So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
On a Friday morning, in a city bustling with Passover preparations, Jesus was bruised, bloodied and abandoned. The night had been long: He’d been betrayed by a friend, dragged through unjust trials, mocked and beaten. Early that morning, He was sentenced to die.
If anyone knows what it means to be broken, Jesus does.
Our world is filled with sorrows, yes. But Jesus didn’t just see our brokenness; He offered Himself to be broken for us on the cross. There, as He hung nailed to a tree like a criminal, He cried out “it is finished” before exhaling His last breath and giving up His spirit (John 19:30).
These are the very words a Hebrew priest would declare after killing the sacrificial lamb to cover the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Jesus, the Lamb of God, took on the senseless violence of this world through His death, and as our High Priest, He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
In Hebrew, the word for “finished” shares a root with “shalom,” meaning peace, wholeness, restoration and completion. As Isaiah 53:5 explains, Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions … the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” . The peace of God came through the piercing of Jesus.
What’s so good about Good Friday? It’s this: By His death on the cross, Jesus broke the power of death and sin in this world. So Good Friday reminds us of the good work Jesus accomplished on the cross, leading to His resurrection and healing of this fractured world.
But before we rush to Resurrection Sunday, let’s sit with the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice today. Let us sit with the pain of the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), who endured the wrath of God at the cross. Let us ponder the injustice of the spotless Lamb of God punished for our sins. Let us marvel at the astounding death of the Creator of life. Let us worship the King of glory who let go of the splendor of heaven to become flesh and blood, to humble Himself, to hunger and thirst, to suffer and hurt, to be betrayed and rejected, mocked and humiliated - all for love.
Let us worship the Maker whose death brings life. Let us bring to Him all that’s heavy on our hearts, knowing He sees, He knows and He cares. And someday soon, He will finish restoring all that’s broken in this world - and in our lives too.
- Asheritah Ciuciu
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Note:
To learn more about the meaning of Good Friday and why Jesus’ death on the cross is so important to you visit "Got Questions Ministries".