The Meaning of John 19:30 Explained

John 19:30

KJV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

YLT: when, therefore, Jesus received the vinegar, he said, 'It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.

Darby: When therefore Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished; and having bowed his head, he delivered up his spirit.

ASV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  Jesus  therefore  had received  the vinegar,  he said,  It is finished:  and  he bowed  his head,  and gave up  the ghost. 

What does John 19:30 Mean?

Study Notes

It is finished It is the Victor's cry. John 4:34 ; John 17:4 ; Romans 10:4 ; Galatians 3:13 ; Hebrews 10:5-10 .
and gave up delivered up his spirit.
yielded up
Literally, "dismissed his spirit." The (Greek - ἀθέμιτος ). This expression, taken with Mark 15:37 ; Luke 23:46 ; John 19:30 . differentiates the death of Christ from all other physical death. He died by his own volition when He could say of His redemptive work, "It is finished." "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself" John 10:18 .

Verse Meaning

Jesus" reception of the sour wine did not relieve His pain, though it did moisten his parched throat so He could speak. It also fulfilled Scripture ( Psalm 69:21).
"The "vinegar" was probably the cheap sour wine the legionnaires drank. Though it provided some refreshment, it was a strong astringent that could contract the throat muscles and prevent the condemned victim from crying out with pain. [1]
Nevertheless Jesus cried out with a loud voice ( Mark 15:37), "It is finished" (Gr. tetelestai). He probably shouted with a cry of victory. The verb teleo denotes the completion of a task. Jesus was not just announcing that He was about to die. He was also declaring proleptically that He had fulfilled God"s will for Him (cf. John 17:4). The use of the perfect tense here signifies proleptically that Jesus had finished His work of providing redemption completely and that it presently stands finished. Nothing more needed or needs to be done. This finished work of Jesus Christ is the basis for our salvation (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21).
"Papyri receipts for taxes have been recovered with the word tetelestai written across them, meaning "paid in full."" [2]
Having thus spoken, Jesus handed over (Gr. paredoken) His spirit to His Father (cf. Luke 23:46) and bowed His head in peaceful death. Normally victims of crucifixion experienced the gradual ebbing away of life, and then their heads would slump forward. All the evangelists presented Jesus as laying down His life of His own accord. No one took it from Him (cf. John 10:10; John 10:14; John 10:17-18). He did this in harmony with His Father"s will (cf. John 8:29; John 14:31).
John did not record Jesus" final utterance from the cross ( Luke 23:46). He evidently ended his account of Jesus" death as he did to stress the completion of the work of redemption that Jesus" sixth saying expressed. John stressed Jesus" divine sovereign control over His own destiny in submission to His Father"s will.

Context Summary

John 19:23-30 - Jesus' Last Thought For Others
Love made Mary brave to encounter the tragedy of that scene. The sword, as Simeon had foretold, was piercing her soul, Luke 2:35. Jesus knew how lonely she would be. He had neither silver nor gold, but could at least secure her a home and tender care. As the cross was elevated but slightly from the ground, His words could easily reach the little group. He chose the title, Woman, rather than "Mother," lest identification with Himself should bring her insult.
It is to this paragraph that the soul turns when oppressed with the consciousness of guilt. The light-hearted, gay world, which has never known the terror of a sinful conscience, turns from it as from a tragedy of woe and blood, but the repentant sinner presses from this vintage the wine of life. We stand beside thy Cross, O Son of God, and worship in adoring love, as we behold thy tenderness to thy mother, thy devotion to Holy Scripture, and the majesty of thy last cry of victory. It is finished-the Savior's work of redemption and the ground of our salvation. What is there left for us, but to hide in the cleft of His pierced side, and to seek the cleansing of the water and the blood? [source]

Chapter Summary: John 19

1  Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, and beaten
4  Pilate is desirous to release him,
15  but being overcome with the outrage of the crowd, he delivers him to be crucified
23  They cast lots for his garments
25  He commends his mother to John
28  He dies
31  His side is pierced
38  He is buried by Joseph and Nicodemus

Greek Commentary for John 19:30

Had received [ελαβεν]
Second aorist active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō Jesus took the vinegar (a stimulant), though he had refused the drugged vinegar. It is finished Same for as in John 19:28. A cry of victory in the hour of defeat like νενικηκα — nenikēka in John 16:33. Jesus knew the relation of his death to redemption for us (Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:28; Matthew 26:28). Bowed his head First aorist active participle of κλινω — klinō This vivid detail only in John. Gave up his spirit With the quotation of Psalm 31:5 according to Luke 23:46, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (the last of the seven sayings of Jesus on the Cross that are preserved for us). Jesus died with the words of this Psalm upon his lips. The apostle John had come back to the Cross. [source]
Gave up the ghost [παρέδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα]
Rev., his spirit. Matthew, ἀφῆκεν dismissedMark, ἐξέπνευσεν , breathed forth (his life). So Luke, who adds, “Father, into thy hands I commend ( παρατίθεμαι , see on Luke 9:16) my spirit.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 19:30

Matthew 27:48 Gave him to drink [εποτιζεν]
Imperfect of conative action, offered him a drink of vinegar on the sponge on a reed. Others interrupted this kindly man, but Jesus did taste this mild stimulant (John 19:30) for he thirsted (John 19:28). [source]
Matthew 27:50 Yielded up his spirit [απηκεν το πνευμα]
The loud cry may have been Psalm 31:5 as given in Luke 23:46: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” John (John 19:30) gives It is finished (τετελεσται — tetelestai), though which was actually last is not clear. Jesus did not die from slow exhaustion, but with a loud cry. [source]
Luke 23:46 Gave up the ghost [εχεπνευσεν]
First aorist active indicative of εκπνεω — ekpneō to breathe out, to expire, old word, but in the N.T. only here and Mark 15:37, Mark 15:39. There is no special reason for retaining “ghost” in the English as both Matthew 27:50 (yielded up his spirit, απηκεν το πνευμα — aphēken to pneuma) and John 19:30 (gave up his spirit, παρεδωκεν το πνευμα — paredōken to pneuma) use πνευμα — pneuma which is the root of εκπνεω — ekpneō the verb in Mark and Luke. [source]
John 19:28 Were accomplished [τετέλεσται]
Rev., with stricter rendering of the perfect tense, are finished. Finished corresponds better with it is finished, John 19:30. This sentence may be taken with the preceding one, or with that which follows. [source]
John 1:14 Was made flesh [σὰρξ ἐγένετο]
Rev., “became flesh.” The same verb as in John 1:3. All things became through Him; He in turn became flesh. “He became that which first became through Him.” In becoming, He did not cease to be the Eternal Word. His divine nature was not laid aside. In becoming flesh He did not part with the rational soul of man. Retaining all the essential properties of the Word, He entered into a new mode of being, not a new being. The word σὰρξ , flesh, describes this new mode of being. It signifies human nature in and according to its corporal manifestation. Here, as opposed to the purely divine, and to the purely immaterial nature of the Word. He did not first become a personality on becoming flesh. The prologue throughout conceives Him as a personality from the very beginning - from eternal ages. The phrase became flesh, means more than that He assumed a human body. He assumed human nature entire, identifying Himself with the race of man, having a human body, a human soul, and a human spirit. See John 12:27; John 11:33; John 13:21; John 19:30. He did not assume, for a time merely, humanity as something foreign to Himself The incarnation was not a mere accident of His substantial being. “He became flesh, and did not clothe Himself in flesh.” Compare, on the whole passage, 1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7. [source]
John 16:33 That in me ye may have peace [ινα εν εμοι ειρηνην εχητε]
Present active subjunctive of εχω — echō “that ye may keep on having peace in me,” even when I am put to death, peace to be found nowhere save in me (John 14:27). Be of good cheer Imperative active from ταρσος — tharsos courage (Acts 28:15). A word for courage in the face of danger, only here in John, but see Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:22; Mark 10:49. I have overcome the world Perfect active indicative of τετελεσται — nikaō to be victorious, to conquer. Always of spiritual victory in the N.T. See 1 John 5:4. This majestic proclamation of victory over death may be compared with υπερνικωμεν — tetelestai (It is finished) in John 19:30 as Christ died and with Paul‘s hupernikōmen (we are more than conquerors) in Romans 8:37. [source]
John 16:33 Be of good cheer [ταρσειτε]
Imperative active from ταρσος — tharsos courage (Acts 28:15). A word for courage in the face of danger, only here in John, but see Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:22; Mark 10:49. I have overcome the world Perfect active indicative of τετελεσται — nikaō to be victorious, to conquer. Always of spiritual victory in the N.T. See 1 John 5:4. This majestic proclamation of victory over death may be compared with υπερνικωμεν — tetelestai (It is finished) in John 19:30 as Christ died and with Paul‘s hupernikōmen (we are more than conquerors) in Romans 8:37. [source]
John 16:33 I have overcome the world [εγω νενικηκα τον κοσμον]
Perfect active indicative of τετελεσται — nikaō to be victorious, to conquer. Always of spiritual victory in the N.T. See 1 John 5:4. This majestic proclamation of victory over death may be compared with υπερνικωμεν — tetelestai (It is finished) in John 19:30 as Christ died and with Paul‘s hupernikōmen (we are more than conquerors) in Romans 8:37. [source]
John 19:28 Are now finished [ηδη τετελεσται]
Perfect passive indicative of τελεω — teleō See same form in John 19:30. As in John 13:1, where Jesus is fully conscious (knowing, ειδως — eidōs) of the meaning of his atoning death. Might be accomplished First aorist passive subjunctive of τελειοω — teleioō rather than the usual πληρωτηι — plērōthēi (John 19:24) with ινα — hina John sees the thirst of Jesus in Psalm 69:21. Jesus, of course, did not make the outcry in any mechanical way. Thirst is one of the severest agonies of crucifixion. For the “perfecting” of the Messiah by physical suffering see Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:7. [source]
John 5:36 But the witness which I have is greater than that of John [Εγω δε εχω την μαρτυριαν μειζω του Ιωανου]
Literally, “But I have the witness greater than John‘s.” Μειζω — Meizō Final clause with ινα — hina and first aorist active subjunctive of τελειοω — teleioō the same idiom in John 4:34. Jesus felt keenly the task laid on him by the Father (cf. John 3:35) and claimed at the end that he had performed it (John 17:4; John 19:30). Jesus held that the highest form of faith did not require these “works” The very works “The works themselves,” repeating τα εργα — ta erga just before for vernacular emphasis. Hath sent me Perfect active indicative of αποστελλω — apostellō the permanence of the mission. Cf. John 3:17. The continuance of the witness is emphasized in John 5:32; John 8:18. [source]
Romans 4:25 Was delivered [παρεδόθη]
See on Matthew 4:12; see on 1 Peter 2:23. Used of casting into prison or delivering to justice, Matthew 4:12; Matthew 10:17, Matthew 19:21. Frequently of the betrayal of Christ, Matthew 10:4; Matthew 17:22; John 6:64, John 6:71. Of committing a trust, Matthew 25:14, Matthew 25:20, Matthew 25:22. Of committing tradition, doctrine, or precept, Mark 7:13; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 6:17; 2 Peter 2:21. Of Christ's yielding up His spirit, John 19:30. Of the surrender of Christ and His followers to death, Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 4:11; Galatians 2:20. Of giving over to evil, Romans 1:26, Romans 1:28; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 4:19. [source]

What do the individual words in John 19:30 mean?

When therefore took the sour wine - Jesus He said It has been finished And having bowed the head He yielded up spirit
ὅτε οὖν ἔλαβεν τὸ ὄξος Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Τετέλεσται καὶ κλίνας τὴν κεφαλὴν παρέδωκεν πνεῦμα

ἔλαβεν  took 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
ὄξος  sour  wine 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄξος  
Sense: vinegar.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Τετέλεσται  It  has  been  finished 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: τελέω  
Sense: to bring to a close, to finish, to end.
κλίνας  having  bowed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κλίνω  
Sense: transitively.
κεφαλὴν  head 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κεφαλή  
Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals.
παρέδωκεν  He  yielded  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
πνεῦμα  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.