Dave was a young Christian who witnessed the Gospel to me in a way that made sense and met me where I was in my life. Rather than telling me I needed to get my life together, Dave said the most welcome words to me “Rich, it doesn’t work that way. You let God into your heart, and the change flows out from there.” I knew it was the only way it could be for me. Dave recently sent this to me for possible inclusion on my blog. I am happy to post it here and hope many will read it.

The Last Word of Christ

Before I was a Christian, I was in college working on a degree in technical electronics. For some reason (not understood at the time), I felt compelled to enroll in a class on Biblical Greek. This class was certainly not in my area of study and I didn’t even complete the class, dropping out mid-term.

However, I did begin to learn that the Greek language is far more expressive and nuanced than our English. A simple example is our word “Love”. In English, we must have the word in context to really understand the meaning. “I Love that color” and “I love my wife” are completely different expressions in English. In Greek, there are 3 distinct words that we can only translated as “love” in English. These 3 words in Greek differentiate the different levels and meaning of love.

As we read the words “It is finished” as recorded in our Bibles (John 19:30) most of us have a very simplistic understanding of there meaning. We make think of them as simply meaning something is completed, and that is true. However it helps to understand that Jesus did NOT say “it is finished”, He said ONE GREEK WORD τετέλεσται (tetelestai). This single word is translated for us as “it is finished” and carries the weight of full completion, like a debt paid in full or a masterpiece completed.

In its original context, Tetelestai was used on a certificate of debt to signify that the obligation had been completely satisfied, freeing the debtor.

In a courtroom, it meant a penalty or sentence had been fully served, and the prisoner was free from that judgment.

Soldiers would use it as a declaration of total victory, meaning their mission had been completely fulfilled.

When Jesus said tetelestai on the cross, he was declaring:

1.       The debt of humankind’s sin was paid in full.

2.       The spiritual war against sin, death, and Satan was won.

3.       His work of salvation was fully accomplished and finished, providing total freedom and victory for those who believe.

It should be noted that Tetelestai is in the perfect verb tense in Greek. This tense signifies an action completed in the past with results continuing into the present. It means the action was completed, and its effects are eternally valid and ongoing.

Now attach this tense to each of the declarations above:

1.       The debt of humankind’s sin was paid in full. Eternally valid and ongoing.

2.       The spiritual war against sin, death, and Satan was won. Eternally valid and ongoing.

3.       His work of salvation was fully accomplished and finished, providing total freedom and victory for those who believe. Eternally valid and ongoing.

Let your hearts be at peace and sing with praise for God’s wisdom, glory, and eternal plan, and for His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ who uttered τετέλεσται (tetelestai).