Jesus accomplished his work before the crucifixion event according to the Bible

 

Another passage that is often cited in this discussion is John 17, where Jesus offers what is commonly known as his high priestly prayer. According to this interpretation, Jesus' own words indicate that he had already completed the mission God had entrusted to him before the events of the crucifixion.

In John 17:4, Jesus prays:

"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do."

This statement is significant because, according to the Gospel narrative, Jesus prayed these words only a few hours before his arrest and crucifixion.

From this perspective, an important question arises: If the crucifixion was the central purpose of Jesus' mission and the greatest work he came to accomplish, why does he declare that he has already completed the work God gave him to do before the crucifixion has taken place?

Jesus does not say, "I am about to finish the work," or "I will complete it after the crucifixion." Instead, he speaks in the past tense:

"I have accomplished the work You gave Me to do."

Those who hold this interpretation argue that these words indicate that Jesus regarded his divine mission as already fulfilled. If his mission had already been completed, they contend, then there would have been no essential work remaining—such as dying on the cross—to fulfill God's purpose.

This interpretation is also connected with Jesus' statements elsewhere in the Farewell Discourse. In John 16:5, he says:

"But now I am going to Him who sent Me."

Taken together, these passages are understood to mean that Jesus had completed the task entrusted to him, had glorified God through his ministry, and was now returning to the One who had sent him.

According to this line of reasoning, the New Testament itself does not present the crucifixion as the unfinished task that Jesus still needed to accomplish after John 17. Instead, Jesus declares that he has already completed the work given to him and is preparing to depart and return to God.

Therefore, proponents of this view conclude that John 17:4 does not support the idea that the crucifixion was the culmination of Jesus' mission. Rather, they argue that Jesus' own words indicate that his mission had already been fulfilled before the events that followed, and that he was about to return to God after accomplishing everything he had been sent to do.