Just before Christ died, He said “It is finished” (John 19:28-30). What does the word “It” refer to - what was finished?

[Aaron112]

Just before Christ died, He said “It is finished” (John 19:28-30). What does the word “It” refer to - what was finished?

...and , did you look at the references, the Bible references, in BibleHub.com or online ,
showing the verse and verses and so on
that are associated with or related with this question ?

John 19:28
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 17:4
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 17:4
I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.

John 4:34
Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

 

[eleos1954]

Dear eleos,

Thanks for your reply. Are you saying that the work of our salvation was completed when Jesus died on the cross?

Salvation is not totally completed until Jesus returns. We have the promise of salvation and we accept that promise through the faith of Jesus.

Faith is what enables us to lay hold of Christ as Redeemer, and so to receive all the benefits that God has secured for us in Him.

Jesus death created the way to salvation .... through Him ... and by faith we have assurance, the actualization of it don't happen until He returns.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV​

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Jesus is our High Priest and intercessor in heaven ... continuing His work of cleansing us.

What Does the Bible Say About Cleansing?

 

[ARBITER01]

Just before Christ died, He said “It is finished” (John 19:28-30). What does the word “It” refer to - what was finished?

Hebrews 10:9–10 — The New King James Version (NKJV)​

9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The law of moses was fulfilled and terminated at the cross. It needed to end for the new to begin.

 

[d taylor]

Dear Taylor,

Thanks for your reply. What you said does not answer the question I asked. Consider the following, especially what Paul says.

That is the common answer that most people give, but it is not correct. The apostle Paul states that for the work of our salvation to be complete, Christ had to first rise from the dead: “… for if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost" (1 Corinthians 15:12-18) – also see Romans 4:25.

Now obviously, when Christ was on the cross, and He said "It is finished", He had not yet risen from the dead. So, if we are still in our sins, how could the work of our salvation be complete?

Secondly, the timing is wrong. Starting at the point when Christ said "It is finished", this incorrect position implies a future event, but the "It" refers to something in the past; something that had already happened; something that had already been completed while Christ was alive, because Christ was still living when he made that statement.

This erroneous position can't be true because it requires that Christ had to first die for those actions to take place. He had to die for the debt to be paid in full. He had to die for all our sins to be wiped away.

So, as was just shown above, "It is finished" refers to a past event which took place before Christ died, not a future event after He died.

Also, where in scripture do we find the verse: "Jesus' death wiped away all sins"?

-
​

When a lamb (or any other animal ) was sacrificed, it was the shedding of the blood that took away sin. Jesus resurrection defeated death, it was not sacrifice for sin.

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

 

[zeland2236]

...and , did you look at the references, the Bible references, in BibleHub.com or online ,
showing the verse and verses and so on
that are associated with or related with this question ?

John 19:28
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 17:4
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 17:4
I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.

John 4:34
Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

Dear AAron,

Thanks for your reply. I agree with you (and the scriptures that you quoted) that Christ did complete his work on earth. The "It" refers to a series of events which are a significant part of the work he finished, and which were completed prior to His death.

 

[zeland2236]

The payment, I think is the most logical choice.

If you think/ thought you already know the answer,
is your op just a rhetorical question in that way ? i.e. not looking for the answer , already decided what it is ?

Aaron,

Good question. I think my main idea was that I just wanted to get some idea of what people thought about His statement, and then we could discuss the scriptures that relate to what He said. However, I was thinking more of the past events that Christ's statement referred to, but everyone took it to mean a future event, not to say that those answers don't have some validity to them, but they were just not what I was expecting.

I am familiar with many of the ideas that people put forth about the spiritual results of Christ's sacrifice, but there is little scriptural support for those ideas. Does what I have said here answer your question?

PS. In your earlier reply you said "The payment, I think is the most logical choice." What do you mean by the term "The Payment"?

 

[Aaron112]

PS. In your earlier reply you said "The payment, I think is the most logical choice." What do you mean by the term "The Payment"?

I may be missing a lot as I am distracted right now,
but simply

with all Scripture showing , (find many on BibleHub and BibleGateWay)
we are purchased with (or by?) HIS BLOOD, the willing planned ATONEMENT for sins. as planned since before anything was ever created.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Dear Jesse,
What do you mean by payment? Are you saying that the work of our salvation was completed when Jesus died on the cross? Thanks.

No, the payment for our sin that Christ atoned for. The animal sacrifices of the OT are a shadow of the true sacrifice found in Christ. Isaiah 53 is notable in this regard.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Responding to the thread topic stated ... it is a "chat room" (thread)

Thanks for explaining. I couldn't tell, since it didn't quote the OP.

 

[Mark Quayle]

That is the common answer that most people give, but it is not correct. The apostle Paul states that for the work of our salvation to be complete, Christ had to first rise from the dead: “… for if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost" (1 Corinthians 15:12-18) – also see Romans 4:25.

Maybe you can explain more fully how that works.

I'll play devil's advocate, here: The fact that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain, does not mean that the faith is not effective, nor that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient. The resurrection proves that he was God, and proves that he vanquished death, and so on. Without it, we would have no basis for faith. But that doesn't mean that the resurrection saved us. I just means that he is who he said and that he has the power of life.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Dear Maria,

Thanks for your reply. Are you saying that the work of our salvation was completed when Jesus died on the cross?

Yes I am. It is now up to us to believe it. Blessings

 

[zeland2236]

Maybe you can explain more fully how that works.

I'll play devil's advocate, here: The fact that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain, does not mean that the faith is not effective, nor that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient. The resurrection proves that he was God, and proves that he vanquished death, and so on. Without it, we would have no basis for faith. But that doesn't mean that the resurrection saved us. I just means that he is who he said and that he has the power of life.

Mark,

The resurrection was a necessary step in the work of our salvation. The work of our salvation was not completer until Christ had risen.
The point that I was trying to make is that many people say that the work of our salvation was completer when Christ died, and that is what they think the statement "It is finished" meant, but that is not correct.

First of all, the timing of their position is wrong. Starting at the point when Christ said "It is finished", their position implies a future event, but the "It" refers to something in the past; something that had already happened; something that had already been completed while Christ was alive. We know this because Christ was still living when he made that statement.

Also, their position can't be true because it requires that Christ had to first die for those actions to take place. He had to die for "the debt to be paid in full"; ???; "He had to die for all our sins to be wiped away"???. But, as I just said, "It is finished" refers to a past event which took place before Christ died, not a future event after He died.

One last point, and this is why I put the question marks after the above quotes. The expectations that many people have for Christ's completed work of salvation are incorrect or exaggerated. However one wishes to interpret Christ's actions, we do know that Jesus did not mean that our sins had been paid for in a way that removes any obligation on our part to cooperate with God’s grace in order to enter heaven. John 3:36 puts it very well:

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.”

There are many more scriptures that refute the erroneous belief that Christ’s death "did it all" and that we don’t need to do anything but accept the “free gift of salvation”. Yes. The gift is free, but we must meet the scriptural qualifications in order to be eligible to receive that gift.

 

[zeland2236]

Yes I am. It is now up to us to believe it. Blessings

Dear Maria,

Thank you for your reply.

Your first part is not correct, but your second statement is true.

The customary answer given by most people is that Christ’s work of salvation was now complete, but this is not correct. The apostle Paul states that for the work of our salvation to be complete, Christ had to first rise from the dead: “…16 for if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost (1 Corinthians 15:12-18) – also see Romans 4:25.

So then, what does the “It” refer to?

 

[Mark Quayle]

Mark,

The resurrection was a necessary step in the work of our salvation. The work of our salvation was not completer until Christ had risen.
The point that I was trying to make is that many people say that the work of our salvation was completer when Christ died, and that is what they think the statement "It is finished" meant, but that is not correct.

First of all, the timing of their position is wrong. Starting at the point when Christ said "It is finished", their position implies a future event, but the "It" refers to something in the past; something that had already happened; something that had already been completed while Christ was alive. We know this because Christ was still living when he made that statement.

Also, their position can't be true because it requires that Christ had to first die for those actions to take place. He had to die for "the debt to be paid in full"; ???; "He had to die for all our sins to be wiped away"???. But, as I just said, "It is finished" refers to a past event which took place before Christ died, not a future event after He died.

One last point, and this is why I put the question marks after the above quotes. The expectations that many people have for Christ's completed work of salvation are incorrect or exaggerated. However one wishes to interpret Christ's actions, we do know that Jesus did not mean that our sins had been paid for in a way that removes any obligation on our part to cooperate with God’s grace in order to enter heaven. John 3:36 puts it very well:

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.”

There are many more scriptures that refute the erroneous belief that Christ’s death "did it all" and that we don’t need to do anything but accept the “free gift of salvation”. Yes. The gift is free, but we must meet the scriptural qualifications in order to be eligible to receive that gift.

Can you be more specific, not how salvation doesn't occur without the resurrection, but how the resurrection causes salvation? At best, all you've shown is hints.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Dear Maria,

Thank you for your reply.

Your first part is not correct, but your second statement is true.

The customary answer given by most people is that Christ’s work of salvation was now complete, but this is not correct. The apostle Paul states that for the work of our salvation to be complete, Christ had to first rise from the dead: “…16 for if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain; and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost (1 Corinthians 15:12-18) – also see Romans 4:25.

So then, what does the “It” refer to?

Your question was not clear. We know that His complete work for our salvation includes His death, burial , resurrection and ascension. "Death on the cross" is a just short way of indicating the same work without detailing it. Blessings.

 

[Divide]

The payment, I think is the most logical choice.

That's the way I understand it. It is finished means that and so much more, but as I understand it Jesus died right at 3:00 in the afternoon on Passover. Just as the Priest in the temple was sacrificing the last lamb. It is finished, I am the last Passover Lamb. No more sacrifice is needed now.

That earned the payment as He died. Then when the Roman guy stabbed him with the spear and blood & water gushed out and dripped down through the cracks in the rocks to drip on the mercy seat below.

I guess you could say at that moment the OT covenant was out and the new covenant began.