On the cross, Jesus said: “It is Finished.” What did he mean?
The most evident motive is that Jesus knew that after uttering these words, he would die fulfilling the long-desired mission his father sent him to complete.
Yet, Jesus wants his father to understand that his creation, whom he loves so much, now has a different ending to their lives. They will no longer carry the sentence inherited from the sin of Adam and Eve. Since their banishment is over, all creation will be coming home to heaven as well.
Although Jesus is suffering, hanging naked on his cross, vulnerable, and defenseless, he has done everything obediently. And through all this hurt, Jesus’ words are not tinged with bitterness, defeat, or anger.
Through his earlier preaching and teaching the Good News, Jesus prepared his followers showing them “the way, the truth, and the life” and then delivered his father’s gift of mercy and compassion.
Jesus announces with his final breath that all humanity is relieved from that stain of their stinging betrayal of their God, and, because of Jesus, all creation be whole.
Sad as this scene appears, a grateful father welcomes his Son whose love provided the endurance to restore the sheen to God’s tarnished creation! And Jesus’ humble and inspiring act allows God, our merciful and forgiving father, to say: “You are warmly welcomed into the home of your Father once again!”
We can see that Jesus’ words and his death on the cross is about atonement for sins and not about payment to appease an angry God for the sin of Adam and Eve.
God was not waiting for someone to erase a debt owed to him. Rather, our loving and compassionate God, yearned to have his creation back in his good graces and looked forward to their eternity together.
Jesus is not a scapegoat. He is God’s incarnate loving son, who offered his life because it was his father’s desire to have his creation back in the fold.
From the cross,
· Jesus takes away the sin of the world by absorbing sin’s hatred, replacing it with love and mercy.
· Jesus absorbs the sin of anger, offering instead graciousness.
· Jesus rinses away the sin of envy, offering in its place blessings.
· Jesus brushes away the sin of resentment, replacing it with warmth and kindheartedness.
· Jesus scatters chaos and offers peace and harmony.
· Jesus takes away sin’s punishment and with God’s compassion restores our original dignity.
· Jesus, savior of the world, returns to creation everything lost – so that once again they can become God’s adopted family.
· Jesus speaks these last words showing onlookers how true love works.
We see the hearts of Jesus, of our creator, of our sustainer, the holy Trinity, revealing together their gifts of love and mercy given to Jesus, and through Jesus shared with us, through his crucifixion.
When Jesus spoke these final words, “It is finished,” he released God’s mercy to the world showing how mercy makes unconditional love possible once again.
Teaching this lesson:
Love always needs mercy to thrive.
