“It is finished”

Good Friday, April 2, 2021

Read John 19:16-30

Crucifixion was a slow and agonizing way to die, yet the gospel writers simply record the fact that “they crucified him” (18). John’s distinctive emphasis is the kingship of Jesus – being lifted up on the cross was the crowning glory of Jesus’s life (3:14-15; 8:28; 12:23-24,32). Omitting other details (17-18; Luke 23:26-31,40-43), John focuses instead on the sign which read “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (19). All four gospels record this but only John adds that “many of the Jews read this sign” and that it was written in three languages, indicating the universality of his kingship (20). Likewise, only John tells us of the chief priests’ objection to what was written and of Pilate’s refusal to alter it (21-22).

John is also the only gospel writer to comment that the dividing of Jesus’s clothing among the soldiers “happened that the scripture might be fulfilled” (23-24; Psalm 22:18). In contrast to the four soldiers, there were also four women standing mournfully at the cross (25). Among these was Mary, the mother of Jesus; even as Jesus hung upon the cross, dying for the sins of the world, he thought to make provision for his mother (26-27).

Jesus had refused wine as a sedative before he was crucified (Mark 15:23), but now at the point of death, he drank (28-29; Mark 15:36) in order to fulfil the scripture (Psalm 69:21) and because he had something important to say: “It is finished” (30). It was a cry not of defeat, but of accomplishment, of “completing the work” which God had given him to do (17:4). Central to that work was his being “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (1:29,36). At that feast of Passover, Jesus himself was the Passover lamb that was sacrificed (30; 19:14; 1 Cor.5:7; Exod.12:21).