Matthew 27:50 NIV
[50] “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.”
Luke 23:46 NIV
[46] “Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.”
Mark 15:37 NIV
[37] “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.”
John 19:30 NIV
[30] “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
The last words of a dying soul… sometimes the most important words ever spoken by that person.
Jesus’ last words – two of the gospels record His words; all four record an unusual phenomenon. The last words of a dying person are usually whispered, hardly audible, like the last flicker of a dying flame. Sometimes the hearers are left with a mystery, the last cryptic sentence left incomplete as the last breath fails.
Not Jesus!
All four gospels declare that Jesus spoke audibly, even shouted out His last words. How is it possible for a man to shout, suspended from a wooden stake by nails in his hands and feet, and slowly dying from suffocation because he is too weak to lift his weight on mangled feet to breathe?
Jesus did it!
He had a message too important for the world to hear, to whisper or lose in His dying. Two profound sentences no one must miss!
“IT IS FINISHED” in Greek “tetelestai” an accounting term meaning “paid in full” …. Account closed…. Delete from the record! Whichever term conveys the truth that the debtor is no longer obligated to pay another cent because his debt has been fully paid, no need for instalments, obliterated from the record book… that’s what Jesus meant! Sin’s debt was fully paid by the one who had no debt of His own.
However, we can broaden the meaning of “tetelestai” to include every detail of what Jesus finished when He died in the cross.
God’s wrath against sin and sinners – finished!
Sin’s debt – finished!
Fogiveness achieved – finished!
God’s perfect nature, mercy, shown to sinners – finished!
Jew and Gentile reconciled – finished!
Gentiles brought near by the blood of Christ – finished!
God’s plan of salvation – finished!
Sinners transformed by faith through grace, into His image – finished!
Transferred from darkness to light, Satan to God – finished!
The righteousness of God revealed – finished!
All God’s promises made available to believers – finished!
The law as a way of salvation – finished!
The Holy Spirit poured out – finished!
Heaven opened – finished!
Access to the Father – finished!
Surrounded by God’s love and favour – finished!
And so much more! The cross was Jesus’ last word on sin.
His second utterance, recorded by Luke, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” open our understanding to another facet of Jesus’ death… resurrection!
His death, without the resurrection, would have left us with two unthinkable conclusions,
- That Jesus’ sacrifice was ineffective because He was an imperfect lamb,
Hebrews 10:11 NLT
[11] “Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.”
But…
Hebrews 10:14 NLT
[14] “For by that one offering he (Jesus) forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”
Hebrews 9:14 NLT
[14] “Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”
- That we have no hope of eternal life,…
1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV
[14]”And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…
[17] And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins…
[19] If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied…. “
But…
1 Corinthians 15:20 NIV
[20]”…Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep…
[22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive… [23] But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”
Jesus became the firstfruits offering by His death. Let me explain.
Under the Old Covenant, the firstfruits of the harvest and the firstborn of the flocks and herds belonged to God. The first portion of the harvest had to be offered to God as a” “terumah” – a firstfruits offering. Firstborn animals were sacrificed or bought back by paying a price. Firstborn sons were bought back for a price.
The terumah offering guaranteed God’s blessing on the full harvest.
Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
[9] Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; [10] then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
The ritual of the terumah was to lift it up as a wave or heave offering and then place it in the hands of the high priest. It was to be God’s provision for the high priest and his family.
Jesus became the terumah offering by fulfilling the ritual of being lifted up…
John 3:14-15 NIV
[14] “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, [15] that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
John 12:32 NIV
[32] And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
… And placing Himself in the hands of the Father.
Luke 23:46 NIV
[46] “Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.”
So, Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the terumah, spoke His last word on death, and guaranteed the full harvest of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NIV
[20] “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. [22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. [23] But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”
How significant, then, were Jesus’ last words, sealing, by His death and resurrection, the destiny of all who believe in Him!
Hebrews 9:26b-28 NIV
[26]… “But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”