Jesus Finished the Work of Fulfilling the Scriptures

Introduction: It Is Finished = Works Finished

Last time we went over what Jesus meant when He said, “It is Finished.” Many pastors, Christians, and churches will add to the word of God, to the exact words of Jesus, to the exact teaching of the Scriptures, and change the meaning of what Jesus said.

The three most explosive words ever spoken, pure truth, used to teach false doctrine, and to teach people that the soul of Jesus did not go to hell. Why, they say: “Because Jesus said: It is finished.”

We went over that in detail, but we’re going to continue studying why Jesus said “It is finished.” I am teaching you that Jesus had work to do at His first coming. He said so. And He had to finish the work that God gave Him to do. He couldn’t miss any of that work before He died on the cross.

And He didn’t. He perfectly fulfilled all the Scripture and finished the work. After He fulfilled that last prophecy of Him and the vinegar, He said: “It is finished.” He said this before He died. So He wasn’t talking about His death being complete or that would be out of order. God is a God of order, perfect order.

God, in the Scriptures, is telling you this clearly. Jesus said, “It is finished” right after He fulfilled a prophecy about Him—not after He died; this happened BEFORE He died. And His death is a part of the Gospel, but it is not the entire Gospel. Without His death, we couldn’t be saved but He wasn’t finished with the Gospel.

He was finished with the work God gave Him to do. And that work Jesus came to complete or finish is EQUAL to fulfilling the Scriptures. And I’m going to clearly show you that today.

Take a Step Back: Big Picture View

We take a step back to the big picture view. Sometimes we get down into the little details. But let’s take a step back and look at the Bible as a whole.

The Old Testament already declares that not one word of God fails. His words never fail. He always performs and fulfills His promises. The New Testament Gospels tie every event in Christ’s life, suffering, and resurrection to fulfillment. Acts and Paul proclaim the resurrection as God’s ultimate “fulfillment” of prophecy. Hebrews shows the law brought to completion in Christ. Revelation closes the canon with God’s prophetic words being fulfilled to the end of time.

So, when I say that Jesus saying “It is Finished” is Jesus saying He has finished fulfilling the Scriptures to that exact point in time, this is not something small. Some people want to think that I am minimizing what Jesus Christ did on the cross. I am not AT ALL.

The entire Bible is speaking of Jesus fulfilling the Scriptures. It is not something small when He fulfills a prophecy. This is work that He had to do. Please don’t minimize this work that He finished.

So from Genesis to Revelation, the thread is unbroken: God speaks, God fulfills. Jesus’ cry, “It is finished,” is the capstone—the Word of God, the promises, the prophecies, the law, the types, the shadows—all fulfilled in Him.

The Work Jesus Finished = Fulfilling the Scriptures

Jesus is FINISHING the work that God gave Him to do. And I am telling you right now that the work He had to do was to fulfill the Scriptures. Understand the authority of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the work Jesus is completing and finishing.

Psalm 138:2
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Listen, don’t think it’s a small thing for Jesus to say it finished when it comes to fulfilling the Scriptures.

Psalm 56:4
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Jesus is the Word of God so obviously He’s going to fulfill the word of God.

Matthew 5:17-18
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

He came to fulfill the word of God. He came to finish the prophecies.

Matthew 24:34-35
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

If He didn’t fulfill the Scriptures or finish that work, the Scriptures would be broken. And we wouldn’t exist because God wouldn’t be God. If Jesus didn’t come to fulfill the Scriptures, then who would finish that work? There is no one who can do that work but Jesus. And if He didn’t do that work, the Scriptures would be broken.

John 10:35
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Jesus is Still Finishing the Work After His Death

They cannot be broken. Impossible. After Jesus said, It is finished, before He died on the cross, He continued to fulfill the Scriptures. He said it is finished in John 19:30. After that, He died and finished those prophecies of His death. And He continues to finish that work even after He dies on the cross. As He was dead, He’s still finishing that work.

Watch what happens after John 19:30.

John 19:32-37
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.  33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:  34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.  35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.  36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.  37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

The Scriptures are continuing as they are the eternal word of God. They will continue to be fulfilled. Everything has not been fulfilled. The work of God, in its entirety, is not finished at this moment. But Jesus did finish the work up to that point when He said, “It is finished.” But obviously, there was more to fulfill because we see those Scriptures being fulfilled after He said, “It is finished.”

He Wasn’t Finished With All The Work

He wasn’t done when He said, “It is finished.” He wasn’t finished paying for our sins when He said it is finished because He wasn’t dead yet when He said that. His death, burial, and resurrection is what saves us from our sins. His death is physical and spiritual. His burial is physical and spiritual. His resurrection is physical and spiritual as evidenced by Acts 2:31.

Acts 2:31
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

That Scripture, perfect and holy, cannot be ignored. That Scripture defines the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection is HIS SOUL and HIS BODY. If you deny that, you deny the Scriptures. If you deny Matthew 12:40, you deny the Scriptures. You surely aren’t believing the work that Jesus did.

He fulfilled the Scriptures, and you are out there saying He didn’t. Be careful and get things right. Don’t listen to the people decreasing your faith in the Scriptures. Just believe what they say.

Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

His body wasn’t on the cross for three days and three nights. His soul was in hell for three days and three nights as evidenced clearly by the story of Jonah, which is perfect and holy Scripture. Jesus finished that work right there. And it was hard work. His soul was in hell.

It is Finished Means Prophecy is Fulfilled

The entire Bible is teaching us what that simple three words, IT IS FINISHED, actually means. Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. Jesus was working to fulfill the word of God. And He does it perfectly.

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we see the most instances in the entire Bible of the Scriptures being fulfilled. Why? Because Jesus is there, at His first coming, on earth, with us, finishing it. He fulfills a Scripture. IT IS FINISHED. That prophecy is complete, finished, and done.

Allow me to show you the proof within the Scriptures.

Matthew 1:21-23
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

When Jesus was born of a virgin, that prophecy has been fulfilled. “That it might be FULFILLED.” IT IS FINISHED. That’s done.

Matthew 2:14-15
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:  15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

When that happened, the Bible says: “That it might be fulfilled.” IT IS FINISHED.

Jesus Continues to Finish The Work of Fulfilling Prophecies

Matthew 2:16-18
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.  17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,  18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

When that actually happened, the Bible says: “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet.” IT IS FINISHED. One by one, these prophecies are being finished. Not all prophecies are finished at this time. When Jesus said, “It is finished” that’s exactly what He meant at that moment in time.

He did not say, “The sacrifice for sins is complete.” He did not say, “I don’t have to go to hell as a sacrifice for sins.” He didn’t say anything like that. He said, “It is finished” directly after the Bible tells us He fulfilled a prophecy.

John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

He fulfilled the Scripture and then said, “It is finished.” The Gospel of John teaches us that Jesus is finishing the work that His Father gave Him to do by fulfilling prophecies. We go back to Matthew and the Bible continues showing us this in the New Testament.

Matthew 2:22-23
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:  23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets. Prophecy fulfilled. When that happened, IT IS FINISHED.

The New Testament Shows You The Work He Finished

Matthew 4:12-15
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;  13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:  14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,  15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

Jesus knew when to depart Galilee with perfect timing. He is finishing the work of fulfilling the Scriptures. When that happened right there, in real time, in that moment, IT IS FINISHED.

Matthew 8:16-17
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:  17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

The Bible says, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet.” When this happened, IT IS FINISHED.

Matthew 12:15-18
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;  16 And charged them that they should not make him known:  17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,  18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

God says, IN HIS PERFECT WORDS, that it might be FULFILLED which was spoken. It is finished and it is fulfilled are very closely related. Finished means to bring to an end or complete. Fulfilled means to carry out or to accomplish. Finished means something is completed. Fulfilled means something comes true or comes to pass. Jesus finished the Father’s work and He fulfilled the Scriptures.

Finishing the Work = Jesus = Fulfilling Scriptures

Matthew 13:13-15
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

“In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias.” When that happened, that prophecy is fulfilled. It is finished.

Look, this continues while Jesus is on earth. I can keep going and going.

Matthew 13:34-35
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:  35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.” Jesus fulfilled that prophecy. He finished that work. He had to do that right there. He was working. He was completing. He was finishing. IT IS FINISHED.

Matthew 21:2-5
Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.  3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.  4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,  5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

We’re heading up to the event on the cross. As we’re heading there, in time, day by day, in the life of Jesus, He is finishing the prophecies. He is fulfilling them. “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet.” That prophecy right there is now finished. IT IS FINISHED.

I Am Finished With This Bible Study

There are about 33 total Scriptures, just in the Gospels, that I would love to show you where Jesus continues to finish this work. But we don’t have time for that. You can find them yourself if you’re interested. That’s your job—to be workman. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a WORKMAN that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY dividing the word of truth.”

And that’s what we’re doing here. We’re working hard and using the actual Scriptures. I want to show you one last set of Scriptures. We’ve been through these before, but I want you to see this again and they will make even more sense.

John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 5:36
But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

John 17:4
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

I believe that Scripture right there is a fulfillment of a Scripture.

Isaiah 49:2-3
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;  3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Jesus prays to His Father, in John 17, and says: “I have glorified thee on earth.” IT IS FINISHED.

John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When you look at these in combination with the Scriptures that say Jesus is fulfilling prophecies, you’ll start to see that this is THE WORK Jesus was finishing. IT IS FINISHED means He is finishing the work God gave Him to do. He just fulfilled a prophecy and said it is finished. Everything He needed to get done was now done to that exact point. PERFECTLY COMPLETE.

The words, IT IS FINISHED, in no way means that the soul of Jesus didn’t go to hell. Understand that right now. Don’t change the word of God to fit your doctrine. There’s Scripture after Scripture explaining what Jesus meant. Use the Scriptures—not the wisdom of man.

Let’s pray.