The Seven Sayings from the Cross: #7 — "It is finished."
Welcome back to our series, “The Seven Sayings from the Cross.” In our last study, we discussed Christ’s promise to the thief on the cross: “I thirst.” Now, we come to the final saying:
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
— John 19:30
From a human perspective, the crucifixion looked like defeat. The disciples had scattered, the crowds had turned, and Rome’s soldiers believed they had crushed another alleged Messiah. Yet as Jesus lifted His voice for the final time, the heavens heard not a sigh of surrender, but a shout of victory.
“It is finished.”
Jesus did not say, “I am finished.” He said, “It is finished.” It was not a cry of resignation, but of accomplishment. The mission of redemption was complete. The plan of salvation, decreed before the foundation of the world, had reached its perfect fulfillment.
So, what exactly was finished?
The Sufferings of Jesus Were Finished.
The agony, both physical and spiritual, was now complete. The wrath of God had been poured out, and Jesus had borne it all. The darkness that covered the land was giving way to light.The Ceremonial Law Was Fulfilled.
All the sacrifices, shadows, and symbols of the Old Covenant found their fulfillment in Him. Every lamb that had been slain pointed to this moment. Hebrews 10:12 declares:“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.”
The Price of Redemption Was Paid.
Sin’s debt was canceled. The handwriting of ordinances that was against us was nailed to His cross (Colossians 2:14). Justice was satisfied and mercy was extended to all.The Power of Satan Was Broken.
At the very moment Satan thought he had won, his defeat was sealed. Through death, Christ destroyed him that had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).
The serpent’s head was crushed beneath the heel of the crucified Savior.The Prophecies Were Fulfilled
Every promise, every foreshadowing, every sacred whisper from Genesis to Malachi found its fulfillment in Christ. From the bruised heel in Genesis 3:15 to the suffering servant in Isaiah 53, prophecy after prophecy converged at Calvary.
Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:17:“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
The Separation Between God and Man Was Ended
The instant Jesus cried “It is finished,” the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). That veil had long symbolized mankind’s distance from God as a barrier between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. When it tore, Heaven declared that through the blood of Christ, the way into the presence of God was now open.
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” — Hebrews 10:19
The Justice of God Was Satisfied
God’s holiness demanded payment for sin and His love provided it. Christ’s death fully satisfied divine justice so that forgiveness could be freely offered without compromising God’s holiness.
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” — Psalm 85:10
The Mission of the Son Was Completed
Every word the Father had given Him to say, every miracle He had been sent to perform, every step toward redemption all had been accomplished. In John 17:4, Jesus prayed:
“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
“It is finished.”
All of man’s striving to reach God ends here. All of sin’s power to condemn ends here. All of the Old Covenant sacrifices, prophecies, and promises find their fulfillment here. What began in the Garden, when man fell and God promised that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head, ends at the cross with the cry of a Victor.
Through that cry, heaven rejoiced and salvation was secured forever.
“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 15:57
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He was not announcing an ending, but a beginning: the beginning of grace, of forgiveness, of eternal life. The door to paradise was open, and the work of redemption would never need to be done again.
Conclusion of The Seven Sayings from the Cross
Thank you so much for following along with this series. I really hope it was as much a blessing to you reading it as it was to me writing it. Each word from the cross reminds us that the gospel is not a story of sorrow, but of victory.
As we close this study, I pray the words of Jesus continue to echo in your heart: words of forgiveness, compassion, surrender, and victory. May they shape how we live, how we love, and how we look to the future.
This series may be finished, but there are many more studies to come. There are more journeys through the Bible and more opportunities to see the fingerprints of God in every verse and every page.
Until then, may the Cross remain your anchor, the Word your guide, and the risen Christ your everlasting hope.
Victorious in Christ,
— Shawn F. Parker
Editor & Contributor, The Redeemed Report