What Jesus Meant by "It Is Finished", The Triumph of "Tetelestai"

It is Finished: Understanding the Meaning of Jesus' last Words on the Cross

On the cross, Jesus uttered the words “It is finished” before giving up His spirit. The Greek word for “It is finished” is “Teletestai,” which means to bring to an end, complete, and fulfil. This discourse seeks to answer the question of what was finished on the cross and why we need to engage in spiritual warfare.

Ref: “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:30 NKJV

The root word for ‘It is finished' is ‘Teletestai’ which means to bring to an end, complete, and fulfil.

The Sacrifice Is Accomplished – Tetelestai

Every Jewish person present at the time of Jesus' crucifixion would have instantly recognized the word “Teletestai” as the equivalent of a Hebrew phrase used in the Old Testament sacrificial system. Each year, on the Jewish holiday called The Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the temple and make a special sacrifice for the sins of the people of Israel. As soon as the priest had killed the animal, he would emerge from the place of sacrifice and declare to the waiting crowd “It is finished” in Hebrew.

In this sacrifice, all the sins of Israel were symbolically placed on the lamb that was killed and punished in their place. Yet the Bible teaches that this sacrificial system was never really complete or finished because the sacrifice of that lamb was imperfect and temporary. But when Jesus died on the cross, He became the perfect and final sacrifice for all sin. The Book of Hebrews describes how Jesus was the ultimate Lamb of God, and by His sacrifice, the work of forgiveness was finally complete.

“He did not enter using the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His blood, having obtained eternal redemption…But now He has appeared once and for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:12, 26)

So by saying “It is finished,” Jesus was signalling to the Jewish world that there was no more need for sacrifices or temples because His work brought ultimate fulfilment to what their sacrificial system foreshadowed.

The Debt Is Paid in Full – Tetelestai

Perhaps the most common use of “Tetelestai” in Jesus’ day was in debt collecting. When a person finally paid off a loan, they were issued a receipt that was stamped with the word “Tetelestai,” which meant that their debt was now paid in full. This was verification that they were no longer responsible for any of that debt, and everything they owned was completely and permanently paid for.

The Bible says that our sins created a debt to God that we could never repay on our own. But when Jesus died, He was paying off our debt of sin once and for all. Again, the Book of Hebrews describes the finality of Jesus’ payment for our sins.

“But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honour at God’s right hand…And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.” (Hebrews 10:12-13, 18)

Jesus’ Assignment on Earth

Jesus proclaimed His assignment: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the sick, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)

The Lord God’s purpose is the same as it has always been: to exercise dominion and authority over the earthly realm under His sovereign kingdom. That has never changed.

The Spiritual Battle-Tetelestai

When Jesus died on the cross and declared “It is finished,” He not only accomplished the ultimate sacrifice and paid off our debt of sin but also won the ultimate victory in the spiritual battle that had been raging since the fall of man. The Bible teaches that the enemy of our souls, Satan, had been defeated by the cross and the resurrection of Jesus. Colossians 2:15 states, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” The victory of Jesus is now our victory, but we are still called to engage in spiritual warfare.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Jesus has given us the authority to fight this battle and overcome the enemy. Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Engaging in spiritual warfare means using the authority that Jesus has given us to resist the enemy and his schemes. We must put on the full armour of God, which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-18 describes this armour and how we must use it to stand firm in the face of spiritual attack.

Conclusion

When Jesus declared “It is finished” on the cross, He accomplished the ultimate sacrifice, paid off our debt of sin, and won the ultimate victory in the spiritual battle. His work was complete, and we can add nothing to it. However, we are still called to engage in spiritual warfare and use the authority that He has given us to resist the enemy and his schemes. Let us stand firm in the victory of Jesus and fight the good fight of faith.

FAQs

What does the word “tetelestai” mean?

The word “tetelestai” means “it is finished” or “paid in full” in Greek.

What was the significance of Jesus’ declaration on the cross?

Jesus’ declaration on the cross signalled that His work was complete, and He had accomplished the ultimate sacrifice and paid off our debt of sin.

What is spiritual warfare?

Spiritual warfare is the battle that Christians engage in against the enemy of their souls, Satan, and his schemes.

How do we engage in spiritual warfare?

We engage in spiritual warfare by using the authority that Jesus has given us to resist the enemy and his schemes, putting on the full armour of God, and standing firm in the victory of Jesus.

What is the ultimate victory in the spiritual battle?

The ultimate victory in the spiritual battle was won by Jesus on the cross, where He disarmed principalities and powers, triumphing over them in it.