Complete is more teleological; finished is stopping regardless of completion.
Complete is a rich, beautiful word. Finished is a stark, harsh and isolated word, devoid of a rich context. Finished is an amazing word, it is just a different word.
Finished is the Iliad; Complete is the Odyssey.
Nowwwww....having said all that, I am left to work with what Jesus said, “It is finished.”
Assuming that the Greek of the NT (I don’t know) does mean finished and not complete....And assuming of course that the Greek rendering of the (I guess?) Aramaic word that He spoke is also one-for-one....then....I have to wonder if the distinction above remains.
I think thinking poetically, this still works. Because when it was done, it was rightly called “finished” because the act of crucifixion was so arbitrary, unjust, and devoid of anything but horrific context...so “finished” is a perfect word for that moment. It captures the horror.
Yet, thinking teleologically, it is also true that it was complete....the sacrifice He came to make was complete.
Then again...one more thought...maybe...on Good Friday, it was “only” finished. It was not yet complete.
Yes. I think that is the best thought.
His full mission was complete on Easter Sunday. Finished on Good Friday; but complete on Easter Sunday.
I like your understanding and agree.
Easily the best post I’ve ever seen on FR, Congratulations.
Dang. I read the first line and paused while with the rest of what you said was unread off the bottom of the screen and essentially thought everything you said in the subsequent paragraphs.
Kinda spooky...