John 19:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

NIV: When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

NASB: Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

CSB: When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished." Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

NLT: When Jesus had tasted it, he said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

KJV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

NKJV: So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

The "sour wine" mentioned in prior verses was either something meant to numb pain (Matthew 27:34), or simply a harsh liquid that happened to be nearby when Jesus noted His thirst (John 19:28). Either way, Jesus knew He was seconds away from death.

John presents Jesus' declaration here using the Greek word tetelestai. Archaeologists have found this word inscribed on records to indicate debts which have been paid, or obligations which have been met. That which Jesus was sent to accomplish—an atonement for sin on behalf of mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21)—is entirely and fully completed in this moment: "It is finished." No further work needs to be done, nor can it be done (Titus 3:5). There is no room for other actions, rituals, sacraments, sacrifices, or payments to accomplish salvation (1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 10:12–14).

The fact that Jesus is said to "give up his spirit" is significant. Matthew and Luke make similar observations (Matthew 27:50; Luke 23:46). From a physical standpoint, Jesus' body has suffered fatal injury. And yet, His death is entirely an act of His own will. That included His willingness to be born into human form (John 1:14), to submit to God's will (Matthew 26:39), and to allow His own arrest and execution (Philippians 2:8). Whether literally, or as a statement of agreement, Scripture clarifies that Jesus is "giving up" His life to God the Father—it is not being stripped away from Him by force (John 10:17–18).

John 19:17–30 describes Jesus' unjust execution by crucifixion. The Roman governor, Pilate, ironically puts a sign on Jesus' cross proclaiming Him "King of the Jews." This angers Jewish religious leaders, but the governor refuses to take the sign down or change the wording. As Jesus calls out to John to care for His mother, Mary, soldiers gamble for what's left of His clothes. Jesus pronounces the completion of His atoning sacrifice and dies. Matthew 27:31–56, Mark 15:22–41, and Luke 23:32–49 cover this same series of events.

Pilate recognizes Jesus' innocence, but fears the mob assembled by Jewish religious leaders. He attempts to satisfy them by having Jesus viciously whipped and mocked. This only results in more cries for Jesus' death. The governor then shifts to protect his own reputation, ordering Jesus to be crucified on a charge of being "King of the Jews." John is directly present as Jesus is executed. He notes the fulfillment of several prophecies as Jesus dies. Once He is confirmed to be dead, Jesus' body is taken by two friendly members of the ruling council. They hastily bury Him in the borrowed crypt of a rich man.

When Jesus was first brought to Pilate, His innocence was obvious (John 18:36–38). However, the mob refuses to be satisfied with anything less than crucifixion. Pilate gives in to these demands. John, who is present for the entire gory spectacle, notes several instances of fulfilled prophecy (Psalm 22:18; Psalm 69:21; Exodus 12:46; Zechariah 12:10). Jesus is then buried in the borrowed tomb of a rich man (Isaiah 53:9) to complete yet another Old Testament prediction. A guard will be posted to ensure no one steals the body (Matthew 27:62–68), which will only serve to confirm that Jesus' eventual resurrection was a true miracle (John 20:1–8).

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.