Cry of Victory from the Cross
Tetelestai
It is Finished
Matthew 16:13-17; Matthew 17:1-10; Mark 8:27-33; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:18-22; Luke 8:28-36
The Cross of Christ
Was the subject of Jesus’ rebuke of Peter, and the subject of Jesus’ conversation with Moses and Elijah
Was the most important subject in Jesus’ conversation
The only means of the new creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Fifth and Sixth words from the cross
John 19:18-20
John 19:28-37
Tetelestai – “It is Finished”
Shout of victory, not defeat, held head high for 6 hours
Jesus said, “It is finished”, not I am finished
Now he was about to bow his head
Lifted up was he to die
It is finished was his cry
In the original language that Jesus used, and John wrote
“It is finished” is one-word “Tetelestai”
What Jesus finished, stands finished, will always be finished
Three Important Facts
Tetelestai -A Familiar Word
Tetelestai -Spoken (shouted) by a Faithful Saviour
Tetelestai -About the Finished Work
Tetelestai -A familiar word in Jesus’ time spoken by
Servants
Priests
Artists
Merchants
Others
Tetelestai -A familiar word spoken by servants
Servants/Slaves in Jesus' time:
Roman empire, 6 million slaves; when a task assigned by master
the servant would return and say,
“Tetelestai” –I have finished the work you gave me to do
Philippians 2:5-8
John 17:4
Tetelestai -A familiar word spoken by priests
Priests in Jesus’ time would examine the sacrifice and offered it if it is “Tetelestai” i.e. faultless
Jesus Christ was God’s faultless sacrifice
Sanhedrin hired false witness at trial
Pilate the Roman governor –”I find no fault in him” John 18:38, John 19:4, 6
Jesus was both the priest and the sacrifice for sin
1Peter 1:19)
Jesus offered the perfect, complete, spotless and faultless sacrifice
Tetelestai -A familiar word spoken by artists
Many art in Roman empire by Jews, Greek, Romans: painting, drawing, sculpture
Artist declared “Tetelestai” on finished work
At the cross, Jesus, the Master artist who framed the universe, and all of history, dipped the brush in his own blood and declared “Tetelestai” –the picture is finished
The cross completes the Old Testament pictures and types
(Luke 24:25-27)
Jesus on the cross, completed Old Testament pictures and types
Tetelestai -A familiar word spoken by merchants
Bargain, argue prices, values, arrive at the price, get paid and declared “Tetelestai” -paid in full
When mortgage debt is paid off the banker wrote on the receipt, “Tetelestai” the debt in pad, fully paid, always paid
We owed God
Can’t live up to God’s standards and are therefore guilty
The wages of sin in death but...
Jesus paid it all; all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain; He washes white as snow
Jesus took my (your) debt certificate, and he wrote across it
Jesus Christ took my (your) bank book, and he wrote across it righteous
No claim can ever be made against me (you) again
Tetelestai –It is finished
Jesus, the Servant, finished the work
Jesus paid the debt, fully paid, completely paid
Three Important Facts
Tetelestai -A Familiar Word
Tetelestai -Spoken by a Faithful Saviour
Tetelestai -About the Finished Work
Tetelestai – Spoken (shouted) by a Faithful Saviour
God gave Jesus a work to do
Born to do God’s will; conscious of the work from the beginning
Hebrews 10:5, 7
12 year old in the temple; wedding at Cana;
Mark 8, 9
Satanic opposition, country men’s rejection; family and disciples’ misunderstanding
Finally, he declared “Tetelestai –It is finished
Tetelestai – Spoken (shouted) by a Faithful Saviour
Jesus is still faithful
(Heb 13:8)
On the cross He faithfully finished the work
Today on the throne He is the Merciful and faithful High Priest (Hebrew 2:17)
(John 1:7)
(1 Corinthians 10:12)
He is faithful to keep us
(2 Timothy 1:12)
Are you trusting the faithful Saviour?
Jude 1:24-25
