Friday, March 30, 2018

Good Friday: Christ and the Cross

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.
According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning. (Matt 27:3-10)
Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment.   After multiple unlawful trials, (Luke 23)  He was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment.
Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. (Matt 27:27-31)  Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross. (John 19:16-18)
Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46, NIV)
Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died.
By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.
  • Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.
reposted with edits from:
https://www.thoughtco.com/holy-week-timeline-700618

Note: Many of the actual times of these events are not recorded in Scripture.
The following timeline represents an approximate sequence of events.
  • Good Friday Events
6 a.m.
  • Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate(Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37)
  • Jesus Sent to Herod(Luke 23:6-12)
7 a.m.
  • Jesus Returned to Pilate(Luke 23:11)
  • Jesus Is Sentenced to Death(Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16)
8 a.m.
  • Jesus Is Led Away to Calvary(Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17)

    The Crucifixion

    9 a.m. - "The Third Hour"
    • Jesus Is Crucified on the Cross
    Mark 15: 25 - It was the third hour when they crucified him. (NIV). (The third hour in Jewish time would have been 9 a.m.)
    Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (NIV)
    • The Soldiers Cast Lots for Jesus' Clothing(Mark 15:24)
      10 a.m.
      • Jesus Is Insulted and Mocked
      Matthew 27:39-40 - And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. "So! You can destroy the Temple and build it again in three days, can you? Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!"(NLT)
      Mark 15:31 - The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. "He saved others," they scoffed, "but he can't save himself!" (NLT)
      Luke 23:36-37 - The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" (NLT)
      Luke 23:39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (NIV)
      11 a.m.
      • Jesus and the Criminal
      Luke 23:40-43 - But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
      Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
      Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (NIV)
      • Jesus Speaks to Mary and John
      John 19:26-27 - When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Woman, he is your son." And he said to this disciple, "She is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home. (NLT)
      Noon - "The Sixth Hour"
      • Darkness Covers the Land
      Mark 15:33 - At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.(NLT)
      1 p.m.
      • Jesus Cries Out to the Father
      Matthew 27:46 - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (NKJV)
      • Jesus is Thirsty
      John 19:28-29 - Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I am thirsty."A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. (NLT)
      2 p.m.
      • It Is Finished
      John 19:30a - When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" (NLT)
      Luke 23:46 - Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. (NIV)
      3 p.m. - "The Ninth Hour"

      Events Following Jesus' Death

      • The Earthquake
      Matthew 27:51-52 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (NIV)

      • The Centurion - "Surely he was the Son of God!"(Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47)
      • The Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs(John 19:31-33)
      • The Soldier Pierces Jesus Side(John 19:34)
      • Jesus is Laid in the Tomb(Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)
      • Jesus Rises from the Dead(Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-9)
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