The verb translated “bring to completion” or “accomplish fully” describes the movement from inception to fulfillment. It stresses not merely finishing a task but realizing its intended goal, whether in moral development, divine purpose, or prophetic timetable.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Luke 13:32 records Jesus’ resolve to “drive out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal”. The verb underscores His unwavering march toward the culmination of His earthly mission in Jerusalem.
2. James 1:15 observes that “when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death”. Here the same verb expresses sin’s grim capacity to mature into its lethal end, highlighting the inevitable harvest of unchecked desire.

Theological Themes

Completion in Christ’s Work: Luke 13:32 presents Jesus as the One who will finish the redemptive course set before Him. His declaration mirrors later statements such as John 17:4 and John 19:30, where completion language frames the cross as the decisive fulfillment of the Father’s will.

Completion in Sin’s Course: James 1:15 contrasts godly completion with sin’s counterfeit trajectory. What begins as inward desire, when “fully grown,” reaches a dreadful consummation—spiritual and ultimately physical death. The verse echoes Proverbs 14:12 and Romans 6:23, reinforcing the certainty of sin’s bitter end.

Relation to Old Testament Concepts

Old Testament passages like Exodus 23:31 (“I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines…”) portray the Lord finishing what He promises. The Septuagint often employs cognate verbs for bringing covenant aims to fruition (for example, Joshua 21:45). This continuity affirms that God’s purposes, whether in corporate Israel or in the Messiah, never stall midway.

Christological Significance

Jesus embodies the ultimate completer. His ministry pattern—teaching, healing, casting out demons—moves inexorably toward the cross and resurrection, the climactic “third day.” Philippians 1:6 grounds believer confidence in the same Lord who “will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” As He concludes His work, He guarantees the completion of ours.

Eschatological Implications

Revelation 15:1 speaks of “the last plagues, in which the wrath of God is completed.” Divine judgment, like divine salvation, proceeds to its destined end. The verb’s semantic field therefore encompasses both consummated blessing and consummated wrath, reminding the Church of a day when all divine purposes—merciful and judicial—stand finished.

Historical Usage in Early Church

Early Christian writers employed this verb group to describe martyrdom as the “perfecting” of faith (for example, The Martyrdom of Polycarp 14). They saw in their suffering a participation in Christ’s own completion, echoing Colossians 1:24. The term also surfaced in baptismal liturgies, signifying the convert’s decisive break with the old life.

Applications in Christian Life

Personal Sanctification: Believers are warned in James 1:15 not to allow temptation any incremental victories; sin desires full expression. Vigilance and repentance interrupt that dark progression.

Assurance of Perseverance: Because Christ finishes what He begins, Christians labor with confidence (1 Corinthians 15:58), knowing that their “labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Mission and Ministry: Congregational projects, disciple-making efforts, and acts of mercy should reflect the divine pattern of thorough completion (2 Corinthians 8:6-11).

Pastoral Reflections

1. Encourage saints to view setbacks as interim chapters in God’s account of completion.
2. Warn against minimizing “small” sins; left unchecked, they mature into devastating realities.
3. Celebrate Christ’s finished work in corporate worship, grounding hope and endurance in His unwavering resolve.

Summary

Whether illuminating the triumph of Christ or the tragedy of sin, the verb translated “bring to completion” reminds readers that every seed—holy or sinful—moves toward harvest. Scripture calls believers to cling to the One who completes all things in righteousness and to resist the impulses that, when fully grown, culminate in death.