This is a post I recently added to “Talk With Bette.” (http://talkwithbette.wordpress.com) It’s about my 40 years of adventures with the Holy Spirit, since April 15, 1974. Thought I should reference it here too. Also see https://estherspetition.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/testimony-adventures-with-the-holy-spirit-part-i/.
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30 (KJV)
“Finished” is the Greek word “tetelestai” and comes from the verb “teleo.” It is translated “accomplished” in some verses. (See below)
According to Bible.org, “Tetelestai was written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to indicate that a bill had been paid in full. The Greek-English lexicon by Moulton and Milligan says this:
Receipts are often introduced by the phrase tetelestai, usually written in an abbreviated manner… (p. 630).
The connection between receipts and what Christ accomplished would have been quite clear to John’s Greek-speaking readership; it would be unmistakable that Jesus Christ had died to pay for their sins.”
Strong’s Concordance has this definition:
Jesus said “It is finished.” What was “IT?”
Jesus only did what he saw God the father do or what the father told him to do. He did it in the way that he was supposed to, whether it was a task, a chore, or an assignment. And whatever he started, he completed. According to Jesus himself, that included:
“But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” Luke 12:50
“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. ” Luke 18:31
“For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, ‘And he was reckoned among the transgressors:’ for the things concerning me have an end.” Luke 22:37
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.” John 19:28
“…having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14 NASB
“Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.” I Peter 2:24
“For he hath made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” II Cor. 5:21
“And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18
“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.'” Rev. 1:17-18
It, all of the above, is accomplished. Paid in full.
FINISHED.
Bible Trivia…
Artist’s rendition of Solomon’s Temple, including their idea of the Holy of Holies. At the time of Christ, however, the Holy of Holies in the Temple (Herod’s) was empty — the Ark of the Covenant was missing and had been for hundreds of years.
Also missing from the Holy of Holies were two huge cherubim, statues made of olive wood and overlaid with gold. These were separate from and addition to the cherubim that were attached to the Ark itself.
Ten cubits (fifteen feet) tall, these cherubim stood side by side in the Holy of Holies, facing toward the entrance with outstretched wings. The outer wing of each cherub reached out to the side wall of the Holy of Holies, with their inner wings touching. When the Ark was brought in, it was positioned under these inner wings of the Cherubim (see I Kings 8:6).
Other than their size, no description of the Cherubim is included in these passages. Did they resemble human beings with wings? Or animals with multiple faces? (See Ezekiel 1:5-10.)
Whatever they looked like, these large angelic statues were created by Solomon and apparently not duplicated for the rebuilt first Temple, nor by Herod for his Temple. Read the account in I Kings 6:23-28 and II Chron. 3:10-13.
The golden Cherubim disappeared with other articles when the Temple was destroyed, nearly 600 years before Jesus was born. Most if not all of the gold (gold plating, vessels, implements and other articles) was stolen, although the most accepted theory is that the Ark was hidden for safekeeping by the priests. Just where, however? No-one seems to know for sure. Were the Cherubim stolen, or hidden too? Good question.
One more piece of Bible Trivia — did you know the Holy of Holies had two doors, in addition to the heavy, embroidered veil that separated it from the Holy Place?
“For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and doorposts were one-fifth of the wall (thus each door was 3 feet wide). The two doors were of olive wood; and he carved on them figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.” (I Kings 6, NKJV)
For more about the Ark, the Cherubim, the Temple, the Holy of Holies, and more, check out the scripture references, and click on these links. It’s fascinating reading.
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14304-temple-of-herod
http://www.ccg.org/english/c/cb112.html
http://hauntedlore.com/wp/solomons-temple/ (Above photo is from this site.)
Some time ago I started a list of words found in the scriptures to answer for myself the question, what is God like? There are quite a few familiar words and phrases. Good. Holy. Just. Love. Eternal. Omnipresent. Omnipotent. Creator. Provider. Merciful. Healer. Rewarder. Mediator. Fighter. Consuming fire. Jealous. Patient. Savior.
A few were not so familiar: Laugher. Griever. Derider. Songwriter. Singer. Dancer. Reading the gospels again recently, I’ve recognized a side of Jesus not noticed before.
Antagonizer. Instigator. Stirrer-up-of-trouble. And Planner. Plotter. Keeper-of-the-schedule.
Life started out pretty normal for Jesus as a citizen of that culture and time. The oldest of several half-siblings, no doubt he helped raise the younger kids in the house. The child of God-fearing parents, he grew up in a religious environment and learned the scriptures at home and in the synagogue.
Family travel to Jerusalem for feast days meant visits with friends and relatives from other towns. Aunts, uncles and cousins, this was a time for everyone to catch up on news and meet new friends of friend.
From an early age Jesus was busy learning the family trade. Carpenters made many things and repaired many other things. Furniture. Tools. Farm implements. Wagons and wagon wheels. Rooftops for houses. And they didn’t just hang out in the workshop all day, they traveled from neighborhood to neighborhood, calling on customers and tradespeople. Sometimes they delivered items, sometimes they took new orders, and always they were involved with people. Jesus became a familiar sight to the people of Galilee.
In addition to everyday goods, the carpenter and his helper shopped for materials and supplies to use in their own occupation. Perhaps they examined the goods and dickered over prices, and once their business was concluded, perhaps they caught up on political news of the day.
While carpenters created and sold some of their hand-finished products, others they made to order for householders, businessmen, trades and craftsmen. One thing they made was fishing boats. Regular calls on the fishermen along the Sea of Galilee would have been part of their routine. And of course, everyone had to pay taxes on things grown or produced. Regular stop-offs to the tax collector would also be routine.
Apprentice and full-fledged carpenter, by the time he was thirty Jesus was well known to people of all walks of life including the ever-present Roman soldiers, teachers of the law, farmers, fishermen and tax collectors. He was well known, and well liked, by almost everyone.
Then one day he traveled south to keep a life-changing appointment with his cousin John, who was preaching about the kingdom of God, gathering disciples and baptizing converts in the Jordan River.
Jesus eventually headed back to Galilee with several disciples of his own and a very different daily routine. As they walked, Jesus taught them more about the kingdom, with an extra show-and-tell dimension: Miracles. Healings. Casting out of demons. Crowds began to trail along as the amazing news spread; many joined the ranks as they continued north to the shores of Galilee and the City of Capernaum.
This was familiar territory with familiar faces, some of whom had heard about the drastic change in Jesus. The young carpenter was preaching now, attracting followers. What’s going on?
There wasn’t much spare time in this new schedule. Preach repentance. Declare the kingdom of God. Heal, deliver, perform miracles, stir up trouble. Then move on to the next town.
Attracting followers on the one hand, Jesus attracted persecutors on the other. He had to have both — because without the shedding of blood, there’s no remission of sins. He knew the followers who acknowledged him as the Messiah would try to crown him King of Israel.
But he didn’t come to sit on a throne as the conqueror of Caesar. Jesus came to die a bloody, sacrificial death as the conqueror of Sin. Some powerful blood-thirsty enemies would have to be stirred up along the way. When God’s calendar said it was time, Jesus set things in motion.
Luke 4:16-30 describes one of those occasions.
Back home in Nazareth, Jesus attended the synagogue on the sabbath as usual. He was given the scroll of Isaiah and began to read Chapter 61, stopping after only a few verses. So far, so good; everyone thought that was great. All eyes were on him. Jesus has been doing miracles elsewhere, surely he’s come to do miracles here, they thought. They expected him to do something spectacular.
Instead, Jesus insulted their beliefs, insulted their dreams and in their mind proved he was a fake. Messiah sent to the Gentiles? No way! Adulation quickly turned to anger and the religious crowd hustled him out of the synagogue, out of the town. They intended to throw Jesus off a cliff. But it wasn’t his time to die yet, not here and certainly not this way. Vanishing from their view Jesus went on his way. Things had gotten off to a good start.
Criss-crossing the length and breadth of Israel, Samaria, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, Jesus preached and taught, trained disciples and chose apostles. He healed all the sick who came to him including blind men, deaf mutes and lepers, cast out demons, raised the dead, walked on water, changed water into wine and multiplied food. Multitudes left their homes and jobs to follow along wherever he went.
Pharisees, Sadducees, teachers of the law and rulers of the synagogues infiltrated the crowds. Some became believers themselves. Initially curious, the others became furious. Worried and unrepentant, they felt threatened. Their way of life was at stake. Their livelihood was at stake! They plotted to do away with this so-called Messiah. While they worked their plan, Jesus worked his. Time was growing short.
A few more passages about Jesus the antagonizer and instigator:
Mark 2:5-6 – Jesus forgave sins
Mark 2:24 – worked on the Sabbath (picked grain and ate it)
Mark 3:1-5 – healed on the Sabbath
Matthew 9:10-11 – ate with tax collectors and sinners
Matthew 23 – insulted the Pharisees over, and over, and over
John 10:18 – said he had the power to lay down his life and to take it up again
John 18:4-9 – Jesus had to help them arrest him
Mark 11:11, 15-17 – Jesus looked around at everything going on in the Temple one day, then left for the evening. He returned the next day, methodically fashioned a whip and chased the moneychangers and merchants out of the Temple.
He said, “Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.”
This was no spur of the moment temper tantrum. It was a deliberate, premeditated event, a necessary part of his plan.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter described that plan: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:22-23 NIV)
God’s plan to conquer Sin had worked, and “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (I Cor. 2:8 NIV)
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