Tetelestai!

By Shirley Mitchell

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

John 19:30

Crucifixion was actually a slow death by asphyxiation. They suffocated until they died. A crucified man had to push his feet against a block of wood to raise his body up to draw in breath. Then, he released his weight until he hung by his wrists. This up-and-down movement must have been agonizing torture for Jesus because of the wounds on His back. When a crucified man wanted to speak, he would have to rise up and endure the pain to say his words. It took immense willpower each time Jesus said anything on the cross.

Scripture records Jesus’ seven sayings on the cross. In John 19:30, He said, “It is finished.” The priest said these same words when he slaughtered the Passover Lamb sacrifice. The Greek word for “finished” is tetelestai which means “end, goal, to make an end or to accomplish, to complete something, not merely to end it, but to bring it to perfection or its destined goal to carry it through: to execute fully a rule or law, to pay off or in full, such as taxes, tribute, toll.” It is the perfect indicative passive form of teleo. This tense means a past completed action with a present and continuous result. It happened in the past and continues to be true. It is a legal term used to say that a debt was paid in full. In Jesus’ time, when someone owed someone else money decrees would be written against him on a parchment, an animal’s skin. When it was paid in full, then the loaner would write the word tetelestai across the certificate. The debtor would nail the certificate of debt with tetelestai written across it on the door of his house for all to see. Never more can payment be demanded.

God did the very same thing. He took the parchment of the skin of the Final Passover Lamb, His Own Son, and wrote into His flesh all of your sins and my sins. Then He wrote tetelestai, paid in full, it is finished. All of the prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled. From the virgin birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem to the one who would save the people from their sins. Every work His Father sent Him to do was finished.

What sin are you still beating yourself up about? It is Tetelestai! Jesus paid it in full! No longer can payment be demanded. It is a lie that we must mentally flog ourselves for our sins. It is truth that we should accept His payment and rejoice that we have been redeemed and forgiven and showered with love.

Pray with me: Oh, Thank YOU, Jesus! You paid it all! Tetelestai! All of my sins are paid, gone. God is satisfied. I am Yours and Yours alone. Show me where I believe any lie and if I still beat myself up about what I have done. Teach me to accept that I don’t need to pay anything. May this truth change my thoughts and actions over my sins. I rejoice because I have been redeemed through Your great love for me that compelled You to pay the price for me! It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study