Monday of Trinity II - Devotion in semi-Exile

Lection for Monday after Trinity II 
Proverbs 25:1-22      John 19:23-42

Τετέλεσται – Tetelestai.  It is my favorite word in all of the Scripture. It is the proclamation of Christ that we read in the 30^th verse of John’s 19^th chapter. It is the “word” Jesus spoke, and has been translated, “It is finished.” That is a great translation, but our English understanding of language seems to miss some of the force of the word which is conveyed in the Greek.

Τετέλεσται – Tetelestai (it is finished) has the force of “all is accomplished/fulfilled/completed.” Of course, this raises the question of what  

exactly is Jesus proclaiming to be “finished?”

What is Jesus proclaiming to be accomplished?

What is Jesus proclaiming to be fulfilled?

What is Jesus proclaiming to be completed?

What was promised in the garden of Eden to Satan and Eve, that her offspring would crush the head of Satan is accomplished. Satan’s head, Satan’s power is the seduction of temptation into sin, and death. Christ crushed Satan’s power by remaining sinless, and His death as the sinless One, removes the sting of death from mankind.

What is fulfilled? Do you remember last Friday’s devotion where I mentioned that Jesus knew all that was coming upon Him? He knew because He was the One who spoke through the prophets, foretelling all that God’s Christ needed to fulfill in human flesh to redeem you and me.

All that was necessary for your salvation He has completed, there is nothing left to be done, that needs to be done.

And that is a good thing for you (and me) as we only fail miserably at it. Knowing what we should be doing and resolving to do better, usually leaves me feeling that I have not done better, only worse. I can only echo Paul’s words, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24) We know the Law, its requirements and demands, and the eternal consequences for any failures to keep it. While this terrifies us, Τετέλεσται – Tetelestai – It is finished!

Christ has taken care of it for us, accomplishing it upon the cross. All that is truly left is what He is doing today. What Jesus is doing today is delivering to us what He has “finished” (accomplished/fulfilled/completed) in Word and Sacrament.

You know, Paul’s quote above continues with the words, giving us the perfect response Jesus’s declaration, “Τετέλεσται – Tetelestai.” 

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom. 7:25)

Let us Pray:    Dear Father in heaven, we give You thanks, for You have adopted us into Your divine family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, we have died to sin and risen to new life. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we would live lives of daily repentance and faith, ever clinging to Jesus, our living Redeemer, for forgiveness, life and salvation.  Amen.