Soap Box 45-What was Finished, When Christ Proclaimed From the Cross, "IT IS FINISHED"?

The late George B. Caird, in his New Testament Theology, has this to say, "But it could bring with it nothing that had not been already accomplished when Jesus proclaimed that redemptive love had achieved its end. 'It is accomplished' (John 19:30." (page264)

Charles C. Ryrie in Biblical Theology of the New Testament, writes, "Mention has already been made of certain theological aspects of Christ's death in His own teaching. At this point, then, consideration needs to be given to the seven words uttered on the Cross as revealing the Saviour's own thoughts during crucifixion. ( page 68)

"It is finished" ( John 19:30 ) This is the cry of victory in the hour of seeming defeat. The plan of salvation stands completed. This involves especially the work of redemption from sin, reconciliation of man, and propitiation of God. His work was completely done." (page 69-70)

These two theologians have given us their THEOLOGY. They may have attempted to share with us some TRUTH. But they have not dealt with the text or the context. They have read into the verse what they believe these words mean in their theology. It is the contention of this writer that what they believe may be true theology, but like so many teachers of the Bible, the verse, John 19:30, cannot and does not give textual or the con-textual support for their teaching and theology, as pertaining as to what was happening on the cross, as having revelational teaching about Caird's reference to "redemptive love", and Ryrie's remarks about the great words "redemption", "reconciliation", and "propitiation".

Bible teaching is called exegesis. This is an effort to bring out of the text, what is already in the text. In order to be able to bring it out of the text, it must already be in the text. We are interested in expanding our knowledge of what the text is saying to the first readers. We want to arrive at the explanation of the text. We want to find out what is the interpretation of the text. If John 19:30, was a suitcase, we must see that these two men have over stuffed the suitcase. We are not questioning their sincerity.

But their work in this particular area is eisegesis. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary has it wrong in definition ( to me ). That dictionary says : "the interpretation of a text ( as the Bible ) by reading into it one's own ideas" They should have said : "the attempt to arrive at an interpretation of a text ( and failing ) because they were reading into the text their own ideas".

There is no doubt in this writer's mind, that teaching on 'redemptive love', 'redemption', 'reconciliation', and 'propitiation' are great words of gospel preaching on the subject of what happened at/on the cross, when The Lord Jesus Christ died there. But the reader is challenged to find these truths in any saying of our Lord's that were uttered from the cross at the time of his death.

The larger context is the Gospel of John. A characteristic of these writings is that they generally record just the facts. This is a general rule, since John has with in his Gospel several areas where we find added notes that John gives to the readers to help them in their overall understanding of his words. Consider John 7:39. cf. 1:38 In my Interlinear Greek-English New Testament there is a marginal text of The Authorized Version of the King James. John 7:39 in many a KJV has a parentheses around this verse, as does the one in my Interlinear. The Greek Text does not. This addition to the English text was placed there for the reader to see and understand that John, the writer of the Gospel, has written an explanatory note with in the context of this portion of his Gospel. In Matthew 13, the Lord gives interpretations to several parables, but not all.

Chapter 19 is a context for verse 30. But John 19:28-30 is a closer context that will be enough to show what the Lord Jesus really was saying when he uttered those words in verse 30. These verses are quoted here:

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scriptures might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge
with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished:
and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

There are three words here in this context that are translated from a single Greek work or its derivation. These words are 'accomplished', 'fulfilled', and 'finished'. The root word in the Greek is 'telos', an end, goal. We might think the root would be 'pleeroo' which appears many times as 'fulfilled'. 'Pleeroo' is found in John 19:24 and not in John 19:28-30. In these two contexts, 19:23-24 and 19:28-30, these two Greek words, 'telos' and 'pleeroo' might function as synonyms. They could almost (seemingly) be switched around in their respective contexts. Their ideas are close in usage and we get the same understanding in their usage ( at least I do, when considering the English translation ). But we shall not go there.

We should be able to use just one English word in all three places and still come up with the same idea, that the verse/context is wanting to convey to our minds. The focus of these verses is on the scriptures. What happens to Jesus relates closely to what happens to the scriptures.

Our Lord Jesus is not a passive Savior here. He knows what the unfolding events are that have transpired up to this very verse and time in the context of John 19:28. He actively engages an action that will be climactic to the very moment when he actively gives up his spirit. To bring the scriptures to a place of 'accomplishment' , 'fulfillment' and/or 'a finsh' , he cries, I thirst. His last cry should make it clear to all readers that the scriptures were indeed 'finished', 'accomplished', and/or/even 'fulfilled'.

We would not say that redemption was NOT FINISHED. We would not say that reconciliation was NOT ACCOMPLISHED. We would not say the propitiation was NOT FULFILLED. We would only point out to an interested person, who wants to know what the Bible teaches, that these things are taught wonderfully by the Apostle Paul in his letters to the churches, and not in the context of John's Gospel.

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