The Gospel of John Commentary Chapters 1-11 (by chapter)

John 19:29-30 (the 6th Saying from the Cross)

John 19:29-30: 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! ('Tetelestai').”   And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Shortly before His death Jesus said triumphantly with a loud voice:  'Tetelestai' =  It is finished = The Price is Paid in full (John 19:30)Then he bowed his head and yielded up his spirit. 'Tetelestai' was a word used in commerce. When full payment had been made for some goods or for a debt, and the transaction was completed,  the word 'Tetelestai' was stamped on the document or receipt.  It declared: The price is paid in full.

Man is under a great SIN-DEBT and under the POWER of SIN (we are slaves to sin)  We needed a REDEEMER someone who can pay the price to set us free from sin and its claims on us.  We were lost, we had fallen into the hands of sin and satan  and Jesus came to pay the RANSOM PRICE to restore us to that we would belong the God and be in His Kingdom.  

He said: Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a SLAVE of SIN...  Therefore if THE SON sets you FREE you shall be FREE indeed. (John 8:31-36)  

The Son of Man didn't come to be served but to serve and to give HIS LIFE as a RANSOM for many (Matt 20:28, Mark 10:45)

Redemption is COSTLY- the price Jesus paid was the highest possible.
 
You were not REDEEMED with corruptible things like silver or gold, 
BUT with the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ, 
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1Peter 1:18-19). 

Through his precious blood poured out for us in full Jesus paid the full price to redeem us from sin and the curse. 

  He paid the penalty for our sins and purchased a place in heaven for us.  He paid for every blessing we will have for eternity.  Our enormous debt of sin is paid in full.  Someone had to pay the price.  Knowing that we were unable to do it, Jesus stepped in and paid it for us with his death. 

Thus, the 6th SALVATION Blessing flowing from the cross is REDEMPTION.

The cross was the focal point for his mission.  Here he took on and dealt with the root problem of man. This saying was his declaration of success: I've done it, I've paid the price in full, it's finished, it's accomplished. 
The cross looks like a defeat but it was a place of great victory.

A price must be paid for success in any work. There is a laying down, a self-denial before the reward, a death before a resurrection. Often people don't achieve great things because they are not prepared to pay the price, to sacrifice, to obey, to deny self. We want to coast and get the final result anyway.  It doesn't work that way. Thank God Jesus completed his work and paid the full price for our salvation!

This Saying - which is the announcement of the finished work of Christ, is the cornerstone of our faith. After describing the cross in detail Psalm 22 ends with the prophecy that the message will be proclaimed to all people that: He has done it (v31).  So, in fulfillment, this cry of victory from Jesus lips has been ringing down the ages.

When we hear it and realise what happened on the cross, faith arises in our hearts.  Faith in Christ is not a leap in the dark, it's trusting in a certainty. 
Faith is based on the finished work of Christ.  It is resting in what he has accomplished.  It is believing that the work is done,and the blessing procured.  It's believing him when he says: It is finished: forgiveness, healing, every blessing is paid for.  When we see that He has done it, we enter into rest from our own labours.  We cease from our struggle to pay for or accomplish it ourselves and just receive freely what Jesus has done. 
The price for our salvation is paid-now receive it. 
 We can't add to what Jesus has done on the cross.

Before we tried to earn our place in heaven by being good, but there no peace or rest in a religion of self-effort.  How can we know if we are good enough?  In fact we fall well short of God's standards.  Trusting ourselves and our own goodness is a sure way to fail.  Faith is the opposite of self-dependance, by faith we enter into rest from self-righteousness. 
Now when we put all our trust in Christ and what his completed work on the cross,  we enter into assurance of sins forgiven and the possession of eternal life.  It does not depend on us but on Jesus who paid the price. We can entrust ourselves and our eternal destiny to Jesus.  Now we live a good life not to earn a place in heaven but out of gratitude to the One who has given us eternal life.

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