But when He said "it is finished" He had not yet died, nor rose from the dead! (I will follow your lead and use exclamation points for dramatic effect.)
The work of redemption wasn't finished on the cross because the resurrection had not occurred. Scripture says the resurrection is needed to complete the redemption of man...
Luke 24:7 ---> "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and
be crucified, and the third day rise again."
Romans 4:25 ---> "Who was delivered for our offenses,
and was raised again for our justification."
1 Cor 15:17---> "And
if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."
When Jesus said, "It is finished",
He had not yet died, nor rose from the dead.
When He said "It is finished", he had neither died nor been resurrected. To understand what happened and was finished on Good Friday, we have to go back to what began in the Upper Room on the evening before. It is only in this context does it become clear. The passion of Christ actually began at the Last Supper, where the new covenant was established and instituted...
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, '
Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'" (
Mt. 26:26-28)
"And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, 'Take; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them,
'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.'" (
Mark 14:22-24)
"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, '
This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.'" (
Luke 22:19-20)
It is at this moment when the new Moses, Jesus Christ, fulfills the type / figure of the old covenant of Moses in Exodus with the new reality of the
Eucharistic sacrifice...
Exodus 24 (The figure) ---> The hill, the altar, the twelve, the blood, Moses, the covenant, the eating the drinking and communion with God ---> Points to the reality of the new now being fulfilled by Jesus Christ ---> The Upper Room, the altar, the twelve, the blood, the New Moses, the new covenant, the eating and drinking and communion with God.
This is
finished (consummated) on the Cross on Good Friday. The Last Supper is what is consummated / completed /
finished when Jesus is on the cross. The Last Supper and Calvary are one single event. Christ is both the high priest and the victim (
Hebrews 9:11-12).
This does a great job juxtaposing that which began in the Upper Room on Holy Thursday with its completion on Good Friday...
(The 1:32 mark if you want to jump right to it!)