19. To Accomplish, Finish, Fulfill

From: Concise Bible Dictionary: Appendix

The word τελέω (from τέλος, 'end') is ‘to accomplish anything by bringing it to an end.' So the Lord was straitened until His death was accomplished. Luke 12:50⁵⁰But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Luke 12:50). Comp. chap. 18:31 and John 19:28²⁸After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (John 19:28); and for the general sense of the word, Matt. 11:1¹And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. (Matthew 11:1); Rev. 10:7; 11:7⁷But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7)
⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7).

υελειόω (from τέλειος,, ‘perfect') is ‘to make perfect, complete,' not merely to bring to an end. See John 17:23²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23); Heb. 2:10; 5:9; 10:1; 11:40¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)
⁹And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:9)
¹For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Hebrews 10:1)
⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40); Jas. 2:22²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? (James 2:22). In Acts 20:24²⁴But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24) the apostle Paul uses it of ‘completing' his course.

πληρόω (from πλήπης, 'full') signifies to fill, fill up, fulfill.' The Lord said that He did not come to abolish, or make void, the law and the prophets; He came to fulfill, or give the fullness to them ― to make good the whole scope of the law and the prophets. Matt. 5:17¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matthew 5:17). This helps as to the force of Col. 1:25²⁵Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (Colossians 1:25): not only was the circle of truth, the communication of God's mind, as to the subjects of revelation, complete when the doctrine of the assembly was brought out through the apostle; but the truth as to the mystery gave fullness to the whole revelation of God. See also Matt. 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (Matthew 1:22)
¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:15)
¹⁷Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, (Matthew 2:17)
²³And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23), and many other passages. In the sense of ‘filling' see Luke 2:40⁴⁰And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40); the house was filled with the scent of the ointment in John 12:3³Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. (John 12:3); and the house was filled with the sound, in Acts 2:2²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2).

The apostle prays that the Ephesian saints might be filled unto all the fullness of God. Eph. 3:19¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:19); and in 4:10 we read "He that descended is the same that has also ascended up far above all the heavens that he might fill all things."

For ‘filling up' see Matt. 23:32³²Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. (Matthew 23:32).

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