约翰福音 19:30

His eternally efficacious work of expiation for sin was completed "in the body of His flesh" upon the cross. This fact, the Lord Himself in His omniscience announced to men, to angels, to demons. "When therefore Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished; and having bowed His head, He delivered up His spirit" (John 19:30). The apostle John thus records the Son of God's verbal testimony to the conclusion of His own work. It was but one word as originally uttered upon the cross, but it fell from the lips of omniscient omnipotence, and will reverberate to the ends of the universe throughout the ages of the ages.

What is finished? I cannot tell you all that those wondrous words contain. Can you tell me what is not finished? You cannot. All God's claims of outraged holiness and broken law have been met by the death of Jesus, and all the exigency of man's condition, that he might be before God, also met by the judgment of the cross. Yes! God has been glorified, Satan has been defeated, and man is delivered absolutely by that death... Have you been labouring to do something for your own salvation? You are too late. All has been done already.

It was, then, on the cross — by the shedding of His blood, by all, indeed, that He suffered there, by His death, that atonement was accomplished. Hence, before "He bowed His head and gave up the ghost," He cried, anticipatively, "It is finished" (John 19:30). Then the work was completed which so glorified God, that on that foundation He saves, and is righteous... All the blessings of all the redeemed, the millennial blessing of the earth, the reconciliation of all things, the eternal happiness of saints of all dispensations, the perfection of the new heavens and the new earth — all these manifold blessings and varied glories will flow from the finished work of Christ.

"He delivered up His spirit" (New Trans.). The wise man of the Old Testament has told us, "There is no man that has power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither has he power in the day of death" (Eccles. 8:8), but here is One who had that power. He is able at one moment to lift up His voice with unimpaired strength, and the next moment to deliver up His spirit... True, there He spoke of the laying down of His "life" or "soul," saying, "No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

Jesus didn't die like the two thieves, you know; Jesus dismissed His Spirit. We sometimes sing, "The storm that bowed Thy blessed head." The storm didn't bow His blessed head; He bowed His head in the storm. He was superior to it all.

The Lord Jesus Christ finished the work that God gave Him to do. On the cross He cried with a loud voice, "It is finished" (John 19:30). The mighty work of redemption was accomplished. The way to God in blessing was made manifest. The veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The rocks rent. The earth did quake. The graves of the saints were opened. God thus publicly attested His satisfaction with and acceptance of the work His blessed Son had accomplished.

He was free, and yet under commandment. Faith understands it all. And according to this mystery, when the hour had come, as we read, "He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost" (John 19:30). He owned the commandment which He had received, and yet of Himself yielded up His life. He was obedient unto death, and yet laid down His life as of Himself.