Tag Archives: wine vinegar

IT IS FINISHED!

Bible Study, ,

IT IS FINISHED!

“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30.

The long journey was complete! Thirty-three years of being human, experiencing humanness in all its forms, was over. Human birth, babyhood, growing up as the firstborn in a peasant family; learning, studying, training, over! Navigating all the vicissitudes of human life as well as being exposed to the frustration of uncomprehending disciples, the irritation of jostling and demanding crowds and the relentless antagonism of religious enemies, were over.

Was that all that was finished? Did Jesus heave a sigh of relief that His humiliation, His pain and suffering were over? Was it all about Him? Never! Not by a long shot! Jesus lived for the Father and He died in obedience to the Father. In those three little words, “It is finished!” He encompassed the entire scope of God’s plan to rescue the world from its self-imposed plight.

Every prophetic utterance about His origin, His mother, His birth, His character, His life, His work, His sacrifice, His redemption, His destiny, were encapsulated in that one word in the Greek, “Tetelestai!” Finished! Done! Completed! Redemption’s story was written – in His blood. The way to the Father was cleared of the rubble and debris of human sin. The curtain was torn from top to bottom. The huge, unpayable debt was paid. The Father was satisfied. His Son had done the job.

Even His last sigh, “I am thirsty,” spoke volumes to those who would hear. A sponge of vinegar on a stalk of hyssop? What did it mean? John insisted that His utterance was a fulfilment of prophecy? Which prophecy?

The Israelites were instructed to “Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe…” Exodus 12:22.

Why hyssop? Hyssop, a member of the mint family, grew plentifully in the Middle East and was used for cleansing, medicinal and flavouring purposes. It symbolised cleansing from sin as David’s prayer suggests. After his adulterous affair with Bathesheba and all the terrible things he did to cover up his sin, the broken-hearted king pleaded with God, “Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

Was Jesus saying, in His final prophetic words, that the work of cleansing was done? He had drunk the cup of the Father’s wrath down to the dregs. He could release His spirit to the Father in the assurance that He had fully accomplished the work of redemption and His sacrifice had been accepted. Death could not hold Him in its grip, for even death and hell had been overcome.

Those around the cross could gloat and cheer because their evil work was finished. There was nothing more than they could do to the Son of God. They had shown Him, with all the vicious cruelty they could muster, what they thought of God. When it was all over, and the victim of their hatred hung tattered and lifeless, they were left to gaze at their handiwork, relieved to know that they could get on with their lives because He was no longer around to confront them.

But would they? Jesus’ life on earth was over but little did they know that their woes had only just begun. Finished? Yes and no. His earthly life may have been over but he was alive when He walked out of the tomb, alive in eleven men and many women. In a few short weeks, the Holy Spirit would light a flame in these men and women that they would never be able to put out.

Finished? Yes, for the work of redemption is complete, and no, for in everyone of us who believe in Him is the mandate to continue what He began…to be the message and to pass on the message that Jesus is Lord until the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

It Is Finished!

Bible Study, , ,

IT IS FINISHED! 

“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’  A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30 NIV.

The long journey was over! Thirty three years of being human, experiencing humanness is all its forms was over. Human birth, babyhood, growing up as the firstborn in a peasant family; learning, studying, training, over! Navigating all the vicissitudes of human life as well as being exposed to the frustration of uncomprehending disciples, the irritation of jostling and demanding crowds and the relentless antagonism of religious enemies, were over.

Was that all that was finished? Did Jesus heave a sigh of relief that His humiliation, His pain and suffering were over? Was it all about Him? Never! Not by a long shot! Jesus lived for the Father and He died in obedience to the Father. In those three little words, “It is finished!” He encompassed the entire scope of God’s plan to rescue the world from its self-imposed plight.

Every prophetic utterance about His origin, His mother, His birth, His character, His life, His work, His sacrifice, His redemption, His destiny were encapsulated in that one word in the Greek, “Tetelestai!” Finished! Done! Completed! Redemption’s story was written – in His blood. The way to the Father was cleared of the rubble and debris of human sin. The curtain was torn from top to bottom. The huge, unpayable debt was paid. The Father was satisfied. His Son had done the job.

Even His last sigh, “I am thirsty,” spoke volumes to those who would hear. A sponge of vinegar on a stalk of hyssop? What did it mean? John insisted that His utterance was a fulfilment of prophecy? Which prophecy?

The Israelites were instructed to “Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe…” Exodus 12:22 NIV.

Why hyssop? Hyssop, a member of the mint family, grew plentifully in the Middle East and was used for cleansing, medicinal and flavouring purposes. It symbolised cleansing from sin as David’s prayer suggests. After his adulterous affair with Bathesheba and all the terrible things he did to cover up his sin, the broken-hearted king pleaded with God, “Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7 NIV.

Was Jesus saying, in His final prophetic words, that the work of cleansing was done? He had drunk the cup of the Father’s wrath down to the dregs. He could release His spirit to the Father in the assurance that He had fully accomplished the work of redemption and His sacrifice had been accepted. Death could not hold Him in its grip for even death and hell had been overcome.

Those around the cross could gloat and cheer because their evil work was finished. There was nothing more than they could do to the Son of God. They had shown Him, with all the vicious cruelty they could muster, what they thought of God. When it was all over, and the victim of their hatred hung tattered and lifeless, they were left to gaze at their handiwork, relieved to know that they could get on with their lives because He was no longer around to confront them.

But would they? Jesus’ life was over but little did they know that their woes had only just begun. Finished? Yes and no. His earthly life may have been over but he was alive in eleven men and many women, and in a few short weeks the Holy Spirit would light a flame in these men and women that they would never be able to put out.