THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Father'had sent Him into this world was finished. The Father had given Him a cer tain work “to accomplish” (John 5 :36. The word is translated “ finish” in the Author ized Version, “accomplish” in the Revised Version. It has the same root as the word which is translated “ finished” here.). It was His very meat to accomplish this work o f the Father (John 4:34). No\v the death in which that work was to be completed was right at the door, and in anticipation, o f it Jesus cried, “ It is finished” (cf. ch. 17:4). (3) Thé prophecies concerning the suffer ings and death o f the Messiah, into which angels and the prophets themselves had desired to look (1 Pet. 1:11-13) were fin ished. This is the immediate thought of the context. The Old Testament prophets centuries before had set forth step by step the sufferings which the coming Messiah would meet in redeeming His people. One by one Jesus had fulfilled the details of those Old Testament 'prophecies. 1 The last predictions o f the long list o f sufferings and dishonor which Jesus had undoubtedly often conned until they were indelibly printed upon His mind, were fulfilled, and with a cry o f victory and relief He cries, “It is finished.” (4) The work o f atone ment was finished. The curse o f the broken law must be borne, and Jesus had borne it (cf. Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor.-5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). “It is finished.” Yes, there is absolutely nothing left for you or me to do to atone for sin. It is all done, "it is finished.’’ Would that we might all believe it and not try to add something to the “finished” work o f Christ. (5) The Mosaic law, as far as its claims on the believer are con cerned, were “finished” (Rom. 10:4; Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:15, 16). Every claim o f the Mosaic law was settled, and the law itself done away by the death o f Christ on the cross. ( 6 ) Satan’s power was “finished” (Heb. 2:14 R. V .; Col. 2:15 R. V .; John 12:31). The death o f Christ on the cross was the death" knell to Satan’s power. It seemed the moment o f Satan’s mightiest triumph: it was in fact the moment o f His utter defeat. “It is finished.” Hallelujah !
which God worked out thè fulfillment of His own W ord to the very letter, not. only through good men, but through evil men, and not only through evil men, but in the minutest details o f what was done, details that seem purely accidental, but which were anticipated and predicted hundreds o f years before. Sunday, September 3 . John 19 : 25 - 27 . In His last moments here on earth, moments of supreme agony, Jesus forgets Himself and thinks o f her He loved, His mother. The sword is now piercing through her soul just as old Simeon breveted it would at the time o f His birth and presen tation in the temple (Luke 2:35), and as the sword pierces her soul Jesus turns to her to comfort her. Up to that time He had looked after her. Now, humanly speaking, she will need another. Her own children are not fitted for this work for as yèt they did not believe on Jesus. There is none so fit to take up this loving ministry o f the Lord as John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. Jesus gives to John a last proof o f His love by committing to him His most sacred trust. How tenderly John must have carried out that trust, and how much we owe of our knowledge o f our Lord to the fact that Mary was so long under his roof. Monday, September 4 . John 19 : 28 - 30 . Here again we see the details o f Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled to the letter (cf. Ps. 69:21). Jesus Himself had deeply pondered these Old Testament prophecies o f Himself, and doubtless had them in mind as He hung there upon the cross. And now comes that brief and wonderful utterance, V“ IT IS FINISHED .” In the Greek it is even more brief, just one word. But what was finished ? Six things : (1) His own sufferings were finished. From the beginning o f His ministry the shadow o f the cross darkened the Saviour’s life. 'N ow it was all over. The dread and horror o f all those years was over at last, thank God ! . (2) The mission upon which the
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