Friends, on this Holy Saturday, we are here between Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is a time now to ask what that means to us.
Even though a day has passed since we last heard the words from the cross, it has only been some few hours at most when Jesus said “I thirst”. Each of the Gospel writers records the end of the crucifixion. Matthew and Mark’s last words are “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” followed by a great cry. Luke’s research has him write ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And John who has viewed Jesus’ crucifixion theologically (almost) while not ignoring the reality gives, us another single word from the cross – τετέλεσται – most commonly translated “It is finished” – though one might also say “completed” or “concluded” or “accomplished” – with also a sense of fulfillment or perfection involved. The task is done and implicit here is the sense that it is done well.
John has recorded the last 24 hours or so of Jesus’ life in 7 chapters (which out of a total of 21 chapters highlights how important John saw this time). One-third of his book on 24 hours suggests a pretty important 24 hours and if there’s a common thread through each minute of those 24 hours, I think it would have to be that Jesus was supremely, sovereignly, in control. Judas betrays Jesus but it is not a shock, for Jesus still seeks to reach out to Judas. The disciples either don’t understand or have an embryonic awareness of what is really happening, the crowds come to arrest him and Jesus almost has to help them do it, Pilate moves between Jesus and the Jewish leaders like a rabbit trying to dodge the spotlight and the bullet, and through it all there is Jesus marching onwards to his coronation, to be crowned and enthroned on high where he will draw all people to himself.
Saint John began his Gospel account by describing Jesus according to John the Baptist as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Lambs who did anything for people in ritual – whether the Passover or other offerings – were sacrificed. They were killed, and at some point, the heart would have stopped and the sacrifice would have been completed when, in the case of the Passover, the lamb was eaten. I believe that what John wants us to hear when we hear Jesus’ “It is finished!”, is that, the task of taking away the sins of the world has been completed, accomplished, fulfilled, even perfected. There are no hidden extras or surprises going to happen to sinners who approach God through Jesus Christ because the task of dealing with sin is finished. There is no unfinished business between God and sinners where God will say, “Well, Jesus only paid for this level of sin but you are far worse”. What Jesus did in taking away the sins of the world is completely concluded. The job is done in between Jesus’ death and resurrection!
In keeping with John’s overall approach Jesus’ words are spoken of as victorious words; words that have survived the ordeal and not been defeated (the fact that Jesus gives up his spirit after this is beside the point – death doesn’t take Jesus’ life from him – even death cannot match Jesus’ authority and control). And so these words are the cornerstone of our salvation – a full, complete, perfect salvation achieved by Jesus’ endurance and love for you and for me.
What is critical however is not the emotion used in saying the word but the word itself. For the grammarians, it is a perfect passive which describes a completed action that is still completed now.
In English, one of the easiest ways we can talk about this is by using the verb ‘is’. ‘It has been finished and it is still finished’ is simply shortened to ‘it is finished’. Let’s consider also that following from the Aramaic, the Greek language used the passive voice to describe God’s action so that God’s name would not be used. This is called the ‘divine passive’.
As we stand at the foot of the cross this night I wonder whether this word τετέλεσται is the ultimate divine passive precisely as we know who the speaker is – what he has done – and what he continues to do for us through daily forgiveness – takes away the sins of the world and continues to help us live by faith in that reality and struggle with our sins each day. “Why should we?” our sinful self often sneers or bleats. Because Jesus said that our salvation is achieved and our sins are forgiven when he said on the cross, “It is finished!”
As we wait for tomorrow, the shout of ‘He is risen’ is in my mouth already and I know you are going to join in by saying ‘Christ is risen indeed halleluiah’! Tomorrow will, come; the resurrection will be celebrated in joy. Sunday is the day when the victory of Jesus’ death and resurrection is offered to you and me. We are promised inclusion in His victory through our resurrection with Him. Each day of our lives is a reminder of the hope, peace, and joy of being with our Lord forever. Keep the faith! Stay the course! Don’t give up hope! Tomorrow, we will praise Him and thank Him for finishing it all for our salvation and eternal life.
Amen!