It Is Finished!

John 29:23-30

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them. And for My clothing cast lots." (Psalm 22:18) Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"

Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.


In this section of John it is shown that scripture was fulfilled. All scripture pertaining to Jesus, the Man, and His death was fulfilled. As it had been written all throughout the Old Testament. All the things the Jewish priests could not see...which was scripture being fulfilled. That His death could now occur. Just like events playing out today are more of scripture being fulfilled...that He might return!

Those soldiers cast lots for His clothing. Even that was to fulfill scripture. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. (‭Psalms‬ ‭22‬:‭18‬) And what about this seamless woven garment? Why the subtle emphasis here? I'd heard once or twice that seamless garments were worn only by the high priests (and perhaps those of royalty). It was not sewn in pieces but woven in one piece.

So why was Jesus wearing a seamless, woven garment? Someone who knew Him and believed made it for Him. He was the King of kings and Lord of lords. He was the King of the Jews! Yet His importance was not of the earthly kind. And this garment was not worn on top like many others would have been. His was underneath other garments. Worn in humility rather than for show. Oh, how we need to realize this. We come humbly to Him because this humble King died for us.

When we come to Christ, are born again in the Spirit, we become yet another part of the body of Christ, part of the great family of believers. When one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers. We uplift each other in our times of need, like John did for Jesus' mother, Mary. When we are part of that body we are taken care of, physically but more importantly spiritually. Jesus no longer needs to seek us that we might be saved.

Jesus saw that His mother was taken care of. He could say "It is finished!" Imagine how He feels when He knows yet another person has taken the step to be well taken care of by receiving Him. He might also say in that life, "It is finished!" His work on the cross was not for nothing. Little by little people realize what He has done and the meaning of those words. That this King of kings chose to die a horrific death for the life of anyone who will call on His name, become born again, that those words, "It is finished!" might be satisfied.

Like I alluded to before, scripture is still being fulfilled. The Gospel is being preached throughout the world. And when He returns He will judge all people, both believers and non-believers. We will have eternal life or eternal death. It will be finished.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Matthew 24:14, Acts 17:30-31)