultimately it was really one major promise carried and progressively elaborated from Adam through the prophets. The initial promise was that the seed of the woman (Eve) would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15). Abraham (named Abram at the time) was promised that through his offspring all peoples of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:3, 17:19). The same promise was given to Jacob (Abraham’s grandson) (Gen 28:14).
Later, God made an “agreement” with the children of Jacob when they came out of Egypt. This “agreement” was instituted through Moses and is commonly referred to as “The Law” or the “Old Covenant.” This “agreement” was not a part of the original promise to Adam, Abraham, and Jacob; it was merely a placeholder for an interim period until the fulfillment of the original promise. This placeholder’s purpose was to demonstrate the need for and power of the original promise. However, even while the children of Jacob were still obligated to the placeholder (The Law), God continued to elaborate on the original promise. God promised David, a Hebrew king, that the throne of David would be established forever. An offspring of David (Jesus) would build a family for God’s name.
More detail about this offspring of David and his work continued to be revealed through the prophets. Isaiah prophesied of the incarnation and purpose of this offspring, the Messiah (Jesus), in many passages of his work. The prophecies of the Messiah throughout the scriptures were references to the fulfillment of that one original promise threaded through and elaborated in the scriptures. The promise would be an everlasting promise, an everlasting agreement. The interim agreement instituted through Moses was intended to last only for a finite period of time – until the Messiah came. Isaiah states in Isaiah 61:8:
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them …”
Jeremiah is very explicit about this new covenant, which is in reality another clarification of the original promise:
“Behold the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant … Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers” [the interim covenant through Moses] “… which my covenant they brake … But this shall be the covenant that I will make … I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; … I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer 31:31 – 34).
This promise of Jeremiah is clarified and explained even more in the book of Hebrews, referencing the work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ:
“For if that first covenant” [the interim covenant through Moses] “was faultless, then no place would be sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he says, ‘Behold the days come,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I shall completely consummate a brand new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day after grabbing hold of them by my hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they themselves did not continue in my covenant, and I neglected them,’ says Yahweh. ‘Because this” [new covenant] “is the unilateral covenant that I shall bequeath …’” (Heb 8:7-12 Scripture taken from the Mickelson Clarified Translation. Copyright 2007, 2013 by Jonathan K. Mickelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.).
The prophecy of Jeremiah and the explanation of its fulfillment in Hebrews are also coupled with the reference in Galatians to the original promise to Abraham (Gal 3:7-17) which was also fulfilled by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. When Jesus declared, “It is finished!” He meant all of it:
- The serpent’s head was crushed.
- The seed (offspring) of Abraham blessed all of humanity.
- The throne of David was established forever by the son (descendant) of David (Jesus Christ).
- The everlasting covenant prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah was instituted.
- The new, unilateral agreement (covenant) consummated completely by God was bequeathed to us.
The net result was that our sins are completely remitted as prophesied by Jeremiah.
Jesus saw all of that. Another prophecy by Isaiah (Isa 53:11) indicated that Jesus would see the suffering of his soul, and would be satisfied. He would see his seed (us, those who come to trust him). His death was the final task, his work was then completed. Our redemption, our reclamation, was accomplished. We are completely reconciled to the Father. It was, and is forever, completely finished.
Break the Bread 