A lot of my blog ideas come from conversations over breakfast with my husband. Today's conversation had to do with how Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," when He was being crucified.
Many people think that this was because of the cruel things that were happening to Him. But that wasn't all of it. The more important part was that these people were the instruments through which the sacrifice for our sins were being made. They were sacrificing the Passover Lamb. This was a sacred moment - and they didn't realize the sanctity of what they were doing. In this context, Jesus' "forgive them" makes a lot more sense.
Which brings me to Jesus' last STATEMENT from the cross. Keep in mind that every time He wanted to say something, He had to take a breath. To take a breath, He had to push down all of His weight on the spike driven through both of His ankles - an excrutiating prospect. And yet what He said was not so much a cry of relief but of accomplishment, of triumph.
You see, the Greek word that is translated "It is finished" in some translations was a Greek business term, meaning "Completed!" It referred to a transaction where someone paid in full for something they were purchasing. The transaction was completed, accomplished, finished: there was nothing more that needed to be done because everything was finished.
Put into spiritual terms, every sin: past, present, and future, once and for all, was paid for, in one huge transaction - at Calvary. As soon as it was completed, Jesus cried out that it was finished, and then committed His spirit to the Father's hands. And then He died.
And to show that His transaction was accepted, God raised Him from the dead on the third day.
Nothing better than having your parking validated after you've spent all your resources!! :D
Tetelestai. The price is paid.
Tetelestai. The way has been made.
Tetelestai. Nothing more to do.
Tetelestai. For me, and for you.
-- (c) Judy Gillis, 2020-03-19
Salvation is not something that we own. Jesus bought and paid for it; it is HIS. So He has the right to give it to whoever believes in what He accomplished. It's as simple as all that. Nothing we can do could ever pay that debt. But He could. And He did.
It is finished. Tetelestai. It is completed. Praise to God on High!!
-- (Judy Gillis, 2020)
WAY COOL.
Many people think that this was because of the cruel things that were happening to Him. But that wasn't all of it. The more important part was that these people were the instruments through which the sacrifice for our sins were being made. They were sacrificing the Passover Lamb. This was a sacred moment - and they didn't realize the sanctity of what they were doing. In this context, Jesus' "forgive them" makes a lot more sense.
Which brings me to Jesus' last STATEMENT from the cross. Keep in mind that every time He wanted to say something, He had to take a breath. To take a breath, He had to push down all of His weight on the spike driven through both of His ankles - an excrutiating prospect. And yet what He said was not so much a cry of relief but of accomplishment, of triumph.
You see, the Greek word that is translated "It is finished" in some translations was a Greek business term, meaning "Completed!" It referred to a transaction where someone paid in full for something they were purchasing. The transaction was completed, accomplished, finished: there was nothing more that needed to be done because everything was finished.
Put into spiritual terms, every sin: past, present, and future, once and for all, was paid for, in one huge transaction - at Calvary. As soon as it was completed, Jesus cried out that it was finished, and then committed His spirit to the Father's hands. And then He died.
And to show that His transaction was accepted, God raised Him from the dead on the third day.
 |
| Free Illustration by TheDigitalArtist at Pixabay |
Tetelestai. The price is paid.
Tetelestai. The way has been made.
Tetelestai. Nothing more to do.
Tetelestai. For me, and for you.
-- (c) Judy Gillis, 2020-03-19
Salvation is not something that we own. Jesus bought and paid for it; it is HIS. So He has the right to give it to whoever believes in what He accomplished. It's as simple as all that. Nothing we can do could ever pay that debt. But He could. And He did.
It is finished. Tetelestai. It is completed. Praise to God on High!!
-- (Judy Gillis, 2020)
WAY COOL.
