Before Jesus died on the cross, He spoke the words “It is finished.” Jesus came to fulfill and complete the law perfectly just as the Old Testament predicts the Messiah would. However, what does the word finish mean in Hebrew and Greek? Let’s take a look.
All scriptures are taken from NKJV unless otherwise marked.
What Does The Word ‘Finish’ Mean In Hebrew?
batsa- to plunder, to finish.
kala- to hold back or in; to prohibit.
kalah- to create, be finished, perish.
As a noun, this word means “to cease, perish, be finished, be completed.” It’s used in the following ways:
- It can refer to the disappearance of something
- the ending of God creating the universe (Genesis 2:2)
- can mean “the process of ending” or “coming to an end”
- positively, it can mean successfully completely something
- “making a firm decision” (1 Samuel 20:7)
- Negatively, “to complete something” may mean to make it vanish.
“As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.”
– Job 7:9
What Does The Word ‘Finish’ Mean In Greek?
apartismos- completion.
ekteleo- to complete fully; finish.
epiteleo- to terminate; to undergo.
This term is a strengthened form in the sense of accomplishing something. The fuller meaning is “to accomplish perfectly.” It’s translated into the following words:
- performed (Romans 15:28)
- perfecting (2 Corinthians 7:1)
- complete (2 Corinthians 8:6)
- performance (Philippians 1:6)
- accomplish (Hebrews 9:6)
“ So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.”
– 2 Corinthians 8:6
sunteleo- to complete entirely.
Sunteleo is used to describe the completion of a period of days (Luke 4:2) and of God finishing a work (Romans 9:28).
teleioo- to complete.
Conclusion
On the cross, Jesus completely paid the debt we owed to God. He paid for our sins and because of that, we have a new life in Christ. We are a new creation and free to live a life that’s pleasing to God.
Anyway, that’s what the word finish means in Hebrew and Greek. I pray you found this article helpful. If so, please share this content. Also, feel free to share any thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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