04_Parker_222_244_222-244 10/07/15 12:41 Pagina 229 229 IS THE SUBJECT OF tete,lestai IN JOHN 19,30 “IT” OR “ALL THINGS” ? 229 atoning death of Christ 22; (7) the events of the entire passion narra- tive 23; (8) the completion of the works that will lead to a renewed creation 24; and, (9) the completion of the Passover meal when Jesus consumed the “fourth cup” on the cross 25. Some scholars combine several of the items from the list above so that “it” refers to Jesus’ work and atonement 26, his work and the fulfillment of Scripture 27, his words and works 28, or even his work, the atonement, and the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy 29. In one instance, the singular “it” supposedly refers to as many as seven items 30. The existence of so many theories as to the exact meaning 22 J. CALVIN, John, II, 235; BERNARD, St. John, II, 639; L. MORRIS, “The Atonement in John’s Gospel” CTR 2 (1988), 50; C.L. BLOMBERG, The His- torical Reliability of John’s Gospel. Issues and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL 2001) 253; R.V.G. TASKER, The Gospel According to St. John (TNTC; Grand Rapids, MI 1976) 211; DELLING, “te,loj”, VIII, 59; T. ODEN, The Word of Life, Systematic Theology (Peabody, MA 2001) II, 320. 23 EPHRAIM, “On Our Lord”,321; A. EDERSHEIM, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids, MI 1984) II, 608-609; BERNARD, St. John, II, 638. 24 N.T. WRIGHT, The Challenge of Jesus. Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is (Downers Grove, IL 1999) 175-176; J.K. BROWN, “Creation’s Renewal in the Gospel of John”, CBQ 72 (2010) 275-290. 25 S. HAHN, A Father Who Keeps His Promises. God’s Covenant Love in Scripture (Cincinnati, OH 1998) 225-244; B. PITRE, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist. Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper (New York 2011) 147-170. This theory argues that Jesus reserved the fourth cup of the Passover meal for the moment of his death on the cross when he drank and said, “It is finished”. Although such a theory might be possible if the four canonical gospels were allowed in the reconstruction, this view is implausible from the perspective of Johannine theology alone, especially since John does not men- tion the Passover cups in his brief account of the Last Supper (John 13,1-4). 26 F.F. BRUCE, The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids, MI 1983) 374; G.R. BEASLEY-MURRAY, John (WBC 36; Waco, TX 1987) 351, 356. Cf. O. CULL- MAN, “Der johanneische Gebrauch doppeldeutiger Ausdrücke als Schlüssel zum Verständnis des vierten Evangeliums” TZ 4 (1948) 370. 27 BROWN, The Death of the Messiah, II, 1078; also, LÉON-DUFOUR, Life and Death, 134; C.K. BARRETT, The Gospel according to St John (London 1955) 459-460; WITKAMP, “Jesus’ Thirst”, 495, 496, and 502; BENGEL, Gnomon, 483. 28 BAMPFYLDE, “John xix 28”, 250. 29 A. BARNES, Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI 1976) 372; B.F. WESTCOTT, The Gospel According to St. John (Grand Rapids, MI 1971) 277-278. 30 C.H. SPURGEON, Christ’s Words From the Cross (Grand Rapids, MI 1965) 86-104.