Just before Yeshua (Jesus) died, he said something of breathtaking importance. An eyewitness to his crucifixion wrote, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30; Matt. 27:50). In Koine Greek, this final statement is a single word consisting of ten letters: tetelestai!
Tetelestai means “It is finished, it stands finished, and it always will be finished!” It comes from the word telos, meaning a goal or purpose (teleology is the study of the purpose of something). Telos is the word Paul used when he wrote: “For Messiah is the end of the law (telos nomou) for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4).
Tetelestai was the cry of victory to the Father. “I have finished the work you gave me to do.” What was that work? To establish the new covenant (brit chadasha) between God and man by offering up His life as the atoning sacrifice for humanity’s sins (Heb. 1:3, 10:12). Yeshua was the only Tzaddik who ever completely walked out the truth of Torah. He expressed its inner meaning perfectly and embodied its truth in full. The Akedah of Yeshua (i.e., His crucifixion at Moriah) was the altar where the justice and chesed (love) of the Father fully met. If God were not just, Yeshua did not need to die; and if God were not loving, He would not have given up His Son as a ransom for our sin. Justice and mercy kiss.
The Torah (i.e., law) is holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12), but those seeking righteousness based on it’s demands will discover the tragic fact that it is powerless to impart righteousness and life (2 Cor. 3:7-18). It is sin within the human heart that condemns people – not the law. The crucifixion of Yeshua condemned sin in the flesh (again, not the law) and now the righteousness of God is imparted to those who embrace Yeshua by faith (Rom. 8:3-4). Enabled by the Holy Spirit, with the law now written upon our hearts (Jer. 31:31-3; Heb. 8:10-11), we are empowered to fulfill the requirements of the law based on a new covenant relationship with God (Gal. 2:16, 3:2). We no longer seek righteousness by means of maintaining ritualistic or other ordinances (Rom. 4:5, Gal. 2:16) but by receiving the free gift of Mashiach’s righteousness imputed to us through our trust (Eph. 2:8-9). Because of Yeshua’s victory, we do not strive for acceptance before the Father, we abide within it, chaverim…
Imagine for a moment what it might have been like to hear Yeshua cry out “in a loud voice,” Tetelestai! His final breath, His kiddush Hashem, His spirit given up and now released before the Father – the resonance of this word filling all heaven and all earth – “It is finished! Father! It is finished! I have completed the work that you have given me to do!” Imagine the joy, the celebration, the glory, the honor given to the Son as He appeared before the Father after securing us so great a salvation. Blessed be His Name forever….
Take hold, chaverim!