It Is Finished

”Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they slapped him in the face.“

‭‭John‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭3‬, ‭NIV‬‬.

Do you wonder if Jesus ever looks back at the moments of Holy Week? What does He think? Feel? 

I am finding it more difficult to read these Holy Week passages in the Gospels from the time Jesus entered Jersuelum, Palm Sunday, to the moment the angels declared that the tomb was empty without crying. As the years pass, these words of Jesus' last week on earth go deeper into my soul. I used to be able to crank out a chapter or two of these Holy Week passages each day throughout the week—taking notes and then moving on with my day.

But these days, I am unable to get through a chapter in a week. It’s not that I’m a slow reader, well actually, I am, but it’s the words that stick in my throat as I feel Jesus’ agony and the slap across His face. I can emotionally handle only so much pain a day.

And yet Jesus goes through these moments or memories every year with His family, the Church. Think about the questions that He must receive every Easter:

“Why did You do this?”

“You are perfect, why did Your Father forsake You?”

“Did it really hurt? Because I read that when You sipped the wine, it was actually drugged?”

“I’m sorry You went through all of this.”

"Why didn't You save Yourself?" and so on.

Jesus tenderly listens, comforts us who are grieving for what He went through, and will repeat it again next year. He is amazing. But I’m sure it was a bit different living through it the first time.

Back in the garden when the soldiers approached to arrest Him—

”So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, 'Who is it you want?'

'Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied.

'I am he,' Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground,” John 18:3-6, NIV.

Here, Jesus was being betrayed by one of His trusted disciples, knowing this night would be fruitful with betrayal, as He answered, “I am He.” Did you notice what happened next? The soldiers fell to the ground at the mention of who He is!

Fast forward to John 19–

The soldiers had Him flogged.

I wonder if these were the same soldiers that fell down? Were they happy to flog this seemingly defeated man? “Ha! Where’s your power now?” Slap.

Did they enjoy mocking Jesus, due to their pride being injured—payback for making them look foolish? 

Slap.

Soon after, Pilate arrived on the scene in John 19 and found no fault in Jesus. Yet, when Pilate suggested that Jesus be released—the Jewish crowd went crazy! “Crucify Him!” Yes, these were the same people who welcomed Him just six days earlier and sang His praises. Jesus noticed their mood swing, their lack of devotion.

When Pilate questioned Jesus further he paused—

”Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, 'Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.'

As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, 'Crucify! Crucify!'

But Pilate answered, 'You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.'

The Jewish leaders insisted, 'We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God,' and he went back inside the palace.

'Where do you come from?' he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 'Do you refuse to speak to me?' Pilate said.

'Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?'

Jesus answered, 'You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.'"

‭‭John‬ ‭19‬:‭4‬, ‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭9‬-‭11‬, ‭NIV‬‬.

What alarmed Pilate is the fact that Jesus was called the “Son of God.” Romans had many gods they believed in, but was Jesus really a new god? 

When asked about it, Jesus remained silent. Pilate bragged—I have power….

But apparently he was also a people pleaser, for he gave into the Jewish mob that wanted Jesus crucified, regardless of how much “power” he actually had.

Pilate did draw the line when the mob demanded that he change the placard that identified Jesus from “The King of the Jews,” to “He claimed to be King of the Jews.” He did not change it.

Because Jesus is not only the true King of the Jews, but the King of Kings.

Jesus, at just the mention of His name, caused the soldiers to fall to the ground in John 18:6. Yet, when being questioned by Pilate, He remained silent—fulfilling prophecy.

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth,” Isaiah 53:7, NIV.

Jesus was fully in charge of His faculties. Jesus knew His responsibilities. He willingly obeyed His Father, because He knew the cost and benefits of that decision.

Benefits: salvation for all mankind. Conquering the enemy’s stronghold on mankind. New life, and a transformed heart. To be truly good, because God is good. And He knew mankind could be those things once again. Jesus knew the sting of death (of sin) would lose its power.

Cost: if Jesus didn’t obey His Father, mankind would be lost forever. There was only one Son of God. One virgin birth. One who fulfilled all prophecy. One who was and is and is to come—Jesus. The true King of Kings.

So, Jesus obeyed. And He was led to the slaughter, silently. 

And it was finished.

He gave His all, for the rebels of the earth—all of us—so that we might be made new and forgiven from disobeying God. 

Are we willing to give our all back to God? Or are we playing it safe, because we like having one foot in both camps—one in the world and one in the church?

Father,

Thank You for finishing what you started.

I am speechless. But I still have enough breath to say, “Thank You.”

Thank You for literally everything.

Amen.

Would you like to know more about Jesus? Are you ready to follow Him? Read more here.