34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work.”
John 4:34
Completely
Completely is the adverb (a word that qualifies an adjective, verb or other adverb) formed from the word “complete” which is rooted in the Latin word “complere” meaning “to fulfill, to finish”. In the Latin, the prefix “com-” is used to describe intensive force while “plere” means “fill”. In the English, the word “completely” means “totally, utterly, leaving no gaps”.
In the context of John 4:34 then, the word “completely” was used for emphasis. Jesus was saying that no area of the work He was sent to do would be left undone. On the cross, as Jesus drank the wine vinegar from the sponge, before giving up His spirit, He uttered the words, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The “it” He refers to is the work of His Father, the work He was sent to do on this earth. Even with all that He knew awaited Him – the suffering, the ridicule, the betrayal, the pain – Jesus stated emphatically that He would “completely finish” the work of His Father who sent Him. Yes, the resurrection and the victory over sin and the grave came after but did that take away from the suffering He experienced? Being fully God and fully man, He experienced emotions just as we do (Hebrews 4:15) but He still chose to do the will of His Father.
What did it take for Him to devote Himself to such a mission? COMPLETELY trusting His Father – the kind of trust that left no area unexposed.
How do we apply this to our own lives?
- Study His Word; seek revelation of God’s character
- Examine what area of our lives we have been keeping from God. What are we trying to “handle” ourselves?
- Give those areas, and all areas of our lives, completely to God
- Act in obedience to His Word