John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. I. ITS NATURE. 1. What is death? The dissolution of soul and body; departure from this world. 2. Christ experienced the usual accidents of death. His soul left His body and entered Hades; His body became inanimate. 3. But it is not the death of a man, but of a Divine Person — of the Lord of Glory, of the Son of God, of God. The Divine nature as little affected as the human soul. To this is due its infinite value and efficacy. II. ITS DESIGN. In general the redemption of man, including deliverance from condemnation and restoration to the favour and image of God. This it effects — 1. By being a satisfaction to justice, a propitiation. 2. And hence He becomes our ransom by delivering us from the law and from Satan. 3. Presents us righteous before God. 4. Secures the gift of the Holy Ghost. 5. Secures access to God, and with His favour all the blessings of the covenant of grace. III. ITS RELATION TO US. 1. It is our death, because it was the death of our Representative, endured in our place. 2. Hence it is also our death effectively as well as legally. It involves a death to the law, to sin, to the world. 3. It becomes a source of life; the motive for avoiding sin; the reason why we should live to God; the ground and source of our joy. IV. ITS RELATION TO THE UNIVERSE. 1. The great means of exhibiting the manifold wisdom, 1.e., the perfections of God — to good and fallen angels, to lost men. 2. Hence to sustain the authority of God. 3. To promote the holiness and happiness of the kingdom of God. V. INFERENCES. The death of Christ should be — 1. The constant theme of our meditations. 2. The ground of gratitude and devotion. 3. The means whereby we should endeavour to convert the world. (C. Hodge, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. |
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